The Plaxovid seems to be working welll to give me restful sleep and relief of symptoms. Just want to avoid getting anyone else sick here in our home, especially with Vivian being pregnant and 28 weeks along. Her iron is very low and will be having an iron infusion on Friday. She has not been able to tolerate iron supplement pills, so I thought this would be needed for her. Please pray for her iron levels to get back to normal for the rest of her pregnancy.
Jesus refers to his coming at the end of v.28. The Spirit inserts the outbreak of the Tribulation which has been going before we have in v.30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven." This narrative mode of Parenthesis we have seen in other places, for example in the vision of Daniel, we have one week isolated from the Seventy Weeks. (9:24-27). We shall come to that anon.
The point is the east and west mentioned in v.27 is with reference of cardinal direction while Judgment in the Spirit's parlance is with regards to divine Judgment. Pride of Satan said,"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north."(Is.14:13). God raises the Gentile nations from the north to punish Israel. (Je.1:14). "The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" who would kill the two witnesses, spiritually is labeled as the son of perdition. The lament over the king of Tyre sets him as another son of perdition. "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God." (Ez.28:13-15)"Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." The fallen man is a son of perdition and king of Tyre and so many of his ilk belong to the Gentile nations. Pride is the DNA of the beast while Jesus revealed humility and faith proved he was the Son of God.
"But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" (8:23-27)When Jesus stilled the storm it was a proof that the Lord has set his throne over the floods."So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."(Is.59:19) This is the sign Jesus is referring to.
From what I can glean from the scriptures, Jesus, when his hour was getting close, he prayed in Mark 14:35 and other verses "take this cup from me". Do you know of other scripture where God might have talked to him about his "powerful resurrected blood" after his death and what effect that this blood, and being resurrected would have on him? I wonder if God talked to him about it. Maybe he didn't. I'm not sure. What do you think? Kathy
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be./For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."
The disciples of Jesus asked the question, which is in three parts. "Tell us, when shall these things be?"The first part we have covered already. From 'the books opened and the judgment was set' in the night vision of Daniel has a bearing on the great tribulation and it is also set on a reconstituted time. Now we shall look at "what shall be the sign of thy coming" For the final part of " the end of the world?" we have a parable in the following chapter.
The second Temple of Jerusalem faced the east, the prince mentioned in the vision of Ezekiel on leaving the east gate has to be shut. So we are not looking at the Son of man but Jesus Christ as the Lord from heaven. In Malachi his coming leads to the day of his coming. "And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts./But who may abide the day of his coming?" (Mal.3:1-2)
What do we make of lighting, which in the vision of St John is associated with the throne of God?"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices."(Re.4:5) From Re.10:4 we shall infer that thunderings and voices refer to gospel preached.
"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." What contained in the little book was judgment remained to be executed."But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."
East west mentioned in the first part refers to the destruction of Jerusalem AD70.
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory./ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
The elect includes both the nation of Israel and the Gentile nations. Daniel the Seer belongs to the former. He also was curious as the disciple to know the end times. But the Angel of the Lord did not dilate much on the topic. Instead he said, "But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."(Dan.12:13) When Jesus went in Spirit to the souls in prison he surely was one among many saints in the OT period. They are witnesses to the gospel below the earth. There is a cloud of witnesses which Daniel had seen in the night vision, " and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." (7:10). The Spirit refers to the judgment with regards to the beast, to which he is also a witness. The beast referred in terms of the times of the Gentiles is shown as emerging from the bottomless pit. " the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."(Re.11:7). In Re. Ch.13:1 "and saw a beast rise up out of the sea." This beast emerges in the vision of Daniel rises from the sea. ("And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another." Dan.7:3). In this context what Jesus refers here is a sign. " When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)/Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains."(vv.15-16)
This background helps us to place the great tribulation mentioned in v.21
" For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be./And except those days should be shortened,"
Ch.24 is a treatise of human sorrows on account of sin. Given that Jesus gave this discourse after sharing his coming passion and death to his disciples (20:17-20) we are to treat the main elements ,-the elect, the nation of Israel and the Gentile nations owing their origin from the beginning. The events shall be played out from the worlds,- heaven. the earth and below which are held together by Jesus Christ. (Col.1:16-18)
Jesus refers to the great tribulation that shall come upon all by the same rationale that sin entered the world through one man.(Ro.5:12) sorrows consequently shall visit upon all. However "but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."(24:22). The Vision of the Woman clothed with the Son gives us additional clues as to how. The Man child is caught up to the throne of God. He is collectively called the elect shall be delivered from the great tribulation since he is to rule all nations 'with a rod of iron'. The left-out church has a place prepared for her. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." 1260 is a number a tag the Spirit uses to delineate 'the shortening of days'. Thus the duration of earthly ministry of Jesus is used to distinguish it from the position of the Son in heaven and below the earth.
This constituted time shall also shall explain Jesus Christ in Spirit visiting souls in prison."By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"(1 Pe.3:19) This has a great bearing on the manner the earth helping her with the persecution.(Re.12:13-16).It will suffice to say God sits enthroned upon the floods (Ps.29:10).
Sorry to hear the news. May God bless you and keep you and it may be that you need tender loving care and slow down from your present routine. In whichever case we have a wonderful God our Father which art in heaven. O Lord, You are able to do more than we think think or can. Heal your daughter now, Amen.
Father God we lift up our sister in Christ GiGi and ask for your help. We ask for her to heal and recover quickly from this illness. Heal her body and we ask for it to not infect others. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
I just got back from Urgent Care and I have covid. I have not had it before so I do not know how my body will do. God Paxlovid to take this week and have prednisone to take when Paxlovid is done.
Please pray for my health to hold strong and that I have a quick recovery. I am feverish, coughing, have a headache and my chest is tight.
Pray that no one else in our home gets this, especially Vivian who is 6 months pregnant.
Acts 16:30-33 states: And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
This passage shows what appears at first glance to be a statement that supports the idea of infant baptism; or that entire households as a given are saved as a result of one person coming to faith. I would take it more as a word of knowledge on Paul's part. We see in this passage in verse 32 that the Gospel was spoken to the entire household of the jail guard first; and immediately afterwards baptism occurred (although it is not clear where that was done in the middle of the night).
The main concept here is that with the earthquake and releasing of chains at midnight of Paul and all the prisoners brought great fear; and that this shows the Biblical prescident for faith; that is an emphasis on the fear of the Lord and a desire for the individual to come to faith without prodding or compulsion by others as is the style today. When we see other verses such as in Acts when Agrippa almost was convinced to be a Christian ( Acts 26:28) it was through Paul's eloquent appeal. Repent and believe is a general call; but I can't find any specific verses where an individual is called to make a confession of faith such as in modern day "altar calls". This shows that a heart must be ready; and how frequently such commitments are made due to pressure from man; rather than genuine conviction. The appeal in Acts to the Jews was that the one they had crucified was indeed the Christ ( Acts 2:23). Such response brings persecution as all who are giving a genuine convicting message of truth; this is opposed to today's easy believism without counting the cost which happens often.
Indeed, that Scripture can be considered in a couple of ways. Firstly, the language used here as part of the prophetical word to God's people was so that they would understand that in that coming day, all flesh would worship God continually; that is, not on any particular day that was set aside, but at any time & in a continual worship.
Of course, the other way of reading those verses is that if there was to be times & seasons (e.g. new moons, sabbaths) reinstated in the new heavens & new Earth (which seems doubtful, from Revelation 21:22-24), then the recognition of these would typify what God had once ordained for Israel, would be understood as a no longer looking forward to a future event, but an accomplishment of what those commands represented. So, it may well be that a Sabbath rest would represent more than the actual day, but a continuation of what all believers experience now in Christ & the fullness of it in that coming day in God's Presence.
This is fine, Bennymkje, that you have now said that it does not matter here nor there. If this is how you feel then why did you speak so poorly about the U.S.A.? It seems that you wanted to have your say about the ills of the U.S.A. and then not enter into discussion with anyone who may think differently than you do. But I may be wrong on that. Taking "stabs" at the U. S. A. or any other country and then walking away from conversation is a cheap shot.
That is true Rainwalker, in reference to Genesis 26:5. But the question: what were the "commandments, statutes and laws" that were given to Abraham to obey? We aren't given the specifics apart from God's clear directions to him. And even if they were the same as those given to Moses (and that's an IF), how would those laws given to Abraham & later to Israel, come to bear upon those now in Christ Jesus & been given God's Spirit to reside in them?
As even the apostle stated in Romans 7:10, "And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death"; could there be any Law given, whether to Abraham, Moses, & Israel, as pure & righteous as those Laws were, have given to any of them, life (i.e. the promise of eternal life)? Each one had to stand by their faith before God, the Law giving them absolutely no justification before God ( Romans 3:20).
Likewise, the Law can have no bearing on those now In Christ, for we stand by faith alone in Christ's finished Work for us & for all who would come to Him & believe on Him. Do we then remain lawless? Rather, the Law of Faith ( Romans 3:27) now stands, as it did before to those under the Old Covenant, but now this Law (of Faith) is energized in us by the Holy Spirit giving us power to live triumphantly & acceptably before God - that which the Old Law could never do & was never designed to do. Abraham wasn't accepted simply on how well he kept whatever Laws were given him, but that it was his faith that took him beyond the letter, where he obeyed God, claimed God's Promises, & looked beyond what the physical eye & mind could apprehend ( Hebrews 11:8-10).
What can I say about country which is whether in the US or in Asia or Europe are run by men in various stages of corruption? what can it offer a child of God than what God makes circumstances cushion me from reeling under? Love of my life makes my days as Jacob felt in the house of Laban see seven years as a few days. Last week a chipped enamel in tooth gave me discomfort and God healed me amazingly, and today before my visit to the dentist I felt lifted up. I still manage by God's grace my days. So I have no need compare here or there.
One peculiar characteristic of this chapter is beginning of sorrows have different emphases and signs for nations and for the elect When Jesus sent the twelve he warned them of sorrows that shall visit them. Wherever they were rejected they were to shake the dust off their feet for a witness.(10:14-15) Here is what we are interested in.(vv.17-22) Not only cities they were to beware of men. "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death./ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (vv.18-22). In 24:23 "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Jesus isolated their case separate from the sorrows that shall come upon globally. They also have a label: the church of Philadelphia covers them. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (3:10)
Second feature of this chapter is of the great tribulation. Time is shortened or reconstituted time, which is the parlance of the Spirit to make it bearable. We have an example in the world of the flesh. Jacob's love for Rachel made seven years pass like a few days. (Ge.29:20). Here s another where the world of the Spirit also takes a hand. " And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him./And being in an agony (Jesus) he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" Luke 22:44-45). The world of the Spirit comes to rescue. Jesus shall help those in need though for others it is a great tribulation. "Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be
It is as good as a country as any, and better than almost all others. Government serves its purpose allowed by God. As a citizen, I make us of my rights and freedoms in the U.S.A. to vote, speak up for what I believe and contribute to the welfare of others through taxes and through my time and monetary contributions. I get to choose where I would like to live and can move to another area of the country freely if I wished. It is a very big country with much beauty and I can travel freely anywhere here to enjoy what God has created in this land. I can worship freely in the church fellowship of my choice.
This is where God chose for me to be born and live out my life. I am thankful He chose this for me.
There certainly are things that have occurred in the U.S.A. that were wrong, but have been set aright now. There are things going on now that need correction. I pray for God to do this according to His will and plan for this country.
I really don't care that there are those who are very wealthy here. It does not affect me in my daily life. I have had the opportunity to earn a living and now retire. We are not wealthy, but have what we need. The wealthy have not wronged me.
But those who refuse to work and take welfare yet are able to work wrong everyone who works and pays their taxes. They are taking what they have not earned from those who have earned it. I do want those who are disabled and unable to work to be provided for, but able-bodied people should be working and paying their own way in life.
What can you tell me about your country? What are it's plusses and minusses?
" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
The epistle of Jude, "exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." The world of the body is a closed system as mentioned in an earlier post so those who are earnest shall be outside, having died to sin and the world their faith places them hid in Christ in heavenly places.This is the world of the Spirit. For them the everlasting life has already begun. Physical death is merely a signal, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Co.5:1; Col.3:1-3) What Christ warns here are those who are serving God and mammon and the end comes for them when they shall least expect it.
The word sent forth shall never return in void. (Is.55:11) This knowledge of the glory of God was revealed to Moses as 'the back parts.' As with Moses the Law he dispensed by commandment serves as the gospel. In short the word has gone out and when the gospel preached to them from former times mentioned by the writer to the Hebrews points to the Advent of the Son. "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" (He.1: 1-2) is not merely a message but the life of the Man which is to be live. Without it the Fellowship of God with Man does not connect with the gospel.
This gospel by principle of Association shall stretch far ends in the closed system. No man may ever know it. Hence this warning. " But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."(v.36)
"Then shall the end come" consequently would mean "now". Jesus cites Noah's case which was only a partial judgment and not the end which refers the day of the Lamb.
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you./For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."
When Christ sent his disciple he laid down the principle of Association."He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.". He that received in the name of Jesus received the Father who sent him.(10:40). If this is the case, where is the deception? We see in our times, how preaching of gospel is a ruse for Televangelists to add to their acquisitions Universities, real estate, fleet of sleek autos and aircrafts. It is of them Jesus warned, "For mayy shall come in my name and shall decieve many. They do not have to say, "I am Christ" but the principle is already laid down. They are collecting 'in my name; since the gospel stands as witness against them. All the while camera is rolling under the lights controlled to set off the preacher performing his spiel it is not for the glory of Christ but for his own brand name.
We see already the beginning of sorrows.(v.8) "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. In the post-pandemic days uncontrolled wild fires and monster surges snowstorms inundating cities are merely the beginning. Famine in Gaza, Ethiopia or in Sudan, street violence in Haiti the list can go on endlessly. These sorrows ought to make the complacent nations realize that manifest destiny for them is no different. Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Sure I have been to the US a number of times but I chose to live elsewhere. I am fine. God has a purpose and I hope to follow from where He has chosen for me, Joy and peace in him,
Hello Jpiegaro. This is a subject that has been debated often & it really boils down to how one approaches & understands God's Word on this matter, as also with other subjects.
My understanding on this, indeed on all matters pertaining to Israel, is that the Ten Commandments which includes the necessity of keeping the Sabbath Day holy was wholly incumbent upon Israel & Israel alone. No other people received the Decalogue, as also with circumcision, the festivals, sacrifices, priestly functions, other laws, etc. Unfortunately, when the Jew turned to Christ, as also with the Gentile, the knowledge they had or we received from the Old Testament are presumed to be automatically passed onto & applied to those now In Christ. We readily acknowledge the laws concerning our relationship to God & to one another, as given in the OT, but then imply that Sabbath-keeping must also apply to us. We do so in ignorance.
Shabbat (Hebrew, from the root, Shin-Bet-Tav), being the seventh day, means 'to cease, to end, to rest', & Israel was to sanctify (set apart) this day for cessation from all activity, even as the LORD Himself hallowed it ( Exodus 20:10,11). There could be no transposition of this Sabbath Day to any other day; hence, it was never 're-converted' to become a Sunday, thus the term 'Christian Sabbath' really is a misnomer. One can use the 7th day, or any day, as a day of rest as desired, but I don't ever see it as a requirement for those who are In Christ Jesus, as those now under a new Law given us (even, imputed in us) by the Holy Spirit ( Romans 8:2) & also being led of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:18). When we look at the Gospels & the Acts of the Apostles, we find many references to the Sabbath Day, since either the Law was still in force (pre-Cross) or the apostles took advantage of the day for ministry to the Jews in synagogues (in Acts). But in NT Church practise, they met on the 1st Day of the Week, with no reference to the old Law of Sabbath(s).
Hello, nothing in the Bible has changed. The sabbath has not changed, it is a day of rest indeed. We go to church on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
Can anyone offer information located in The New Testament, KJB, regarding the Sabbath? I would like to know if Jesus changed the commandment regarding Saturday as the Sabbath, Holy Day of Rest, according to God? And replaced it with Sunday or as I was also informed any day of the week is proper for worship. I keep reading but there are no direct or indirect notations/references regarding the Sabbath or 7th day if the seek, Saturday or Sunday Or??
Hi Rethamae4: In reading the scriptures of Adam and Eve it says that Cain was the FIRST male child. I think we can believe that Eve had daughters before Cain was born which is why she was thrilled to finally have a male child. Abel is Cain's brother but it doesn't say he was born right after Cain; just that she again bare another man child, Abel. Again Eve could have had daughters in-between Cain and Abel. After Seth was born, Adam lived another 800 years bearing sons and daughters. They were told by God to replenish the earth so brothers marrying sisters and cousins marrying cousins was allowed by God then.
"The biblical narrative focuses primarily on these three sons, as they played significant roles in the early events of human history. Seth's line is particularly emphasized because it is through him that the godly lineage continued, leading to figures such as Noah and eventually to Abraham and the establishment of the Israelite people." Quoted from Bible Study Tools
You can always move to another area of the world that would work better for your mindset. As for me, I will stay in the U.S.A. because it offers the greatest amount of personal freedom and inalienable rights than ANY other country. None are perfect, but some are better than others for every tier of society. Those who are in poverty in America would be shocked to know the depth of poverty in other parts of the world and see that their own poverty is not near as difficult as billions of others.
I am long on America, with all of its warts and wounds, it is still a great place to live. Focusing on all the negative things you bring up is certainly your prerogative, but for me, I will look at the good as well as the bad. In doing this, I know that U.S.A. is far from a perfect republic of the people and by the people and for the people, but it has offered opportunities for advancement that no other country can say they possess. I come from a multigenerational legacy of poverty with ancestors coming here from Europe to get a better life. There have been much success through the generations and my generation is the first to raise our kids outside of poverty. It took 5 generations. My ancestors worked hard and faced more severe difficulties than most people alive today in our country, but they did not speak against the country that gave them opportunity and better prospects for their futures. Why do you feel a need to do this?
I have two relatives who came here from Africa through marriage. They speak of what happens today in their countries, slavery, raping of women, kidnapping of women, physical abuse of women, violence and death of relatives at young ages is more common than here. So many children are orphans due to AIDS and abandonment by their parents or children are sold to other Africans. Tribalism is very strong there and so people do not help people from other tribes or are discouraged from marrying outside of their tribe.
The Plaxovid seems to be working welll to give me restful sleep and relief of symptoms. Just want to avoid getting anyone else sick here in our home, especially with Vivian being pregnant and 28 weeks along. Her iron is very low and will be having an iron infusion on Friday. She has not been able to tolerate iron supplement pills, so I thought this would be needed for her. Please pray for her iron levels to get back to normal for the rest of her pregnancy.
"so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
Jesus refers to his coming at the end of v.28. The Spirit inserts the outbreak of the Tribulation which has been going before we have in v.30 "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven." This narrative mode of Parenthesis we have seen in other places, for example in the vision of Daniel, we have one week isolated from the Seventy Weeks. (9:24-27). We shall come to that anon.
The point is the east and west mentioned in v.27 is with reference of cardinal direction while Judgment in the Spirit's parlance is with regards to divine Judgment. Pride of Satan said,"I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north."(Is.14:13). God raises the Gentile nations from the north to punish Israel. (Je.1:14). "The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit" who would kill the two witnesses, spiritually is labeled as the son of perdition. The lament over the king of Tyre sets him as another son of perdition. "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God." (Ez.28:13-15)"Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." The fallen man is a son of perdition and king of Tyre and so many of his ilk belong to the Gentile nations. Pride is the DNA of the beast while Jesus revealed humility and faith proved he was the Son of God.
"But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!" (8:23-27)When Jesus stilled the storm it was a proof that the Lord has set his throne over the floods."So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."(Is.59:19) This is the sign Jesus is referring to.
"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be./For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together."
The disciples of Jesus asked the question, which is in three parts. "Tell us, when shall these things be?"The first part we have covered already. From 'the books opened and the judgment was set' in the night vision of Daniel has a bearing on the great tribulation and it is also set on a reconstituted time. Now we shall look at "what shall be the sign of thy coming" For the final part of " the end of the world?" we have a parable in the following chapter.
The second Temple of Jerusalem faced the east, the prince mentioned in the vision of Ezekiel on leaving the east gate has to be shut. So we are not looking at the Son of man but Jesus Christ as the Lord from heaven. In Malachi his coming leads to the day of his coming. "And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts./But who may abide the day of his coming?" (Mal.3:1-2)
What do we make of lighting, which in the vision of St John is associated with the throne of God?"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices."(Re.4:5) From Re.10:4 we shall infer that thunderings and voices refer to gospel preached.
"And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." What contained in the little book was judgment remained to be executed."But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."
East west mentioned in the first part refers to the destruction of Jerusalem AD70.
"And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory./ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
The elect includes both the nation of Israel and the Gentile nations. Daniel the Seer belongs to the former. He also was curious as the disciple to know the end times. But the Angel of the Lord did not dilate much on the topic. Instead he said, "But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."(Dan.12:13) When Jesus went in Spirit to the souls in prison he surely was one among many saints in the OT period. They are witnesses to the gospel below the earth. There is a cloud of witnesses which Daniel had seen in the night vision, " and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened." (7:10). The Spirit refers to the judgment with regards to the beast, to which he is also a witness. The beast referred in terms of the times of the Gentiles is shown as emerging from the bottomless pit. " the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them."(Re.11:7). In Re. Ch.13:1 "and saw a beast rise up out of the sea." This beast emerges in the vision of Daniel rises from the sea. ("And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another." Dan.7:3). In this context what Jesus refers here is a sign. " When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)/Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains."(vv.15-16)
This background helps us to place the great tribulation mentioned in v.21
" For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be./And except those days should be shortened,"
Ch.24 is a treatise of human sorrows on account of sin. Given that Jesus gave this discourse after sharing his coming passion and death to his disciples (20:17-20) we are to treat the main elements ,-the elect, the nation of Israel and the Gentile nations owing their origin from the beginning. The events shall be played out from the worlds,- heaven. the earth and below which are held together by Jesus Christ. (Col.1:16-18)
Jesus refers to the great tribulation that shall come upon all by the same rationale that sin entered the world through one man.(Ro.5:12) sorrows consequently shall visit upon all. However "but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."(24:22). The Vision of the Woman clothed with the Son gives us additional clues as to how. The Man child is caught up to the throne of God. He is collectively called the elect shall be delivered from the great tribulation since he is to rule all nations 'with a rod of iron'. The left-out church has a place prepared for her. "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." 1260 is a number a tag the Spirit uses to delineate 'the shortening of days'. Thus the duration of earthly ministry of Jesus is used to distinguish it from the position of the Son in heaven and below the earth.
This constituted time shall also shall explain Jesus Christ in Spirit visiting souls in prison."By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"(1 Pe.3:19) This has a great bearing on the manner the earth helping her with the persecution.(Re.12:13-16).It will suffice to say God sits enthroned upon the floods (Ps.29:10).
Sorry to hear the news. May God bless you and keep you and it may be that you need tender loving care and slow down from your present routine. In whichever case we have a wonderful God our Father which art in heaven. O Lord, You are able to do more than we think think or can. Heal your daughter now, Amen.
You are free to form your conclusions whichever way you want. I used the example of the US to explain my passages and not the other way about.
I just got back from Urgent Care and I have covid. I have not had it before so I do not know how my body will do. God Paxlovid to take this week and have prednisone to take when Paxlovid is done.
Please pray for my health to hold strong and that I have a quick recovery. I am feverish, coughing, have a headache and my chest is tight.
Pray that no one else in our home gets this, especially Vivian who is 6 months pregnant.
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
This passage shows what appears at first glance to be a statement that supports the idea of infant baptism; or that entire households as a given are saved as a result of one person coming to faith. I would take it more as a word of knowledge on Paul's part. We see in this passage in verse 32 that the Gospel was spoken to the entire household of the jail guard first; and immediately afterwards baptism occurred (although it is not clear where that was done in the middle of the night).
The main concept here is that with the earthquake and releasing of chains at midnight of Paul and all the prisoners brought great fear; and that this shows the Biblical prescident for faith; that is an emphasis on the fear of the Lord and a desire for the individual to come to faith without prodding or compulsion by others as is the style today. When we see other verses such as in Acts when Agrippa almost was convinced to be a Christian ( Acts 26:28) it was through Paul's eloquent appeal. Repent and believe is a general call; but I can't find any specific verses where an individual is called to make a confession of faith such as in modern day "altar calls". This shows that a heart must be ready; and how frequently such commitments are made due to pressure from man; rather than genuine conviction. The appeal in Acts to the Jews was that the one they had crucified was indeed the Christ ( Acts 2:23). Such response brings persecution as all who are giving a genuine convicting message of truth; this is opposed to today's easy believism without counting the cost which happens often.
Of course, the other way of reading those verses is that if there was to be times & seasons (e.g. new moons, sabbaths) reinstated in the new heavens & new Earth (which seems doubtful, from Revelation 21:22-24), then the recognition of these would typify what God had once ordained for Israel, would be understood as a no longer looking forward to a future event, but an accomplishment of what those commands represented. So, it may well be that a Sabbath rest would represent more than the actual day, but a continuation of what all believers experience now in Christ & the fullness of it in that coming day in God's Presence.
As even the apostle stated in Romans 7:10, "And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death"; could there be any Law given, whether to Abraham, Moses, & Israel, as pure & righteous as those Laws were, have given to any of them, life (i.e. the promise of eternal life)? Each one had to stand by their faith before God, the Law giving them absolutely no justification before God ( Romans 3:20).
Likewise, the Law can have no bearing on those now In Christ, for we stand by faith alone in Christ's finished Work for us & for all who would come to Him & believe on Him. Do we then remain lawless? Rather, the Law of Faith ( Romans 3:27) now stands, as it did before to those under the Old Covenant, but now this Law (of Faith) is energized in us by the Holy Spirit giving us power to live triumphantly & acceptably before God - that which the Old Law could never do & was never designed to do. Abraham wasn't accepted simply on how well he kept whatever Laws were given him, but that it was his faith that took him beyond the letter, where he obeyed God, claimed God's Promises, & looked beyond what the physical eye & mind could apprehend ( Hebrews 11:8-10).
What can I say about country which is whether in the US or in Asia or Europe are run by men in various stages of corruption? what can it offer a child of God than what God makes circumstances cushion me from reeling under? Love of my life makes my days as Jacob felt in the house of Laban see seven years as a few days. Last week a chipped enamel in tooth gave me discomfort and God healed me amazingly, and today before my visit to the dentist I felt lifted up. I still manage by God's grace my days. So I have no need compare here or there.
" All these are the beginning of sorrows"
One peculiar characteristic of this chapter is beginning of sorrows have different emphases and signs for nations and for the elect When Jesus sent the twelve he warned them of sorrows that shall visit them. Wherever they were rejected they were to shake the dust off their feet for a witness.(10:14-15) Here is what we are interested in.(vv.17-22) Not only cities they were to beware of men. "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death./ And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (vv.18-22). In 24:23 "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Jesus isolated their case separate from the sorrows that shall come upon globally. They also have a label: the church of Philadelphia covers them. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." (3:10)
Second feature of this chapter is of the great tribulation. Time is shortened or reconstituted time, which is the parlance of the Spirit to make it bearable. We have an example in the world of the flesh. Jacob's love for Rachel made seven years pass like a few days. (Ge.29:20). Here s another where the world of the Spirit also takes a hand. " And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him./And being in an agony (Jesus) he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground" Luke 22:44-45). The world of the Spirit comes to rescue. Jesus shall help those in need though for others it is a great tribulation. "Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be
I thought you lived in the U.S.A.
It is as good as a country as any, and better than almost all others. Government serves its purpose allowed by God. As a citizen, I make us of my rights and freedoms in the U.S.A. to vote, speak up for what I believe and contribute to the welfare of others through taxes and through my time and monetary contributions. I get to choose where I would like to live and can move to another area of the country freely if I wished. It is a very big country with much beauty and I can travel freely anywhere here to enjoy what God has created in this land. I can worship freely in the church fellowship of my choice.
This is where God chose for me to be born and live out my life. I am thankful He chose this for me.
There certainly are things that have occurred in the U.S.A. that were wrong, but have been set aright now. There are things going on now that need correction. I pray for God to do this according to His will and plan for this country.
I really don't care that there are those who are very wealthy here. It does not affect me in my daily life. I have had the opportunity to earn a living and now retire. We are not wealthy, but have what we need. The wealthy have not wronged me.
But those who refuse to work and take welfare yet are able to work wrong everyone who works and pays their taxes. They are taking what they have not earned from those who have earned it. I do want those who are disabled and unable to work to be provided for, but able-bodied people should be working and paying their own way in life.
What can you tell me about your country? What are it's plusses and minusses?
" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
The epistle of Jude, "exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." The world of the body is a closed system as mentioned in an earlier post so those who are earnest shall be outside, having died to sin and the world their faith places them hid in Christ in heavenly places.This is the world of the Spirit. For them the everlasting life has already begun. Physical death is merely a signal, "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Co.5:1; Col.3:1-3) What Christ warns here are those who are serving God and mammon and the end comes for them when they shall least expect it.
The word sent forth shall never return in void. (Is.55:11) This knowledge of the glory of God was revealed to Moses as 'the back parts.' As with Moses the Law he dispensed by commandment serves as the gospel. In short the word has gone out and when the gospel preached to them from former times mentioned by the writer to the Hebrews points to the Advent of the Son. "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son" (He.1: 1-2) is not merely a message but the life of the Man which is to be live. Without it the Fellowship of God with Man does not connect with the gospel.
This gospel by principle of Association shall stretch far ends in the closed system. No man may ever know it. Hence this warning. " But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."(v.36)
"Then shall the end come" consequently would mean "now". Jesus cites Noah's case which was only a partial judgment and not the end which refers the day of the Lamb.
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you./For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."
When Christ sent his disciple he laid down the principle of Association."He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.". He that received in the name of Jesus received the Father who sent him.(10:40). If this is the case, where is the deception? We see in our times, how preaching of gospel is a ruse for Televangelists to add to their acquisitions Universities, real estate, fleet of sleek autos and aircrafts. It is of them Jesus warned, "For mayy shall come in my name and shall decieve many. They do not have to say, "I am Christ" but the principle is already laid down. They are collecting 'in my name; since the gospel stands as witness against them. All the while camera is rolling under the lights controlled to set off the preacher performing his spiel it is not for the glory of Christ but for his own brand name.
We see already the beginning of sorrows.(v.8) "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. In the post-pandemic days uncontrolled wild fires and monster surges snowstorms inundating cities are merely the beginning. Famine in Gaza, Ethiopia or in Sudan, street violence in Haiti the list can go on endlessly. These sorrows ought to make the complacent nations realize that manifest destiny for them is no different. Seek the Lord while he may be found.
Sure I have been to the US a number of times but I chose to live elsewhere. I am fine. God has a purpose and I hope to follow from where He has chosen for me, Joy and peace in him,
My understanding on this, indeed on all matters pertaining to Israel, is that the Ten Commandments which includes the necessity of keeping the Sabbath Day holy was wholly incumbent upon Israel & Israel alone. No other people received the Decalogue, as also with circumcision, the festivals, sacrifices, priestly functions, other laws, etc. Unfortunately, when the Jew turned to Christ, as also with the Gentile, the knowledge they had or we received from the Old Testament are presumed to be automatically passed onto & applied to those now In Christ. We readily acknowledge the laws concerning our relationship to God & to one another, as given in the OT, but then imply that Sabbath-keeping must also apply to us. We do so in ignorance.
Shabbat (Hebrew, from the root, Shin-Bet-Tav), being the seventh day, means 'to cease, to end, to rest', & Israel was to sanctify (set apart) this day for cessation from all activity, even as the LORD Himself hallowed it ( Exodus 20:10,11). There could be no transposition of this Sabbath Day to any other day; hence, it was never 're-converted' to become a Sunday, thus the term 'Christian Sabbath' really is a misnomer. One can use the 7th day, or any day, as a day of rest as desired, but I don't ever see it as a requirement for those who are In Christ Jesus, as those now under a new Law given us (even, imputed in us) by the Holy Spirit ( Romans 8:2) & also being led of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:18). When we look at the Gospels & the Acts of the Apostles, we find many references to the Sabbath Day, since either the Law was still in force (pre-Cross) or the apostles took advantage of the day for ministry to the Jews in synagogues (in Acts). But in NT Church practise, they met on the 1st Day of the Week, with no reference to the old Law of Sabbath(s).
Sunday as the Sabbath?
"The biblical narrative focuses primarily on these three sons, as they played significant roles in the early events of human history. Seth's line is particularly emphasized because it is through him that the godly lineage continued, leading to figures such as Noah and eventually to Abraham and the establishment of the Israelite people." Quoted from Bible Study Tools
I hope this reply helps. God Bless :)
You can always move to another area of the world that would work better for your mindset. As for me, I will stay in the U.S.A. because it offers the greatest amount of personal freedom and inalienable rights than ANY other country. None are perfect, but some are better than others for every tier of society. Those who are in poverty in America would be shocked to know the depth of poverty in other parts of the world and see that their own poverty is not near as difficult as billions of others.
I am long on America, with all of its warts and wounds, it is still a great place to live. Focusing on all the negative things you bring up is certainly your prerogative, but for me, I will look at the good as well as the bad. In doing this, I know that U.S.A. is far from a perfect republic of the people and by the people and for the people, but it has offered opportunities for advancement that no other country can say they possess. I come from a multigenerational legacy of poverty with ancestors coming here from Europe to get a better life. There have been much success through the generations and my generation is the first to raise our kids outside of poverty. It took 5 generations. My ancestors worked hard and faced more severe difficulties than most people alive today in our country, but they did not speak against the country that gave them opportunity and better prospects for their futures. Why do you feel a need to do this?
I have two relatives who came here from Africa through marriage. They speak of what happens today in their countries, slavery, raping of women, kidnapping of women, physical abuse of women, violence and death of relatives at young ages is more common than here. So many children are orphans due to AIDS and abandonment by their parents or children are sold to other Africans. Tribalism is very strong there and so people do not help people from other tribes or are discouraged from marrying outside of their tribe.
Sin is worldwide.