Thursday, November 10, 2011
#endtimes
The scope of all false religious movements and false prophecy is the attempt to bring about their own individual agenda for world domination to bear upon everyone else. Whether it be Israel, Iran, the U. S. or Russia and China.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/07/why-irans-top-leaders-believe-that-end-days-has-come/
The Kingdom of God, is not of this world. (cosmos) The distinction of the Kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of God are sometimes not quite as evident, sometimes Satan acts like a sheep in order to infiltrate. Yet often the difference is clear. Those bent on domination are of Satan, over against humble reliance on love, the Absolute Love. Those bent on destroying and killing are of Satan, over against those who are defenders of the weak and truth who seek after peace and safety are of the One True God!
Joh 18:10, 11 "Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
Joh 18:36 "Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Joh 4:19-24 "The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
This world is passing away, Absolute Love has not forsaken it, He is transforming us while we are in it. He is preparing both that place and us. Those seeking a permanence and dominance on earth are of Satan, as opposed to those focused on being forever in the presence of the Absolute Love.
Joh 14:1-4 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."
1Jn 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
The scope of all false religious movements and false prophecy is the attempt to bring about their own individual agenda for world domination to bear upon everyone else. Whether it be Israel, Iran, the U. S. or Russia and China.
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/07/why-irans-top-leaders-believe-that-end-days-has-come/
The Kingdom of God, is not of this world. (cosmos) The distinction of the Kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of God are sometimes not quite as evident, sometimes Satan acts like a sheep in order to infiltrate. Yet often the difference is clear. Those bent on domination are of Satan, over against humble reliance on love, the Absolute Love. Those bent on destroying and killing are of Satan, over against those who are defenders of the weak and truth who seek after peace and safety are of the One True God!
Joh 18:10, 11 "Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
Joh 18:36 "Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Joh 4:19-24 "The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
This world is passing away, Absolute Love has not forsaken it, He is transforming us while we are in it. He is preparing both that place and us. Those seeking a permanence and dominance on earth are of Satan, as opposed to those focused on being forever in the presence of the Absolute Love.
Joh 14:1-4 "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going."
1Jn 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
The war for absolute individualism, total autonomy is the war against relational attachment to the Absolute Love. Fallen mankind will rather be under subservience to self and anti-christ, than acknowledge dependence on God and as His image bearer relate in interdependence with others.
In a final battle the beast will reappear, the vision is now clearly future for the ten horns are "ten kings who have not yet received royal power" and "the waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages".
Rev 17:9-18 "This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful." And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth."
What we are seeing is the result of this quest for ultimate independence, for anarchy, for no controls on the self, autonomous existence. I had a very interesting experience with this search for ultimate autonomy in a recent visit to San Francisco.
Across the bay in Oakland were daily protests going on in the current occupy movement which is protesting against institutional and corporate control and greed. They were attempting to and succeeded in closing down one of the busiest shipping ports in the world through the strategy of a general strike. Of course it was well noted that most of them were not in any labor union. In the midst of this mostly peaceful demonstration what were being described as anarchist groups were not satisfied with the shutting down of the port, they came in among the protesters and began setting fires, looting and destroying property.
Then in San Francisco amongst the many autonomous homeless and indigent those begging for money. If you ask the majority they would not go with you to a restaurant to to buy some bread for them at a store and restaurant, no they really want to be left alone, if only you would provide them with a means to go their way to fuel whatever their individual desires are. (You may think me uncaring or even mean, but this is because you have not had the opportunity to work closely with a rescue mission, or a detention/correctional facility or a addiction recovery ministry.)
Then also was the attempted ban on nude dining in the city and the attempt to make it law that if you were nude you would put a towel or cloth down before sitting on a public bench or chair. There are even recognized in the age of tolerance of almost anything in the name of autonomous choice some limits to that tolerance.
Nancy Pearcy talks of this drive for individualistic autonomy as she talks about the results of Marxist thinking, which leads to Social Darwinism as a result of the divorce of force of morality entering into the sciences whether it be social sciences or biology any absolute moral system according to atheistic darwinism is excluded from science. Why? Because it is not believed by the elite in science. They say because it cannot be emperically tested, it is of faith. Darwinism is believed. Why? Not because it can be tested. It cannot, as Darwinists are wont to point out it takes billions of years for evolution to occur. No it is by faith for them also, but moral absolutes must be omited for they are of faith and it is a competing faith against Darwinism. Survival of the fittest means eliminating the competition, in this sense the idea of God is the competing source against the ultimate superiority of man. I will take God's side in that competition. I talk more about this dilemma of science in my book "Absolute Love".
In the twentieth century this individualism has progressed to a full blown sexual and amoral revolution as Nancy Pearcy decsribes in talking about the founder of Planned Parenthood.
"The left-right split in American politics used to be over economic issues, such as distribution of wealth. (My note-that is still here) But today the split tends to be over issues of sex and reproduction, abortion, homosexual rights, no-fault divorce, the definition of family, fetal experimentation, stem cell research, cloning, sex education and pornography...
Just listen to some of the architects of the sexual revolution, like Margaret Sanger, the founder of planned parenthood. Most of us know Sanger as an early champion of birth control, but not everyone knows she wrote several books expounding a complete worldview. Sanger was a committed Darwinist, a champion of Social Darwinism and eugenics ... Her goal was to construct a "scientific" approach to sexuality based on Darwinism.
Sanger portrayed history as a struggle to free our bodies and minds from the constraints of morality- what she called the "cruel morality of self-denial and sin". ocial lls: "She touted sexual liberation as the "only method" to find "inner peace and security and beauty". She even offered it as way to overcome social ills: "Remove the constraints and prohibitions which now hinder the release of inner energies[ her euphemism for sexual energies], and most of the larger evils of society will perish.
Finally, Sanger offered this sweeping messianic promise.: "Through sex, mankind will attain the great spiritual illumination which will transform the world, and light up the only path to an earthly paradise." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth: Study Guide Edition" page 142-143 Crossway Books 2005
The Absolute Love is waiting patiently, judgment is building for the day of wrath, justice must be a part of love. Yet today grace Christ, that are not anti-christ.
Rom 1:21-32 "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
The war for absolute individualism, total autonomy is the war against relational attachment to the Absolute Love. Fallen mankind will rather be under subservience to self and anti-christ, than acknowledge dependence on God and as His image bearer relate in interdependence with others.
In a final battle the beast will reappear, the vision is now clearly future for the ten horns are "ten kings who have not yet received royal power" and "the waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages".
Rev 17:9-18 "This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful." And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth."
What we are seeing is the result of this quest for ultimate independence, for anarchy, for no controls on the self, autonomous existence. I had a very interesting experience with this search for ultimate autonomy in a recent visit to San Francisco.
Across the bay in Oakland were daily protests going on in the current occupy movement which is protesting against institutional and corporate control and greed. They were attempting to and succeeded in closing down one of the busiest shipping ports in the world through the strategy of a general strike. Of course it was well noted that most of them were not in any labor union. In the midst of this mostly peaceful demonstration what were being described as anarchist groups were not satisfied with the shutting down of the port, they came in among the protesters and began setting fires, looting and destroying property.
Then in San Francisco amongst the many autonomous homeless and indigent those begging for money. If you ask the majority they would not go with you to a restaurant to to buy some bread for them at a store and restaurant, no they really want to be left alone, if only you would provide them with a means to go their way to fuel whatever their individual desires are. (You may think me uncaring or even mean, but this is because you have not had the opportunity to work closely with a rescue mission, or a detention/correctional facility or a addiction recovery ministry.)
Then also was the attempted ban on nude dining in the city and the attempt to make it law that if you were nude you would put a towel or cloth down before sitting on a public bench or chair. There are even recognized in the age of tolerance of almost anything in the name of autonomous choice some limits to that tolerance.
Nancy Pearcy talks of this drive for individualistic autonomy as she talks about the results of Marxist thinking, which leads to Social Darwinism as a result of the divorce of force of morality entering into the sciences whether it be social sciences or biology any absolute moral system according to atheistic darwinism is excluded from science. Why? Because it is not believed by the elite in science. They say because it cannot be emperically tested, it is of faith. Darwinism is believed. Why? Not because it can be tested. It cannot, as Darwinists are wont to point out it takes billions of years for evolution to occur. No it is by faith for them also, but moral absolutes must be omited for they are of faith and it is a competing faith against Darwinism. Survival of the fittest means eliminating the competition, in this sense the idea of God is the competing source against the ultimate superiority of man. I will take God's side in that competition. I talk more about this dilemma of science in my book "Absolute Love".
In the twentieth century this individualism has progressed to a full blown sexual and amoral revolution as Nancy Pearcy decsribes in talking about the founder of Planned Parenthood.
"The left-right split in American politics used to be over economic issues, such as distribution of wealth. (My note-that is still here) But today the split tends to be over issues of sex and reproduction, abortion, homosexual rights, no-fault divorce, the definition of family, fetal experimentation, stem cell research, cloning, sex education and pornography...
Just listen to some of the architects of the sexual revolution, like Margaret Sanger, the founder of planned parenthood. Most of us know Sanger as an early champion of birth control, but not everyone knows she wrote several books expounding a complete worldview. Sanger was a committed Darwinist, a champion of Social Darwinism and eugenics ... Her goal was to construct a "scientific" approach to sexuality based on Darwinism.
Sanger portrayed history as a struggle to free our bodies and minds from the constraints of morality- what she called the "cruel morality of self-denial and sin". ocial lls: "She touted sexual liberation as the "only method" to find "inner peace and security and beauty". She even offered it as way to overcome social ills: "Remove the constraints and prohibitions which now hinder the release of inner energies[ her euphemism for sexual energies], and most of the larger evils of society will perish.
Finally, Sanger offered this sweeping messianic promise.: "Through sex, mankind will attain the great spiritual illumination which will transform the world, and light up the only path to an earthly paradise." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth: Study Guide Edition" page 142-143 Crossway Books 2005
The Absolute Love is waiting patiently, judgment is building for the day of wrath, justice must be a part of love. Yet today grace Christ, that are not anti-christ.
Rom 1:21-32 "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
This sixth parallel vision is now taking us deeper into the end times, a more ominous vision of rebellion against God, a more global picture of violence against the followers of the Lamb. This picture of the adulteress woman and the beast whom she is in bed with is more extensive.
Babylon is the very essence of the captivity, persecution and destruction of the people of God. She is representative of the world empires Persia, Greece, Rome and beyond. A picture of despotic kings and rulers who set themselves up as absolute over against the Absolute Love. The very opposite of love, uncaring and unmerciful. Anti-Christs. This is something that comes and goes, arises and falls, is defeated and reappears, a picture of the inter-advent period.
Rev 17:3-8 "And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come."
Mankind at the fall and throughout history has chosen a perversion of created order where individualism and collectivism are at odds with one another. In created order the image of God is highlighted in the value and dignity of the individual and the humble, mutual submission to the ultimate benefit of the loving relationship.
The Beasts kingdom is in opposition to this picture because he must be ultimate, and therefore in opposition to loving, humble submission to the benefit of others, he subjugates and enslaves those who give Him ultimacy in their lives. They, in an effort to gain ultimacy and independence for themselves, must take on the mark of the beast and be in chains.
Nancy Pearcy explains this phenomenon and explains how the focus upon naturalism as opposed to created order and image bearing bring people into this subjugation.
She explains the development of this through totalitarianism in general as a philosophy of governance.
"Let's go back before Marx to one of the sources of his ideas- Jean Jacques Rousseau. Most of the ideologies that bloodied the twentieth century were influenced by Rousseau. His writings inspired Robespierre in the French Revolution, as well as Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, and Mao. Even Pol Pot who massacred a quarter of the population in Cambodia. So if you get a grip on Rousseaus thinking you have a key to understanding much of the modern ("fallen"-my addition) world. ...
Rousseau said the way to grasp the essence of human nature was to hypothesize what we would be liked if we were stripped of all social relationships, morals, laws, customs, traditions-of civilization itself. ... In it are lone, disconnected, autonomous individuals, whose sole motivating force is desire for self-preservation- whart Rousseau called self-love.... Social relationships are not ultimately real; instead they are secondary or derivative, created by individual choice." ...
If our true nature is to be autonomous individuals, then society is contrary to or nature: it is artificial, confining, oppressive. That's why Rousseau's most influential work, The Social Contract, opens with the famous line, "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" ... For Rousseau, the really oppressive relationships were personal ones like marriage, family, church, and workplace." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth:Liberating Christianity From Its Cultural Captivity" page 141 Crossway Books 2005.
Ultimate autonomy in escape from relationship with The Absolute Love, sound familiar?: if not read the first several chapters of Genesis. The result is destruction of the self that was created for relationship. This is the legacy of those who remain in rebellion against the Lamb.
Mat 24:5-14 "For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
More on this captivity- this mark of the beast in tomorrows post.
This sixth parallel vision is now taking us deeper into the end times, a more ominous vision of rebellion against God, a more global picture of violence against the followers of the Lamb. This picture of the adulteress woman and the beast whom she is in bed with is more extensive.
Babylon is the very essence of the captivity, persecution and destruction of the people of God. She is representative of the world empires Persia, Greece, Rome and beyond. A picture of despotic kings and rulers who set themselves up as absolute over against the Absolute Love. The very opposite of love, uncaring and unmerciful. Anti-Christs. This is something that comes and goes, arises and falls, is defeated and reappears, a picture of the inter-advent period.
Rev 17:3-8 "And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations." And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come."
Mankind at the fall and throughout history has chosen a perversion of created order where individualism and collectivism are at odds with one another. In created order the image of God is highlighted in the value and dignity of the individual and the humble, mutual submission to the ultimate benefit of the loving relationship.
The Beasts kingdom is in opposition to this picture because he must be ultimate, and therefore in opposition to loving, humble submission to the benefit of others, he subjugates and enslaves those who give Him ultimacy in their lives. They, in an effort to gain ultimacy and independence for themselves, must take on the mark of the beast and be in chains.
Nancy Pearcy explains this phenomenon and explains how the focus upon naturalism as opposed to created order and image bearing bring people into this subjugation.
She explains the development of this through totalitarianism in general as a philosophy of governance.
"Let's go back before Marx to one of the sources of his ideas- Jean Jacques Rousseau. Most of the ideologies that bloodied the twentieth century were influenced by Rousseau. His writings inspired Robespierre in the French Revolution, as well as Marx, Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, and Mao. Even Pol Pot who massacred a quarter of the population in Cambodia. So if you get a grip on Rousseaus thinking you have a key to understanding much of the modern ("fallen"-my addition) world. ...
Rousseau said the way to grasp the essence of human nature was to hypothesize what we would be liked if we were stripped of all social relationships, morals, laws, customs, traditions-of civilization itself. ... In it are lone, disconnected, autonomous individuals, whose sole motivating force is desire for self-preservation- whart Rousseau called self-love.... Social relationships are not ultimately real; instead they are secondary or derivative, created by individual choice." ...
If our true nature is to be autonomous individuals, then society is contrary to or nature: it is artificial, confining, oppressive. That's why Rousseau's most influential work, The Social Contract, opens with the famous line, "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" ... For Rousseau, the really oppressive relationships were personal ones like marriage, family, church, and workplace." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth:Liberating Christianity From Its Cultural Captivity" page 141 Crossway Books 2005.
Ultimate autonomy in escape from relationship with The Absolute Love, sound familiar?: if not read the first several chapters of Genesis. The result is destruction of the self that was created for relationship. This is the legacy of those who remain in rebellion against the Lamb.
Mat 24:5-14 "For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
More on this captivity- this mark of the beast in tomorrows post.
Monday, November 7, 2011
#endtimes #revelation
The Absolute Love is absolute in many ways. First the absolute love of God is the what defines the essence of what love is, anything that claims to be loving is subjected to the absolute criteria of God's love. In addition it is absolute in that, acceptance of God's love is acceptance and submission to loving God alone, there can be no love that is above or takes precedence above love to God, this is absolute. Marriage or any other relationship that claims to be loving must be subordinated to the Absolute Love. So all throughout Revelation and The Word of God as a whole speaks of infidelity or unfaithfulness to God in the language of prostitution and sexual immorality.
Rev 17:1,2 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk."
In the final two visions we are given a much broader picture of the judgment and redemption of God. Chapter 17 begins the sixth of the seven parallels and progressive visions of Revelation. Unfaithful Israel and Rome are not the only focus of judgment and redemption but the whole earth, all peoples are involved in the beginning and culmination of Gods plan throughout history. If you want to get a fuller grasp of the plan of God study the book of Romans very diligently, but especially meditate on Romans chapters 8 - 11. For God is through His sovereign plan before the foundations of the world is putting together the best most possible world. No one there will be in rebellion nor will perversion of love toward God be in that place for all will know the love of God fully and in glad surrender acknowledge, no revel and delight, in His loving absolute power and presence.
Rom 11:30-36 "For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?""Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
In my book "Absolute Love" I spend a lot of time in study and reflection of the who God is relationally as Father-Son-Holy Spirit. The One God in three persons, One in essence, power, existence and personality, yet three in one. This relationship is essential to understanding the faithfulness and love of God. A love like no other Hesed- Agape- Steadfast Love. One of my new favorite writers is Nancy Pearcy she gives a special glimpse into the relationship of love within the One God.
"The human race was created in the image of God, who is three Persons so intimately related as to constitute one Godhead- in the classic theological formulation one in being and three in person. God is not "really" one deity, who appears in three modes: nor is God "really" three deities, which would be polytheism. Instead, both oneness and threeness are equally real, equally ultimate, equally basic and integral to God's nature"
The balance of unity and diversity in the Trinity gives a nodel for human scial life, because it implies that both individuality and relationship exist within the Godhead itself. God is being -in-communion. Humans are made in the image of a God who is tri-unity- whose very nature consists in reciprocal love and communication among Persons of the Trinity. This model provides a solution to the age old opposition between collectivism and individualism. Over against collectivism, the Trinity implies the dignity and uniqueness of the individual person. Over against radical individualism, the Trinity implies that relationships are not created by sheer choice but are built into the very essence of human nature. We are not atomistic individuals but are created for relationships. ...
In fact, certain virtues necessary for spiritual maturity- such as faithfuless and self-sacrificing love - can be practiced only within relationships." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth:Liberating Christianity From Its Cultural Captivity" Study Guide Edition Crossway Books 2005
I will talk more about individualism as against collectivism in tomorrows blog as we continue through Revelation 17.
May you learn to deeply love by focusing on the Absolute Love.
2Co 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
The Absolute Love is absolute in many ways. First the absolute love of God is the what defines the essence of what love is, anything that claims to be loving is subjected to the absolute criteria of God's love. In addition it is absolute in that, acceptance of God's love is acceptance and submission to loving God alone, there can be no love that is above or takes precedence above love to God, this is absolute. Marriage or any other relationship that claims to be loving must be subordinated to the Absolute Love. So all throughout Revelation and The Word of God as a whole speaks of infidelity or unfaithfulness to God in the language of prostitution and sexual immorality.
Rev 17:1,2 "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk."
In the final two visions we are given a much broader picture of the judgment and redemption of God. Chapter 17 begins the sixth of the seven parallels and progressive visions of Revelation. Unfaithful Israel and Rome are not the only focus of judgment and redemption but the whole earth, all peoples are involved in the beginning and culmination of Gods plan throughout history. If you want to get a fuller grasp of the plan of God study the book of Romans very diligently, but especially meditate on Romans chapters 8 - 11. For God is through His sovereign plan before the foundations of the world is putting together the best most possible world. No one there will be in rebellion nor will perversion of love toward God be in that place for all will know the love of God fully and in glad surrender acknowledge, no revel and delight, in His loving absolute power and presence.
Rom 11:30-36 "For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?""Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen."
In my book "Absolute Love" I spend a lot of time in study and reflection of the who God is relationally as Father-Son-Holy Spirit. The One God in three persons, One in essence, power, existence and personality, yet three in one. This relationship is essential to understanding the faithfulness and love of God. A love like no other Hesed- Agape- Steadfast Love. One of my new favorite writers is Nancy Pearcy she gives a special glimpse into the relationship of love within the One God.
"The human race was created in the image of God, who is three Persons so intimately related as to constitute one Godhead- in the classic theological formulation one in being and three in person. God is not "really" one deity, who appears in three modes: nor is God "really" three deities, which would be polytheism. Instead, both oneness and threeness are equally real, equally ultimate, equally basic and integral to God's nature"
The balance of unity and diversity in the Trinity gives a nodel for human scial life, because it implies that both individuality and relationship exist within the Godhead itself. God is being -in-communion. Humans are made in the image of a God who is tri-unity- whose very nature consists in reciprocal love and communication among Persons of the Trinity. This model provides a solution to the age old opposition between collectivism and individualism. Over against collectivism, the Trinity implies the dignity and uniqueness of the individual person. Over against radical individualism, the Trinity implies that relationships are not created by sheer choice but are built into the very essence of human nature. We are not atomistic individuals but are created for relationships. ...
In fact, certain virtues necessary for spiritual maturity- such as faithfuless and self-sacrificing love - can be practiced only within relationships." Nancy Pearcy
"Total Truth:Liberating Christianity From Its Cultural Captivity" Study Guide Edition Crossway Books 2005
I will talk more about individualism as against collectivism in tomorrows blog as we continue through Revelation 17.
May you learn to deeply love by focusing on the Absolute Love.
2Co 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Going Deep : Becoming a Person of Influence by Gordon MacDonald
This book is about a small group experiment at the church Gordon MacDonald pastors. The experiment was about "GDP" (Growing Deep People). Gordon MacDonald goes through the thought process of doing something special with growing the church to be much more than it already was, about doing something special in the lives of people and building up a group of people who can be leaders and influencers in the church and throughout the community.
The idea for a GDP group gels together through interactions with leaders within the church and community. A special bond he has with a local Jewish Rabbi helps Pastor MacDonald see that to pattern His ministry after the ministry of a Rabbi, was to pattern his own ministry after the ministry of Jesus. After all Jesus was a Rabbi (Jewish Teacher) who had a very close group of learners. These learners, Jesus' disciples ended up turning the world around and spreading the Gospel message, the teachings of Jesus, throughout the known world at the time.
The book goes on to describe in conversational form how the group was formed, the process used in helping to "GDP", the significant ways that lives were changed and as all the good Rabbi's do the saying of goodbye so that the learners can go out to Grow Deep People. As the Rabbi taught growth stops or is muted if the teacher does not send learners out to teach what they have learned to others.
As I read this book I thought,; "when are you going to get to the point." Over two thirds of the book is about the thought process and the development of this idea about identifying the idea, processing how the group should look and then how the group was established and developed.
It turns out I was very much chastised by my Lord for my impatience.
As the book moved deeper into the relationships and the changes made in peoples lives, I felt embarrassed by my lack of patience in the middle parts of the book.
Although I still feel some of the conversation was a bit run on and could have been condensed with still having the desired impact, I am glad I didn't give in to my impatience.
The last part of the story I absolutely was brought to tears for the interactions and the changes affected in peoples lives. I am sure I would not have had such a strong emotional reaction had Pastor MacDonald not taken such care to help us get to know the people involved and some depth of the process. I was finishing reading this on an aiplane ride and I am sure the person next to me was wondering why my eyes teared up and I had to stop to reflect often through the last portions of the book.
All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who works with small goups or in some type of leadership capacity. I don't mean just church leaders but anyone who wants to build up others to become leaders and people of influence.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This book is about a small group experiment at the church Gordon MacDonald pastors. The experiment was about "GDP" (Growing Deep People). Gordon MacDonald goes through the thought process of doing something special with growing the church to be much more than it already was, about doing something special in the lives of people and building up a group of people who can be leaders and influencers in the church and throughout the community.
The idea for a GDP group gels together through interactions with leaders within the church and community. A special bond he has with a local Jewish Rabbi helps Pastor MacDonald see that to pattern His ministry after the ministry of a Rabbi, was to pattern his own ministry after the ministry of Jesus. After all Jesus was a Rabbi (Jewish Teacher) who had a very close group of learners. These learners, Jesus' disciples ended up turning the world around and spreading the Gospel message, the teachings of Jesus, throughout the known world at the time.
The book goes on to describe in conversational form how the group was formed, the process used in helping to "GDP", the significant ways that lives were changed and as all the good Rabbi's do the saying of goodbye so that the learners can go out to Grow Deep People. As the Rabbi taught growth stops or is muted if the teacher does not send learners out to teach what they have learned to others.
As I read this book I thought,; "when are you going to get to the point." Over two thirds of the book is about the thought process and the development of this idea about identifying the idea, processing how the group should look and then how the group was established and developed.
It turns out I was very much chastised by my Lord for my impatience.
As the book moved deeper into the relationships and the changes made in peoples lives, I felt embarrassed by my lack of patience in the middle parts of the book.
Although I still feel some of the conversation was a bit run on and could have been condensed with still having the desired impact, I am glad I didn't give in to my impatience.
The last part of the story I absolutely was brought to tears for the interactions and the changes affected in peoples lives. I am sure I would not have had such a strong emotional reaction had Pastor MacDonald not taken such care to help us get to know the people involved and some depth of the process. I was finishing reading this on an aiplane ride and I am sure the person next to me was wondering why my eyes teared up and I had to stop to reflect often through the last portions of the book.
All in all I would recommend this book to anyone who works with small goups or in some type of leadership capacity. I don't mean just church leaders but anyone who wants to build up others to become leaders and people of influence.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Saturday, November 5, 2011
1Co 3:21-23 "So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." 1Co 4:1,2 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy."
Yesterday I wrote about disputes or quarrels in the church. As I write this I have listened to Tony Blair talk today about his experience as British Prime Minister working with the factions in Northern Ireland to bring about peace. He also talked about his work in the peace process now in Israel with the Palestinians. He explained that the most difficult part is gaining trust between the parties that are in the dispute.
Trust is important in gaining peace, an unbroken, extended, lasting peace. Part of gaining trust is being trustworthy. If you are going to be a steward of the Prince of Peace, the Absolute Love, being trustworthiness is required.
What characteristics of bring about a sense that one has a character of trustworthiness?
Pro 11:12,13 "Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered."
The Absolute Love is completely trustworthy, have you put your trust in Him?
Psa 111 "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!"
Yesterday I wrote about disputes or quarrels in the church. As I write this I have listened to Tony Blair talk today about his experience as British Prime Minister working with the factions in Northern Ireland to bring about peace. He also talked about his work in the peace process now in Israel with the Palestinians. He explained that the most difficult part is gaining trust between the parties that are in the dispute.
Trust is important in gaining peace, an unbroken, extended, lasting peace. Part of gaining trust is being trustworthy. If you are going to be a steward of the Prince of Peace, the Absolute Love, being trustworthiness is required.
What characteristics of bring about a sense that one has a character of trustworthiness?
Pro 11:12,13 "Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered."
The Absolute Love is completely trustworthy, have you put your trust in Him?
Psa 111 "Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy; they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!"
Friday, November 4, 2011
#endtimes #revelations
Yesterday I talked about the reference to olive oil and wine not being harmed in the midst of the weighing of costs in Revelation 6:6. The only ones not ultimately harmed, not left weeping with be shielded because the Holy Spirit has changed them and taken up house inside of them to keep them holy and acceptable to God.
Joh 3:5-8 "Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
I also said there were two things I heard last week that I have been contemplating and that I would consider the second thing today. What it is concerns different interpretive meanings about the book of Revelation. It was said last Sunday; "some people think the judgments of Revelation refer to AD 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem others think these judgments are yet future." Then the pastor said; "I personally believe these are future, they are events yet to come."
The thing that grieves me to the heart in the church is disagreement, no I mean fighting over insignificant points of interpretation. James gives us pause for our little quarrels.
Jas 4:1-3 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
Yet there are different interpretations among very knowledgeable and well known Christian scholars. I don't think this is a point to separate over though. To exclude others from fellowship even, as sometimes happens. "If your not a pre-tribulation, mid-tribulational, post tribulational and pre- millenial your not welcome in our fellowship."
When we get to the point where we are saying I follow John MacArthur, I follow R. C. Sproul, I follow Hank Hannegraff or I follow Tim LaHaye; this kind of quarreling stinks of the same problem in Corinth in the first century.
1Co 3:1-9 "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."
So what of the controversy is this something that refers to AD 70 or is it in the future yet to happen? It is not "either or", it is "both and". You cannot take the visions and warnings of the "nearness" and "closeness" of Revelation and not acknowledge that the Holy Spirit speaking through John was saying something very soon is to take place (in the first century) and you must realize that final judgment of this world, satan and his followers has not been executed. Jesus is coming back at a yet future date to bring final judgment.
Rev 22:10-15 "And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates."
Rev 22:17 "The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
Rev 22:20,21 "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."
Don't be caught without the safety of the olive oil and the wine, they will not be harmed. When the measuring comes they will not be left wanting by Absolute Love.
Yesterday I talked about the reference to olive oil and wine not being harmed in the midst of the weighing of costs in Revelation 6:6. The only ones not ultimately harmed, not left weeping with be shielded because the Holy Spirit has changed them and taken up house inside of them to keep them holy and acceptable to God.
Joh 3:5-8 "Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
I also said there were two things I heard last week that I have been contemplating and that I would consider the second thing today. What it is concerns different interpretive meanings about the book of Revelation. It was said last Sunday; "some people think the judgments of Revelation refer to AD 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem others think these judgments are yet future." Then the pastor said; "I personally believe these are future, they are events yet to come."
The thing that grieves me to the heart in the church is disagreement, no I mean fighting over insignificant points of interpretation. James gives us pause for our little quarrels.
Jas 4:1-3 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."
Yet there are different interpretations among very knowledgeable and well known Christian scholars. I don't think this is a point to separate over though. To exclude others from fellowship even, as sometimes happens. "If your not a pre-tribulation, mid-tribulational, post tribulational and pre- millenial your not welcome in our fellowship."
When we get to the point where we are saying I follow John MacArthur, I follow R. C. Sproul, I follow Hank Hannegraff or I follow Tim LaHaye; this kind of quarreling stinks of the same problem in Corinth in the first century.
1Co 3:1-9 "But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building."
So what of the controversy is this something that refers to AD 70 or is it in the future yet to happen? It is not "either or", it is "both and". You cannot take the visions and warnings of the "nearness" and "closeness" of Revelation and not acknowledge that the Holy Spirit speaking through John was saying something very soon is to take place (in the first century) and you must realize that final judgment of this world, satan and his followers has not been executed. Jesus is coming back at a yet future date to bring final judgment.
Rev 22:10-15 "And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates."
Rev 22:17 "The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."
Rev 22:20,21 "He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen."
Don't be caught without the safety of the olive oil and the wine, they will not be harmed. When the measuring comes they will not be left wanting by Absolute Love.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Blogging through Revelation has been an interesting, sometimes difficult experience, with the terrible thought of judgment and the consequences of rebellion and sin against a Holy amazingly patient, graciously absolutely loving God. It has also been a steady reinforcement of the redemptive power of falling upon His Absolute Love and sacrifice on my behalf, so that whatever life brings I will ultimately be safe and happy one day in His presence.
The journey of going through Revelation on my own began when earlier this fall our church began going through the book on Sunday mornings. I have been contemplating all this week on two statements that I heard last week.
The sixth chapter was being read and in the midst of the rider on the black horse, with scales in his hand I heard this "and do not harm the olive oil and the wine." Rev 6:6. I had never heard it or seen it like that. The "olive oil" and the "wine". Certainly there is a type of weighing, measuring, judgment of cost going on here, but "do not harm the olive oil and the wine".
Olive oil and wine are references throughout the New Testament of the work of the Holy Spirit- the Holy Spirit's presence and power. A reference to anointing- having the Holy Spirit.
It reminded me of two passages in Matthew where Jesus talks about oil and wine in the context of the inter advent period.
Mat 9:14 "Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
Mat 25:1-13 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'"Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' "But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Have you asked Him for the gift? He is Absolute Love.
Luk 11:9-13 "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
I will talk about the second thing that I heard, that I have thought on all week, in tomorrow's blog.
Blogging through Revelation has been an interesting, sometimes difficult experience, with the terrible thought of judgment and the consequences of rebellion and sin against a Holy amazingly patient, graciously absolutely loving God. It has also been a steady reinforcement of the redemptive power of falling upon His Absolute Love and sacrifice on my behalf, so that whatever life brings I will ultimately be safe and happy one day in His presence.
The journey of going through Revelation on my own began when earlier this fall our church began going through the book on Sunday mornings. I have been contemplating all this week on two statements that I heard last week.
The sixth chapter was being read and in the midst of the rider on the black horse, with scales in his hand I heard this "and do not harm the olive oil and the wine." Rev 6:6. I had never heard it or seen it like that. The "olive oil" and the "wine". Certainly there is a type of weighing, measuring, judgment of cost going on here, but "do not harm the olive oil and the wine".
Olive oil and wine are references throughout the New Testament of the work of the Holy Spirit- the Holy Spirit's presence and power. A reference to anointing- having the Holy Spirit.
It reminded me of two passages in Matthew where Jesus talks about oil and wine in the context of the inter advent period.
Mat 9:14 "Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
Mat 25:1-13 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'"Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' "But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Have you asked Him for the gift? He is Absolute Love.
Luk 11:9-13 "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
I will talk about the second thing that I heard, that I have thought on all week, in tomorrow's blog.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
There was a movie a few years ago, called "Vantage Point" Revelation reminds me of that for the many reference to the Roman empire during the seven year Jewish war that ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. In revelation we see from many vantage points the judgment, redemption and final triumph of the Lamb of God; Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah , Isa Al Masih. Here we see another reference to the destruction of that time.
Rev 16:16-21 "And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe."
Har Maggedon in Greek refers to the plain of Meggido, or more accurately the Hill of Meggido in Gallilee, South West of the Sea of Gallilee. Jotopata was the stronghold that was under siege for over a year, it stood on a precipice overlooking the plain of Meggido. Therefore it was hill of Meggido. Har Maggedon. It was the place where Josephus was captured by the Romans and the seige of Jotapata was the beginning of the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation.
"7. Now Jotapata is almost all of it built on a precipice, having on all the other sides of it every way valleys immensely deep and steep, insomuch that those who would look down would have their sight fail them before it reaches to the bottom. It is only to be come at on the north side, where the utmost part of the city is built on the mountain, as it ends obliquely at a plain. This mountain Josephus had encompassed with a wall when he fortified the city, that its top might not be capable of being seized upon by the enemies. The city is covered all round with other mountains, and can no way be seen till a man comes just upon it. And this was the strong situation of Jotapata."
From: http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-3.htm
John's Revelation - “And there were noises and thundering and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” (16:18)
Josephus - “for there broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with the utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest showers of rain, with continued lightnings, terrible thunderings, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake. These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder; and any one would guess that these wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming” (“Wars of the Jews” 4:4:5)
John's Revelation - "Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” (16:19)
Josephus - “it so happened that the sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and parted into three factions, and that one faction fought against the other; which partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and the effect of divine justice.” (5:1:1)
John's Revelation - “And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent.” (16:21)
Josephus - “Now the stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its brightness;” (5:6:3)
References found at:
http://www.preteristarchive.com/JewishWars/Josephus/credibility-and-importance.html
The fifth section is finished, completed by the poring out of the wrath from the seventh bowl.
There was a movie a few years ago, called "Vantage Point" Revelation reminds me of that for the many reference to the Roman empire during the seven year Jewish war that ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. In revelation we see from many vantage points the judgment, redemption and final triumph of the Lamb of God; Jesus Christ, Yeshua Messiah , Isa Al Masih. Here we see another reference to the destruction of that time.
Rev 16:16-21 "And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe."
Har Maggedon in Greek refers to the plain of Meggido, or more accurately the Hill of Meggido in Gallilee, South West of the Sea of Gallilee. Jotopata was the stronghold that was under siege for over a year, it stood on a precipice overlooking the plain of Meggido. Therefore it was hill of Meggido. Har Maggedon. It was the place where Josephus was captured by the Romans and the seige of Jotapata was the beginning of the 3 1/2 years of great tribulation.
"7. Now Jotapata is almost all of it built on a precipice, having on all the other sides of it every way valleys immensely deep and steep, insomuch that those who would look down would have their sight fail them before it reaches to the bottom. It is only to be come at on the north side, where the utmost part of the city is built on the mountain, as it ends obliquely at a plain. This mountain Josephus had encompassed with a wall when he fortified the city, that its top might not be capable of being seized upon by the enemies. The city is covered all round with other mountains, and can no way be seen till a man comes just upon it. And this was the strong situation of Jotapata."
From: http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-3.htm
John's Revelation - “And there were noises and thundering and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” (16:18)
Josephus - “for there broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with the utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest showers of rain, with continued lightnings, terrible thunderings, and amazing concussions and bellowings of the earth, that was in an earthquake. These things were a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon men, when the system of the world was put into this disorder; and any one would guess that these wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming” (“Wars of the Jews” 4:4:5)
John's Revelation - "Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” (16:19)
Josephus - “it so happened that the sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and parted into three factions, and that one faction fought against the other; which partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good thing, and the effect of divine justice.” (5:1:1)
John's Revelation - “And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent.” (16:21)
Josephus - “Now the stones that were cast were of the weight of a talent, and were carried two furlongs and further. The blow they gave was no way to be sustained, not only by those that stood first in the way, but by those that were beyond them for a great space. As for the Jews, they at first watched the coming of the stone, for it was of a white color, and could therefore not only be perceived by the great noise it made, but could be seen also before it came by its brightness;” (5:6:3)
References found at:
http://www.preteristarchive.com/JewishWars/Josephus/credibility-and-importance.html
The fifth section is finished, completed by the poring out of the wrath from the seventh bowl.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
#Revelation #endtimes
The bowls of wrath are not only to the rebellious city and unfaithful who rejected the Messiah, the wrath is poured out on the the throne of the beast and all his followers.
Rev 16:1-14 "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!" And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!" The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty."
The interlude between the sixth and seventh bowls of wrath remind the followers of the Lamb to remain awake, pure and ready themselves in faithfulness.
Rev 16:15 "("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!")"
1Th 5:1-11 "Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
2Pe 3:10-14 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace."
Absolute Love is a pure love, unblemished. He will cleanse and wash us so we are presented pure and spotless before Him. Are you watching carefully and waiting expectantly?
The bowls of wrath are not only to the rebellious city and unfaithful who rejected the Messiah, the wrath is poured out on the the throne of the beast and all his followers.
Rev 16:1-14 "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!" And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!" The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty."
The interlude between the sixth and seventh bowls of wrath remind the followers of the Lamb to remain awake, pure and ready themselves in faithfulness.
Rev 16:15 "("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!")"
1Th 5:1-11 "Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."
2Pe 3:10-14 "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace."
Absolute Love is a pure love, unblemished. He will cleanse and wash us so we are presented pure and spotless before Him. Are you watching carefully and waiting expectantly?
Monday, October 31, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Rev 15:5 "After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished."
In the inter advent period the sanctuary, the inner room of the temple is now in heaven. The throne room of the Absolute Love is in the hearts of believers, guarded by the Holy Spirit to see us through the schemes of the dragon and the beast.
Josephus the Jewish historian who was captured by Vaspasian and a witness to all the events of the Roman occupation and anihilation of Israel which lasted for seven years culminating with the leveling of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD, records the strange happenings in the sky and the land just prior to and during the time of the war.
Josephus records the increase of earthquake activity with the ground quaking, a star shaped constellation was seen as positioned and standing over Jerusalem. A bright light, a glow seemed to set itself over the holy of holies in the temple court so that no one dared to enter. In AD 62 the Roman city of Pompeii was leveled by an earthquake, a city that had been set up as a worship center to the Roman gods of whom the ceasars were included. Nero set up a temple to himself there and in Rome. In AD 64 Haleys comet appeared in the sky across the empire. This was the beginning of the three and one half years of severe tribulation, Rome was nearly burned to the ground and Nero set a special edict that Christianity was illegal and Christians were to be hunted down and executed. Haleys comet again passes by in AD 68 Nero is under such pressure being pressed with rebellion throughout the empire and being sought to be assasinated from within. Nero in AD 68 flees and commits suicide. Vaspasian as the foremost General of the Roman legions is called away from the battles in Israel to take over as leader. This the last of ceasars from the line of Julius are displaced by the military rulers starting with Vaspasian. Titus his son continues the brutal war ending with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
You can read about some of these phenomena in: "The Last Days According to Jesus; Sproul, R. C. ; Baker Books 1998.
Jesus, Yeshua, Isa, He is the absolute love, the fulfillment of the law, the perfect high priest. He lovingly is making intercession before the throne for us.
Heb 7:11 "Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness. (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself."
Rev 15:5 "After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished."
In the inter advent period the sanctuary, the inner room of the temple is now in heaven. The throne room of the Absolute Love is in the hearts of believers, guarded by the Holy Spirit to see us through the schemes of the dragon and the beast.
Josephus the Jewish historian who was captured by Vaspasian and a witness to all the events of the Roman occupation and anihilation of Israel which lasted for seven years culminating with the leveling of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD, records the strange happenings in the sky and the land just prior to and during the time of the war.
Josephus records the increase of earthquake activity with the ground quaking, a star shaped constellation was seen as positioned and standing over Jerusalem. A bright light, a glow seemed to set itself over the holy of holies in the temple court so that no one dared to enter. In AD 62 the Roman city of Pompeii was leveled by an earthquake, a city that had been set up as a worship center to the Roman gods of whom the ceasars were included. Nero set up a temple to himself there and in Rome. In AD 64 Haleys comet appeared in the sky across the empire. This was the beginning of the three and one half years of severe tribulation, Rome was nearly burned to the ground and Nero set a special edict that Christianity was illegal and Christians were to be hunted down and executed. Haleys comet again passes by in AD 68 Nero is under such pressure being pressed with rebellion throughout the empire and being sought to be assasinated from within. Nero in AD 68 flees and commits suicide. Vaspasian as the foremost General of the Roman legions is called away from the battles in Israel to take over as leader. This the last of ceasars from the line of Julius are displaced by the military rulers starting with Vaspasian. Titus his son continues the brutal war ending with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
You can read about some of these phenomena in: "The Last Days According to Jesus; Sproul, R. C. ; Baker Books 1998.
Jesus, Yeshua, Isa, He is the absolute love, the fulfillment of the law, the perfect high priest. He lovingly is making intercession before the throne for us.
Heb 7:11 "Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness. (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself."
Sunday, October 30, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Those who conquer the beast by continuing in faith, walking in love by the power of the Absolute Love, sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. The connection of the two witnesses the faithful of the House of Israel and the believers from every nation who accept the sacrifice of the Lamb who was slain. The Olive Trees and the Lamp Stands. Continue to be witnesses during this inter advent period.
The fifth parallel section of Revelation breaks forth in song for the triumph of believers over the beast. There is no need for doom and gloom, no need for fear of what is to come. The Lamb is ruler over life and death. This is the introduction to the seven bowls of wrath, the wrath is against the unfaithful and those who take on the mark of the beast- which is anger and hatred toward God and other people. Anti-Christ, Anti-Love.
Rev 15:1,2 "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire--and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
Rev 15:3,4 "And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
"Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
Psa 86:7-13 "In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol."
The song of Moses and the Lamb is a song of praise to the Absolute Love, a testimony to salvation coming to all nations, a song of celebration for redemption and resurrection. His steadfast love, absolute love is great toward us.
Those who conquer the beast by continuing in faith, walking in love by the power of the Absolute Love, sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb. The connection of the two witnesses the faithful of the House of Israel and the believers from every nation who accept the sacrifice of the Lamb who was slain. The Olive Trees and the Lamp Stands. Continue to be witnesses during this inter advent period.
The fifth parallel section of Revelation breaks forth in song for the triumph of believers over the beast. There is no need for doom and gloom, no need for fear of what is to come. The Lamb is ruler over life and death. This is the introduction to the seven bowls of wrath, the wrath is against the unfaithful and those who take on the mark of the beast- which is anger and hatred toward God and other people. Anti-Christ, Anti-Love.
Rev 15:1,2 "Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire--and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
Rev 15:3,4 "And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
"Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
Psa 86:7-13 "In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol."
The song of Moses and the Lamb is a song of praise to the Absolute Love, a testimony to salvation coming to all nations, a song of celebration for redemption and resurrection. His steadfast love, absolute love is great toward us.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Absolute Love is control of the final judment, there is no escaping it. Absolute Love has absolute authority.
Rev 14:12-3 "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe."So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia."
Absolute Love is the sower and the harvester. He plants, waters and gathers. He is the Alpha and Omega. All begins and ends in Love.
Mat 13:36-43 "Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."
The fourth section ends as the others, with final judgment.
Mat 26:63,64 "But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living ", tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Joh 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out."
This world is passing away and it has been judged, stop trying to get a part of something that is passing away. The Kingdom of Absolute Love is being built for you, put all of your hearts affection there.
Joh 18:36 "Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Absolute Love is standing there asking to fill your heart with love. Is it open?
Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Absolute Love is control of the final judment, there is no escaping it. Absolute Love has absolute authority.
Rev 14:12-3 "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!" Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe."So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia."
Absolute Love is the sower and the harvester. He plants, waters and gathers. He is the Alpha and Omega. All begins and ends in Love.
Mat 13:36-43 "Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear."
The fourth section ends as the others, with final judgment.
Mat 26:63,64 "But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living ", tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Joh 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out."
This world is passing away and it has been judged, stop trying to get a part of something that is passing away. The Kingdom of Absolute Love is being built for you, put all of your hearts affection there.
Joh 18:36 "Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world."
Absolute Love is standing there asking to fill your heart with love. Is it open?
Rev 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"
Friday, October 28, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Rev 14:1-6 "Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless. Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people."
We again see at the end of this the fourth parallel section of the seven in revelation, the fullness of the olive tree the true Israel complete in Yeshua Messiah and the wild branches grafted in from every nation, language, tribe and nation. Instead of the mark of the beast, they carry the name of the Lamb and of The Father. His judgment has come.
Rev 14:7 "And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."
The judgment of the Lamb that was slain is horrible and eternal for those who remain in rebellion.
Rev 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."
For those who live in the law of love, keeping commands to love God with all their heart soul and mind, and their neighbors as they love themselves, these find comfort and rest.
Rev 14:12 "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"
The fourth section ends as the others with final judgment.
Rev 14:1-6 "Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless. Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people."
We again see at the end of this the fourth parallel section of the seven in revelation, the fullness of the olive tree the true Israel complete in Yeshua Messiah and the wild branches grafted in from every nation, language, tribe and nation. Instead of the mark of the beast, they carry the name of the Lamb and of The Father. His judgment has come.
Rev 14:7 "And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."
The judgment of the Lamb that was slain is horrible and eternal for those who remain in rebellion.
Rev 14:11 "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."
For those who live in the law of love, keeping commands to love God with all their heart soul and mind, and their neighbors as they love themselves, these find comfort and rest.
Rev 14:12 "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"
The fourth section ends as the others with final judgment.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
The dragon uses despotic, evil, rulers who set themselves up as gods, representing the beasts or governments that tread on and destroy the very essence of Absolute Love. These are Anti-Christ- Anti-Love- Anti God.
Rev 13:16 "Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This call for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."
Who is this beast? We have seen him before in Revelation. The picture continues to get clearer.
From: http://ecclesia.org/truth/beast.html
"Revelation 13:16-18 is based on Ezekiel 8 and 9. The "mark" symbolized the spiritual condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The ones with the "mark" were in allegiance with God. However, in Revelation, the mark is reversed. That is to say, the mark was on those who were against God and had allegiance to the "beast."
John wrote that the number "is the number of a man's name; and his number is 666." This tells us that those who received the "mark" were actually in allegiance with a "man," an actually person of the first century. So, who was he? Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus! Better known as Nero Caesar.
John used a puzzle called gematria in which numbers are used to represent certain letters. John used this puzzle to reveal Nero without actually writing down his name. Remember, the early churches were being persecuted during this time—not only from the Jews, but also from the Romans. The numerical values of the Hebrew letters in Neron Kesar (Nero Caesar) are:
Nero Caesar fits the gematria code number "666." Using this code, his name would be rendered as "NRWN QSR." (NRWN QSR). The number values are:
which, when added together, equals 666. The fact that Nero fits the description of the "beast" is well documented. According to Suetonius, he murdered his parents, wife, brother, aunt, and many others close to him and of high station in Rome. He was a torturer, a homosexual rapist, and a sodomite. He even married two young boys and paraded them around as his wives. One of the boys, whose name was Sporus, was castrated by Nero. He was truly bestial in his character, depravity, and actions. He devised a kind of game: covered with the skin of some wild animal, he was let loose from a cage and attacked the private parts of men and women, who were bound at stakes. He also initiated the war against the Jews which led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD..
Nero’s persecution, which was initiated in A.D.64, was the first ever Roman assault on Christianity. Roman historian Tacitus (A.D. 56-117) spoke of Nero's "cruel nature" that "put to death so many innocent men." He records the scene in Rome when the persecution of Christians broke out: "And their death was aggravated with mockeries, insomuch that, wrapped in the hides of wild beasts, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or fastened to crosses to be set on fire, that when the darkness fell they might be burned to illuminate the night." Christians were crucified, beheaded, burnt alive, and used as torches to light the palace gardens. Historically, Nero is the one that persecuted Christians beyond all comparison. St. John’s banishment to Patmos (where he wrote the book of Revelation) was itself a result of the great persecution of Nero. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. The apostle Peter, who was crucified upside down, was another victim of Nero, .
As Church father Eusebius notes: "Nero was the first of the emperors who showed himself an enemy of the divine religion." Sulpicius Severus concurs: "He first attempted to abolish the name of Christian." In his Annals, Roman historian Tacitus points to those who were persecuted as "those who . . . were vulgarly called Christians." Roman historian Suetonius concurs, for in a list of the few "positive" contributions of Nero as emperor, he includes the fact that Nero persecuted Christians: "During his reign many abuses were severely punished and put down, and no fewer new laws were made:. . . . Punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition."
Noted church historian J. L. von Mosheim wrote of Nero's persecution: "Foremost in the rank of those emperors, on whom the church looks back with horror as her persecutors, stands Nero, a prince whose conduct towards the Christians admits of no palliation, but was to the last degree unprincipled and inhuman. The dreadful persecution which took place by order of this tyrant, commenced at Rome about the middle of November, in the year of our Lord 64. . . . This dreadful persecution ceased but with the death of Nero. The empire, it is well known, was not delivered from the tyranny of this monster until the year 68, when he put an end to his own life." (L. von Mosheim, Historical Commentaries, I:138,139).
His bestial cruelty is evidenced in the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius (A.D. 70-160), who speaks of Nero's "cruelty of disposition" evidencing itself at an early age. He documents Nero's evil and states: "neither discrimination or moderation [were employed] in putting to death whosoever he pleased on any pretext whatever." Suetonius notes that Nero "compelled four hundred senators and six hundred Roman knights, some of whom were well to do and of unblemished reputation, to fight in the arena."
Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) described Nero as "the destroyer of the human race" and "the poison of the world." Roman satirist Juvenal (A.D. 60-140) speaks of "Nero's cruel and bloody tyranny." Elsewhere, he calls Nero a "cruel tyrant."
Nero so affected the imagination that the pagan writer Apollinius of Tyana, a contemporary of Nero, specifically mentions that Nero was called a "beast": "In my travels, which have been wider than ever man yet accomplished, I have seen many, many wild beasts of Arabia and India; but this beast, that is commonly called a Tyrant, I know not how many heads it has, nor if it be crooked of claw, and armed with horrible fangs. . . . And of wild beasts you cannot say that they were ever known to eat their own mother, but Nero has gorged himself on this diet."
The dragon uses despotic, evil, rulers who set themselves up as gods, representing the beasts or governments that tread on and destroy the very essence of Absolute Love. These are Anti-Christ- Anti-Love- Anti God.
Rev 13:16 "Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This call for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666."
Who is this beast? We have seen him before in Revelation. The picture continues to get clearer.
From: http://ecclesia.org/truth/beast.html
"Revelation 13:16-18 is based on Ezekiel 8 and 9. The "mark" symbolized the spiritual condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. The ones with the "mark" were in allegiance with God. However, in Revelation, the mark is reversed. That is to say, the mark was on those who were against God and had allegiance to the "beast."
John wrote that the number "is the number of a man's name; and his number is 666." This tells us that those who received the "mark" were actually in allegiance with a "man," an actually person of the first century. So, who was he? Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus! Better known as Nero Caesar.
John used a puzzle called gematria in which numbers are used to represent certain letters. John used this puzzle to reveal Nero without actually writing down his name. Remember, the early churches were being persecuted during this time—not only from the Jews, but also from the Romans. The numerical values of the Hebrew letters in Neron Kesar (Nero Caesar) are:
Nero Caesar fits the gematria code number "666." Using this code, his name would be rendered as "NRWN QSR." (NRWN QSR). The number values are:
N = 50
R = 200
W = 6
N = 50
Q = 100
S = 60
R = 200
which, when added together, equals 666. The fact that Nero fits the description of the "beast" is well documented. According to Suetonius, he murdered his parents, wife, brother, aunt, and many others close to him and of high station in Rome. He was a torturer, a homosexual rapist, and a sodomite. He even married two young boys and paraded them around as his wives. One of the boys, whose name was Sporus, was castrated by Nero. He was truly bestial in his character, depravity, and actions. He devised a kind of game: covered with the skin of some wild animal, he was let loose from a cage and attacked the private parts of men and women, who were bound at stakes. He also initiated the war against the Jews which led to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD..
Nero’s persecution, which was initiated in A.D.64, was the first ever Roman assault on Christianity. Roman historian Tacitus (A.D. 56-117) spoke of Nero's "cruel nature" that "put to death so many innocent men." He records the scene in Rome when the persecution of Christians broke out: "And their death was aggravated with mockeries, insomuch that, wrapped in the hides of wild beasts, they were torn to pieces by dogs, or fastened to crosses to be set on fire, that when the darkness fell they might be burned to illuminate the night." Christians were crucified, beheaded, burnt alive, and used as torches to light the palace gardens. Historically, Nero is the one that persecuted Christians beyond all comparison. St. John’s banishment to Patmos (where he wrote the book of Revelation) was itself a result of the great persecution of Nero. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. The apostle Peter, who was crucified upside down, was another victim of Nero, .
As Church father Eusebius notes: "Nero was the first of the emperors who showed himself an enemy of the divine religion." Sulpicius Severus concurs: "He first attempted to abolish the name of Christian." In his Annals, Roman historian Tacitus points to those who were persecuted as "those who . . . were vulgarly called Christians." Roman historian Suetonius concurs, for in a list of the few "positive" contributions of Nero as emperor, he includes the fact that Nero persecuted Christians: "During his reign many abuses were severely punished and put down, and no fewer new laws were made:. . . . Punishment was inflicted on the Christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition."
Noted church historian J. L. von Mosheim wrote of Nero's persecution: "Foremost in the rank of those emperors, on whom the church looks back with horror as her persecutors, stands Nero, a prince whose conduct towards the Christians admits of no palliation, but was to the last degree unprincipled and inhuman. The dreadful persecution which took place by order of this tyrant, commenced at Rome about the middle of November, in the year of our Lord 64. . . . This dreadful persecution ceased but with the death of Nero. The empire, it is well known, was not delivered from the tyranny of this monster until the year 68, when he put an end to his own life." (L. von Mosheim, Historical Commentaries, I:138,139).
His bestial cruelty is evidenced in the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius (A.D. 70-160), who speaks of Nero's "cruelty of disposition" evidencing itself at an early age. He documents Nero's evil and states: "neither discrimination or moderation [were employed] in putting to death whosoever he pleased on any pretext whatever." Suetonius notes that Nero "compelled four hundred senators and six hundred Roman knights, some of whom were well to do and of unblemished reputation, to fight in the arena."
Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23-79) described Nero as "the destroyer of the human race" and "the poison of the world." Roman satirist Juvenal (A.D. 60-140) speaks of "Nero's cruel and bloody tyranny." Elsewhere, he calls Nero a "cruel tyrant."
Nero so affected the imagination that the pagan writer Apollinius of Tyana, a contemporary of Nero, specifically mentions that Nero was called a "beast": "In my travels, which have been wider than ever man yet accomplished, I have seen many, many wild beasts of Arabia and India; but this beast, that is commonly called a Tyrant, I know not how many heads it has, nor if it be crooked of claw, and armed with horrible fangs. . . . And of wild beasts you cannot say that they were ever known to eat their own mother, but Nero has gorged himself on this diet."
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Though defeated the great dragon (Satan) is like a wounded animal, most dangerous when wounded and caged. The hater of Absolute Love, the accuser of the saints of Christ.
Rev 12:13-17 "And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea."
Do not let anger and hatred fill you with fear. Resist in faith, the dragon has no ultimate danger to you. The Absolute Love will graciously establish you in love.
1Pe 5:6-11 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Though defeated the great dragon (Satan) is like a wounded animal, most dangerous when wounded and caged. The hater of Absolute Love, the accuser of the saints of Christ.
Rev 12:13-17 "And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea."
Do not let anger and hatred fill you with fear. Resist in faith, the dragon has no ultimate danger to you. The Absolute Love will graciously establish you in love.
1Pe 5:6-11 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
#Revelation #endtimes
Isa 9:6,7 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Rev. 12.1, 2 "And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth."
Rev 12:5 "She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,"
Rev 12:10,11 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
Rev. 1:5,6 "Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Rev 5:9,10 "And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
Rev 7:9,10 "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Can you see? Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear? Absolute Love is reigning, He has conquered. You are now, by faith, a royal priesthood and a holy people, under the rule of Absolute Love, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih, Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:9,10 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Mat 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Isa 9:6,7 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Rev. 12.1, 2 "And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth."
Rev 12:5 "She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,"
Rev 12:10,11 "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
Rev. 1:5,6 "Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Rev 5:9,10 "And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
Rev 7:9,10 "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
Can you see? Do you have eyes to see and ears to hear? Absolute Love is reigning, He has conquered. You are now, by faith, a royal priesthood and a holy people, under the rule of Absolute Love, Yeshua Messiah, Isa Al Masih, Jesus Christ.
1Pe 2:9,10 "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Mat 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Monday, October 24, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
Abolute Love is reigning over the His creation.
Rev 12:9 "And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
Revelation 12 is the beginning of the 4th vision, the centerpiece of the seven visions, the progressively parallel visions that open for us the vision of Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah. The fourth vision starts our journey of envisioning, not only the earthly perspective, but more completely the final heavenly triumph of the slain Lamb who is a Lion.
He is the Son sung about in Psalm 2- quoted from 10 times in the New Testament and three times in Revelation. This is significant in the parallel construction. The quotes are in the second vision, this fourth vision and the sixth vision. This signal tells us these a parallel times and visions. Also repeated is the 1260 days- forty two months and three and one half years.
Rev 12:5,6 "She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days"
Psa 2 "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."
Absolute Love has thrown down the great dragon Satan, the dragon is angry but his power is limited and Christ is ruling. Satan's final destruction is sure and death has no power.
1Co 15:20-28 "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all."
Abolute Love is reigning over the His creation.
Rev 12:9 "And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."
Revelation 12 is the beginning of the 4th vision, the centerpiece of the seven visions, the progressively parallel visions that open for us the vision of Jesus Christ, Isa Al Masih, Yeshua Messiah. The fourth vision starts our journey of envisioning, not only the earthly perspective, but more completely the final heavenly triumph of the slain Lamb who is a Lion.
He is the Son sung about in Psalm 2- quoted from 10 times in the New Testament and three times in Revelation. This is significant in the parallel construction. The quotes are in the second vision, this fourth vision and the sixth vision. This signal tells us these a parallel times and visions. Also repeated is the 1260 days- forty two months and three and one half years.
Rev 12:5,6 "She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days"
Psa 2 "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us." He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, "As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill." I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him."
Absolute Love has thrown down the great dragon Satan, the dragon is angry but his power is limited and Christ is ruling. Satan's final destruction is sure and death has no power.
1Co 15:20-28 "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all."
Sunday, October 23, 2011
#revelation #endtimes
John was writing Revelation in the eary to mid sixties AD. Nero was the Roman Ceasar and he declared Christ followers as illegal and ordered them sought out and killed.
"As many of the religious sect that could be found were rounded up and put to death in the most horrific manner for the amusement of the citizens of Rome. The ghastly way in which the victims were put to death aroused sympathy among many Romans, although most felt their execution justified.
Beginnings of Christian Martyrdom
The following account was written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his book Annals published a few years after the event. Tacitus was a young boy living in Rome during the time of the persecutions."
"Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."
In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man."
References:
Carrington, Phillip, The Early Christian Church (1957); Davis, William Stearns, Readings In Ancient History (1913); Duruy, Victor, History of Rome and the Roman People, vol V (1883).
from : http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christians.htm
The Beasts in Daniel and Revelation are governments where their rulers set themselves up as god. Persia, Babylonia, Greece and Rome all setting themselves up as absolute rulers. These brutal rulers the very antipathy of Absolute Love. Anti-Christ!
The warnings and testimony were sounded in Jerusalem (the city where their Lord was crucified), James "the Just" was stoned by the pharisaical leaders and the beast had declared the murder of Christ followers as law. Now Jerusalem is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, set up for seige and destruction.
Rev 11:7,8 "And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
John was writing Revelation in the eary to mid sixties AD. Nero was the Roman Ceasar and he declared Christ followers as illegal and ordered them sought out and killed.
"As many of the religious sect that could be found were rounded up and put to death in the most horrific manner for the amusement of the citizens of Rome. The ghastly way in which the victims were put to death aroused sympathy among many Romans, although most felt their execution justified.
Beginnings of Christian Martyrdom
The following account was written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his book Annals published a few years after the event. Tacitus was a young boy living in Rome during the time of the persecutions."
"Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."
In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man."
References:
Carrington, Phillip, The Early Christian Church (1957); Davis, William Stearns, Readings In Ancient History (1913); Duruy, Victor, History of Rome and the Roman People, vol V (1883).
from : http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/christians.htm
The Beasts in Daniel and Revelation are governments where their rulers set themselves up as god. Persia, Babylonia, Greece and Rome all setting themselves up as absolute rulers. These brutal rulers the very antipathy of Absolute Love. Anti-Christ!
The warnings and testimony were sounded in Jerusalem (the city where their Lord was crucified), James "the Just" was stoned by the pharisaical leaders and the beast had declared the murder of Christ followers as law. Now Jerusalem is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, set up for seige and destruction.
Rev 11:7,8 "And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
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