I would tend to think that there is a good argument that it is Turkey. It also is a surrounding nation to Russia and one of those nations which it seems Russia is allied with; as recent events seem to show. The common factor here has to involve an economic one as the passage indicates; therefore it is more consistent with a nationalistic viewpoint of Russia which would be more amenable to other nations which have ethnic Russians as is the case now rather than necessarily a Communist region; although it is plausible that it could once again lean that way should the Lord tarry. The economic ties are what holds together a largely Muslim group of nations with Russia as well as there has been opposition in the past (such as with Afghanistan) where the Russians tried 9 times to invade and finally gave out back in the late 70's.
We need to keep in mind the geographic intersection of the final composite Beast system as well which no doubt involves nations that were part of the Babylonian; Persian; Roman and Greek empires that focus on the Turkey area and one or two other countries. There is; of course the Geopolitical divide with the Shiite Muslim nations (mainly in the north) and the Sunni in the south who now are allying more with Israel (and as the passages indicate will sort of be neutral once the great invasion occurs) as verse 12 points out. Clearly; the line is drawn between these regions and it seems to me that parts of Daniel 11 and 12 involving the kings of the north and south may repeat some of the same things that happened during the time of Antiochus.
I have also suggested that the Psalm 83 war likely will happen first; and more controversially may begin the final generation as we have gone so far past 1948 for it to remain viable as I see it. In any event Israel must feel confident enough to be unsuspecting and a "land of unwalled villages" which it clearly isn't YET. (see verse 11).
Hope this helps somewhat. Gog also is an ancient site in Turkey.
Thank you for that , very helpful , we shall all of us know everything when Christ returns and changes us from this body of sinful flesh into incorruptible newness of life eternal .Until then , we have this forum to hash it out and encourage each other . Thanks again .
Thanks for that , one thing I know for sure , I shall only be clean when I'm rid of this body of flesh , then we shall all know everything clearly , thanks for your encouragement .
Now that I have completed this book I am amazed at how much I have learned! I have read this book time and again in the past without really understanding it much. But this time, God has richly blessed me with so much good instruction. I am thankful to have taken the time to really search it and study, rather than try to breeze over it lightly, thinking it is only Old Testament stuff.
I am glad that I do not feel compelled to study through these books quickly or at any certain pace or along any timeline. I can take all the time God gives me to delve into these books without feeling hurried. So thankful!
Galatians 3:7 certainly could be an answer to your question. It isn't merely the physical descendants of Abraham who are true children of God ( Romans 9:7-10). God has a remnant that He saves from both the Old and New Dispensations ( 1 Kings 19); Matthew 7:21).
Keep in mind also the difference between physically being preserved for a time and spiritual deliverance. These are both realities for the children of God in reverse order. In New Testament times as with Old many are called but few chosen ( Matt. 22:14). There are other verses showing how some experience some of the benefits of being in God's presence ( Hebrews 6:4) are still not ultimately saved. The parable of the sower and the seed illustrate this fact showing how the seed of truth must eventually not only take root but produce fruit. God enables that His Spirit reproduces good fruit in our lives as evidence that it is indwelling; not merely an external event. Hence all true believers are "sealed" until the Day of Redemption ( Ephesians 4:30).
In God's Providence there are some; such as the 1/3 that are preserved "going through the fire" ( Zechariah 13:9) who appear to make it physically through the Tribulation to repopulate the earth in the Millennium. That will include the handful of Gentiles that make it; although man is said in general to be "rarer than the gold of Ophir" who makes it through that way ( Isaiah 13:12).
Thus; these verses and a multitude of others makes it imperative that we "test ourselves to see if we are in the faith". ( 2 Corinthians 13:5). I personally believe that through God's sanctification process we all must get beyond our initial excitement over being a new believer as well as the trials of persecution AND temptations of the world to be "tested and approved" as true believers as part of the process of chastisement as God's adopted children. ( Romans 12:2; etc). The end of all those called and chosen in Him is glorification (read all of Romans 8:30).
Here I am at the end of this Book. This chapter speaks mostly of voluntary offerings made to God by a vow and then a few verses concerning three types of tithe.
The emphasis is for a person to carefully consider any vow they make to the Lord being sure it is one they can gladly fulfill and not desire to take back from God.
Jesus said, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's."
So just as paying taxes to Caesar is a "no take back" action, giving to God what He has rightful claim to is a "no take back" action, too.
Jesus said to let our "yes be yes and our No be No" and warned against vowing. We are to be true to our word and promises, just as God is true to His Word and promises. He does not lie, deceive, cheat, or take advantage of us, but He works for our benefit. We should have such an attitude towards others.
Jesus said to "count the cost" of following Him. We should be eager to obey God, but we do need to realize that following Him is a giving of "all of me to all of You" life.
God instructed the Pharisees about what they were setting apart for the Lord as Corban (holy unto the Lord), chastising them for doing this to avoid caring for their parents and family members in need, when what they set aside for the Lord also benefitted them, as the priests were to partake of what was offered to the Lord. We should be careful that our service "to the Lord" doesn't cause us to neglect our family and their needs. We serve first in our immediate family and then in the church. How easily children and aging parents can be significantly neglected by good meaning parents who are over dedicated to church work and functions. Pretty soon, the aging parents are gone and children are adults and the opportunity for closeness that could have been is now long passed and the family suffers.
So, we should daily seek the Lord as to what we will give to Him each day. This daily walk is what He wants more than big vows/offerings.
"22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again (that means "because you have been born", NOT "because you will be born"), not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."
James 1:18
"Of his own will begat (past tense) he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
John 1:12-13
"12 But as many as received him, to them gave (as soon as they receive him, NOT in the future) he power to become the sons of God), even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were (past tense) born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
Christ constantly caught flack from his peers, he said we should expect the same thing.
You have ALREADY BEEN RESURRECTED.
John 11:25 ....I am the resurrection, and the LIFE .....
Revelation 20:6 Blesses and HOLY is he that hath part in the first resurrection ......
1 Timothy 6:16 Christ ONLY hath IMMORTALITY, dwelling the light (the presence of God, Abraham's bosom) ....
1 Corinthians 15:53 ...this mortal SHALL put on IMMORTALITY ---Christ only hath immortality ---
1 Corinthians 15:38 But God giveth it (the new creation, the born again) a BODY (you are the BODY OF CHRIST) as it hath pleased him (the Father), and to every SEED his (the Father's) OWN BODY (Christ is the body of the Father).
Ephesians 4:4 ONE BODY (man, Christ being the FIRST among many BROTHERS, joint heirs), ONE SPIRIT
Ephesians 4:5 ONE GOD and Father of ALL, above ALL, and through ALL, and in you ALL.
John 16:8 And when he (the spirit of Christ) comes (it began at Pentecost, the feast of the FIRSTFRUITS) he will reprove the world of SIN .....
John 16:9 Of SIN because they BELIEVE NOT ON ME -----I am THE LIFE, man is my BODY, man does what the will of God causes him to do ---
Romans 9:21 Hath not the POTTER (the spirit of Christ) POWER OVER THE CLAY (the potter's body) of the SAME LUMP to make one vessel (the potter's body) to HONOUR and another to DISHONOUR.
Luke 16:6 The law and prophets were until John: SINCE THAT TIME, the kingdom of God is preached, and every man PRESSES INTO IT.
Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great WINEPRESS of the wrath of God.
We are the grapes of the vine, and we have to be PRESSED to become the NEW WINE ---this is a parable ---
GBU GiGi so nice to hear from you...Hope and Pray that all your medical issues turn out for the good in Jesus Name ...WE have been having story weather even a Tornado touched down near us in Deer Park Tx many folks loss their homes....The News said that 1300 ppl loss their homes...And many suffered Roof damages...The only damages we had was fence damages...Our fence was completely blown down...But my son is supposed to come next week and rebuild it...But there were no deaths thank God.
Gi-Gi i enjoyed all your posts on early Israel....That is so interesting...Gbu
Hiya John Good Question....In my mind i see this Gen 1...to replenish as when the sower of the good seed will go forth and sow his precious seed in humanity...The field being the world...God had this replenishing in his mind when he made that great Promise that Christ was gona be multiplied as the stars of heaven....As Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains Jeremiah 30:6 ....For that heavenly Birth....As the mystery of the Kingdom of God is Christ in you and I...Us sinners that need to be bornagain of Jesus's incorruptible seed...Via the seeds of that Book that New Covenant that Jesus wrote with his own blood...Thus there is gonna be an Israel of God...Which are spirits as Jesus said that which is born of the spirit are spirits Which answer to the Children of Promise the H.G....Thus our new hearts and new Spirits...I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh... Rev 11:15...This is the replenishing.. The Kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdoms of our lord and his Christ...And he shall reign for ever and ever..No more Adamic nature...No more stain and spot of Adam...What Jesus did at Calvary is gonna replenish all of humanity...If i be lifted up i will DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME....OK Lemme go. When Jesus said its finished this whole world is gonna be replenished...
We live in a time when our silence empowers the sinful living their lives in error. Sure we are all sinners but Romans 1 if nothing else was the voice crying in the wilderness.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
There are people twisting the truth about God's will and how he perceives us as all sinners. We are actually afraid to speak our minds, run our businesses, be able to shun them for their lusts, refuse to allow them to be a part of us for fear of man's law, to be in the spot light of their judgement. Verse 24 explains how God gave them up and how He felt about their lifestyle.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;.
The final verse should resonate with all of us because I'm having difficulty seeing how allowing it to surround me in public, with use of the the rainbow (which is suppose to be a symbol of God's promise), in our schools with God's children, and in the title of holy matrimony that somehow I am forced to accept it or have any pleasure in that acceptance. Does it not imply in verse 32 all that take any pleasure in them that commit such things are worthy of death?
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Jude. 5 "Now I want to remind you, although you are fully informed once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe"
does this statement mean that people who say they believe, experiencing Gods power in their life, can also be destroyed for unbelief?
I stumbled upon this book when looking into the name Raphael. The heart is about worldly love, the gall is about innocence (spiritual meaning). Burning the heart and the liver before entering the marriage chamber, is about casting out worldly love (hearth) and the false idea of innocence in this world: When an embryo develops, at first all nutrients are provided through the liver, hence the spiritual connection to innocence. Nobody is innocent in this world, not even a baby for its foundation (of the world) is sin. This is the real meaning of the chapter that I personally perceive from the chapter.
Thankyou for that , despite what I have been taught by humans , I've always had a feeling that to be ' born again ' is what happens when I am resurrected to my new life , with my new body to be with Christ forever . I know this goes against what many churches teach , I think of Lazarus coming out of the tomb and Jonah in the fishes belly and Christ's resurrection , especially as he was buried in a tomb that no one had ever lain in before , that symbol is not lost on me . To be born again is what's going to happen after I've physically died and when I'm resurrected , taken out of the earth again as Adam was in the beginning , that's my new birth . This is just my own inclination . I've never voiced it before as I've always worried about what others would think if I said that out loud . I guess I'm gonna catch some flak for this ! Thanks for listening and may God bless you always .
Thank you again Alex for your thought provoking post . I'm a very literal , practical kind of guy , feet firmly on the ground etc . So it's hard for me to think in spiritual terms , doesn't come naturally to me but your posts help a lot .
I saw someone today with a t-shirt that said, "let's Co-exist".
I thought, well that is fine for them because they know that they are NOT following God's way and are expecting us who know Him and follow Him to approve of their ideas, religious practices and beliefs, worldview, and daily lifestyles. My sister is this way, she is a practicing occultic shamanistic spiritist and when I was planning our Mom's memorial service last summer (Mom had chosen me ahead of time to lead it) my sister complained to my other sisters that there would be an inequity of spirituality at this memorial due to me being a Christian along with my other sister who Mom had designated to help, and my Mom. I was beyond flabbergasted that she would even complain about this! I thought that memorials were to honor the one who died and to bring her occultic practices into the memorial service would be so disrespectful.
In an e-mail after her complaint to my other sisters, she told me that memorials are for the ones who survive, not so much for the one who died and that all spiritualities should be welcomed AND ACCEPTED. So, there you have it. Expecting me to "co-exist" with her pagan occultic religious practices with full acceptance. I responded simply by thanking her for sharing her thoughts with me and left it at that. It does not pay to get into such matters with her. She has long been a sore spot in our family dynamics. But I was kind but not inviting to consider more of what she had to say.
So, as I read through Leviticus, it is so apparent that God does not want us to co-exist with those who stand against Him and the truth of who He is and what He has done for us. The wickedness of this time in history is so pervasive and whatever is against God and has been called evil by Him is touted as good and those do not agree are considered evil and hateful. So much for tolerance of others ideas and our freedom to think and say what we believe.
Gog is the word that the Jews use for all people who are the enemies of Israel.
All people who are the enemies of Israel are called Gog.
This is all taken from imagery in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39. In that picture, the kings of the east will come through the dried up Euphrates River and attack God's people.
Thank you for this information. That is also my understanding. However, the intent of my post was not to show how the Hebrew people greet each other. What I was sharing had to do with the phrase, "Peace be to this house."
That phrase is an actual Hebraism that that a Hebrew person would have understood.
In Genesis 1:28 the Hebrew word male or mala is translated as replenish; some have used this translation to support the gap theory, also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction theory, which involves the necessity for God to recreate and re-fill the earth as a result of a so-called Lucifer's flood.
Replenish is an Old English word that was used to mean fill, from the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries. The view of fill repeatedly, thus fills completely, to make full, like a bucket of water. My understanding is God created the earth and the universe only once. All mankind and land animals were destroyed in the flood but the animals and the eight that were on the ark. All mankind today are descendants of Adam and Eve.
The question was Adam and Eve the first people? Most will say yes, they are the man, male and female on day six. Study for your understanding.
I do not think that Jesus was saying that these Jews were the offspring of Cain, as all of Cain's offspring were killed in the flood.
Jesus was saying that these Jews were of satan because of their evil ways, not because of a bloodline. The account in Genesis does not say that Cain was fathered by satan, but that Adam was Cain and Abel's father. But Cain, chose to follow the temptations satan put before him, leading him to kill Abel. It is through our voluntary sin that we become aligned with satan. He willfully chose to rebel against God. Anyone who willfully chooses to follow the evil enticements presented to one by satan becomes a slave to him. But Scriptures does not say anywhere that satan actually physically beget any human.
But if they turn away from their rebellion and disobedience, if they repent and confess their sins and admit to being unfaithful to God and His covenant; if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled, and they accept their guilt. Then God will remember His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and, remember the land of promise; when they are in the land of their enemies, He will not completely cast them away, nor utterly destroy them and break the covenant from His end.
He reiterates that He is their LORD and God and for their sakes He will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom He had brought out of the land of Egypt in order that He would be their God.
These statutes, blessings and curses were made while they were at Mt. Sinai.
One thing that really stands out to me is God's longsuffering with the Israelites. He truly was their God and only hope. He wanted to bless them and fulfill the covenant He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But, the people needed to keep their end of the covenant to receive the promises and blessings of this covenant. For us, we can easily take sin too lightly. We can presume upon grace that God will not discipline us for our disobedience. But He will, just like He said He would to the Israelites. You reap what you sow ( Gal. 6:7) We truly need to consider the severity and goodness of God ( Rom. 11:22). He will do what is best and necessary to bring about repentance, reverence and proper fear of the Lord in us. May our hearts be softened, circumcised, and made submissive to Him. He is our Sovereign. He has redeemed us and delivered us from the kingdom of darkness. He has not given us what our sins deserve because on the cross He poured out upon our Lord Jesus Christ all of His wrath against all the sins of all mankind. Think of the agony of that. He bore our eternal hell on the cross. We should really humbly show our gratitude by obedience to His will in imitation of Him.
We need to keep in mind the geographic intersection of the final composite Beast system as well which no doubt involves nations that were part of the Babylonian; Persian; Roman and Greek empires that focus on the Turkey area and one or two other countries. There is; of course the Geopolitical divide with the Shiite Muslim nations (mainly in the north) and the Sunni in the south who now are allying more with Israel (and as the passages indicate will sort of be neutral once the great invasion occurs) as verse 12 points out. Clearly; the line is drawn between these regions and it seems to me that parts of Daniel 11 and 12 involving the kings of the north and south may repeat some of the same things that happened during the time of Antiochus.
I have also suggested that the Psalm 83 war likely will happen first; and more controversially may begin the final generation as we have gone so far past 1948 for it to remain viable as I see it. In any event Israel must feel confident enough to be unsuspecting and a "land of unwalled villages" which it clearly isn't YET. (see verse 11).
Hope this helps somewhat. Gog also is an ancient site in Turkey.
Now that I have completed this book I am amazed at how much I have learned! I have read this book time and again in the past without really understanding it much. But this time, God has richly blessed me with so much good instruction. I am thankful to have taken the time to really search it and study, rather than try to breeze over it lightly, thinking it is only Old Testament stuff.
I am glad that I do not feel compelled to study through these books quickly or at any certain pace or along any timeline. I can take all the time God gives me to delve into these books without feeling hurried. So thankful!
Keep in mind also the difference between physically being preserved for a time and spiritual deliverance. These are both realities for the children of God in reverse order. In New Testament times as with Old many are called but few chosen ( Matt. 22:14). There are other verses showing how some experience some of the benefits of being in God's presence ( Hebrews 6:4) are still not ultimately saved. The parable of the sower and the seed illustrate this fact showing how the seed of truth must eventually not only take root but produce fruit. God enables that His Spirit reproduces good fruit in our lives as evidence that it is indwelling; not merely an external event. Hence all true believers are "sealed" until the Day of Redemption ( Ephesians 4:30).
In God's Providence there are some; such as the 1/3 that are preserved "going through the fire" ( Zechariah 13:9) who appear to make it physically through the Tribulation to repopulate the earth in the Millennium. That will include the handful of Gentiles that make it; although man is said in general to be "rarer than the gold of Ophir" who makes it through that way ( Isaiah 13:12).
Thus; these verses and a multitude of others makes it imperative that we "test ourselves to see if we are in the faith". ( 2 Corinthians 13:5). I personally believe that through God's sanctification process we all must get beyond our initial excitement over being a new believer as well as the trials of persecution AND temptations of the world to be "tested and approved" as true believers as part of the process of chastisement as God's adopted children. ( Romans 12:2; etc). The end of all those called and chosen in Him is glorification (read all of Romans 8:30).
Hope this helps.
Here I am at the end of this Book. This chapter speaks mostly of voluntary offerings made to God by a vow and then a few verses concerning three types of tithe.
The emphasis is for a person to carefully consider any vow they make to the Lord being sure it is one they can gladly fulfill and not desire to take back from God.
Jesus said, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's."
So just as paying taxes to Caesar is a "no take back" action, giving to God what He has rightful claim to is a "no take back" action, too.
Jesus said to let our "yes be yes and our No be No" and warned against vowing. We are to be true to our word and promises, just as God is true to His Word and promises. He does not lie, deceive, cheat, or take advantage of us, but He works for our benefit. We should have such an attitude towards others.
Jesus said to "count the cost" of following Him. We should be eager to obey God, but we do need to realize that following Him is a giving of "all of me to all of You" life.
God instructed the Pharisees about what they were setting apart for the Lord as Corban (holy unto the Lord), chastising them for doing this to avoid caring for their parents and family members in need, when what they set aside for the Lord also benefitted them, as the priests were to partake of what was offered to the Lord. We should be careful that our service "to the Lord" doesn't cause us to neglect our family and their needs. We serve first in our immediate family and then in the church. How easily children and aging parents can be significantly neglected by good meaning parents who are over dedicated to church work and functions. Pretty soon, the aging parents are gone and children are adults and the opportunity for closeness that could have been is now long passed and the family suffers.
So, we should daily seek the Lord as to what we will give to Him each day. This daily walk is what He wants more than big vows/offerings.
1 Peter 1:22-24
"22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again (that means "because you have been born", NOT "because you will be born"), not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."
James 1:18
"Of his own will begat (past tense) he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures."
John 1:12-13
"12 But as many as received him, to them gave (as soon as they receive him, NOT in the future) he power to become the sons of God), even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were (past tense) born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
GBU
I have been learning so much in my journey through the Old Testament! Glad you are finding my posts interesting and helpful.
Christ constantly caught flack from his peers, he said we should expect the same thing.
You have ALREADY BEEN RESURRECTED.
John 11:25 ....I am the resurrection, and the LIFE .....
Revelation 20:6 Blesses and HOLY is he that hath part in the first resurrection ......
1 Timothy 6:16 Christ ONLY hath IMMORTALITY, dwelling the light (the presence of God, Abraham's bosom) ....
1 Corinthians 15:53 ...this mortal SHALL put on IMMORTALITY ---Christ only hath immortality ---
1 Corinthians 15:38 But God giveth it (the new creation, the born again) a BODY (you are the BODY OF CHRIST) as it hath pleased him (the Father), and to every SEED his (the Father's) OWN BODY (Christ is the body of the Father).
Ephesians 4:4 ONE BODY (man, Christ being the FIRST among many BROTHERS, joint heirs), ONE SPIRIT
Ephesians 4:5 ONE GOD and Father of ALL, above ALL, and through ALL, and in you ALL.
John 16:8 And when he (the spirit of Christ) comes (it began at Pentecost, the feast of the FIRSTFRUITS) he will reprove the world of SIN .....
John 16:9 Of SIN because they BELIEVE NOT ON ME -----I am THE LIFE, man is my BODY, man does what the will of God causes him to do ---
Romans 9:21 Hath not the POTTER (the spirit of Christ) POWER OVER THE CLAY (the potter's body) of the SAME LUMP to make one vessel (the potter's body) to HONOUR and another to DISHONOUR.
Luke 16:6 The law and prophets were until John: SINCE THAT TIME, the kingdom of God is preached, and every man PRESSES INTO IT.
Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great WINEPRESS of the wrath of God.
We are the grapes of the vine, and we have to be PRESSED to become the NEW WINE ---this is a parable ---
God Bless You as HE leads you to all truth.
It's okay to be angry
What is angry?
Don't let angry grow just let it go
How do you let it go
We must forgive and love one another
God is with us at all times
Seek opportunity to show love
Speak to the sprite not the person
Jesus is the answer, as Christian we must show love at all times
Can we love like Christ? Can you do the same?
Gi-Gi i enjoyed all your posts on early Israel....That is so interesting...Gbu
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
There are people twisting the truth about God's will and how he perceives us as all sinners. We are actually afraid to speak our minds, run our businesses, be able to shun them for their lusts, refuse to allow them to be a part of us for fear of man's law, to be in the spot light of their judgement. Verse 24 explains how God gave them up and how He felt about their lifestyle.
26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;.
The final verse should resonate with all of us because I'm having difficulty seeing how allowing it to surround me in public, with use of the the rainbow (which is suppose to be a symbol of God's promise), in our schools with God's children, and in the title of holy matrimony that somehow I am forced to accept it or have any pleasure in that acceptance. Does it not imply in verse 32 all that take any pleasure in them that commit such things are worthy of death?
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
You said "as we are driven to truth."
Jesus told His disciples in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
We display him with HONESTY AND NO DECEPTION.
AMEN?
does this statement mean that people who say they believe, experiencing Gods power in their life, can also be destroyed for unbelief?
I saw someone today with a t-shirt that said, "let's Co-exist".
I thought, well that is fine for them because they know that they are NOT following God's way and are expecting us who know Him and follow Him to approve of their ideas, religious practices and beliefs, worldview, and daily lifestyles. My sister is this way, she is a practicing occultic shamanistic spiritist and when I was planning our Mom's memorial service last summer (Mom had chosen me ahead of time to lead it) my sister complained to my other sisters that there would be an inequity of spirituality at this memorial due to me being a Christian along with my other sister who Mom had designated to help, and my Mom. I was beyond flabbergasted that she would even complain about this! I thought that memorials were to honor the one who died and to bring her occultic practices into the memorial service would be so disrespectful.
In an e-mail after her complaint to my other sisters, she told me that memorials are for the ones who survive, not so much for the one who died and that all spiritualities should be welcomed AND ACCEPTED. So, there you have it. Expecting me to "co-exist" with her pagan occultic religious practices with full acceptance. I responded simply by thanking her for sharing her thoughts with me and left it at that. It does not pay to get into such matters with her. She has long been a sore spot in our family dynamics. But I was kind but not inviting to consider more of what she had to say.
So, as I read through Leviticus, it is so apparent that God does not want us to co-exist with those who stand against Him and the truth of who He is and what He has done for us. The wickedness of this time in history is so pervasive and whatever is against God and has been called evil by Him is touted as good and those do not agree are considered evil and hateful. So much for tolerance of others ideas and our freedom to think and say what we believe.
Gog is the word that the Jews use for all people who are the enemies of Israel.
All people who are the enemies of Israel are called Gog.
This is all taken from imagery in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39. In that picture, the kings of the east will come through the dried up Euphrates River and attack God's people.
Magog is the god, or idol of Gog.
Thank you for this information. That is also my understanding. However, the intent of my post was not to show how the Hebrew people greet each other. What I was sharing had to do with the phrase, "Peace be to this house."
That phrase is an actual Hebraism that that a Hebrew person would have understood.
In Genesis 1:28 the Hebrew word male or mala is translated as replenish; some have used this translation to support the gap theory, also known as the Ruin-Reconstruction theory, which involves the necessity for God to recreate and re-fill the earth as a result of a so-called Lucifer's flood.
Replenish is an Old English word that was used to mean fill, from the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries. The view of fill repeatedly, thus fills completely, to make full, like a bucket of water. My understanding is God created the earth and the universe only once. All mankind and land animals were destroyed in the flood but the animals and the eight that were on the ark. All mankind today are descendants of Adam and Eve.
The question was Adam and Eve the first people? Most will say yes, they are the man, male and female on day six. Study for your understanding.
God bless,
RLW
I hope you are doing well. Going to be very cold these next few days where I live. How about your neck of the woods?
Read Romans Chapter One.
Also 1 Cor. 6:9
I do not think that Jesus was saying that these Jews were the offspring of Cain, as all of Cain's offspring were killed in the flood.
Jesus was saying that these Jews were of satan because of their evil ways, not because of a bloodline. The account in Genesis does not say that Cain was fathered by satan, but that Adam was Cain and Abel's father. But Cain, chose to follow the temptations satan put before him, leading him to kill Abel. It is through our voluntary sin that we become aligned with satan. He willfully chose to rebel against God. Anyone who willfully chooses to follow the evil enticements presented to one by satan becomes a slave to him. But Scriptures does not say anywhere that satan actually physically beget any human.
But if they turn away from their rebellion and disobedience, if they repent and confess their sins and admit to being unfaithful to God and His covenant; if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled, and they accept their guilt. Then God will remember His covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and, remember the land of promise; when they are in the land of their enemies, He will not completely cast them away, nor utterly destroy them and break the covenant from His end.
He reiterates that He is their LORD and God and for their sakes He will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom He had brought out of the land of Egypt in order that He would be their God.
These statutes, blessings and curses were made while they were at Mt. Sinai.
One thing that really stands out to me is God's longsuffering with the Israelites. He truly was their God and only hope. He wanted to bless them and fulfill the covenant He had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But, the people needed to keep their end of the covenant to receive the promises and blessings of this covenant. For us, we can easily take sin too lightly. We can presume upon grace that God will not discipline us for our disobedience. But He will, just like He said He would to the Israelites. You reap what you sow ( Gal. 6:7) We truly need to consider the severity and goodness of God ( Rom. 11:22). He will do what is best and necessary to bring about repentance, reverence and proper fear of the Lord in us. May our hearts be softened, circumcised, and made submissive to Him. He is our Sovereign. He has redeemed us and delivered us from the kingdom of darkness. He has not given us what our sins deserve because on the cross He poured out upon our Lord Jesus Christ all of His wrath against all the sins of all mankind. Think of the agony of that. He bore our eternal hell on the cross. We should really humbly show our gratitude by obedience to His will in imitation of Him.