Romans 8 declares us to be victors in Christ. In all we do, we must trust in HIS word to bring us through the trials and tribulations before us.
We should declare as the people declared on Exodus 24:7b
and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
Our declaration should be attached to good works in HIS name, Ephesians 2:10.
I am writing this during the December 2023 Christmas season. May we all endeavor to worship the LORD JESUS CHRIST in all HIS glory and splendor. GOD to shine HIS glorious face on all who call on HIM in truth and in spirit.
GOD is praised when we carry out HIS full counsel.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a prosperous New Year in CHRIST Name.
By the Word of GOD - the Word is GOD - self-executing, heavens are celestial environments in Christ that have nothing, but nothing, with the material space of Universe. You are confounding Heaven with Sky, so your interpretion of the Word of GOD is merely a materialist interpretation. Terrible, very terrible. By your words, you have knowledge only of sky, but have not knowledge of Heaven. Your thinking is from HUMAN perspective, a stumblingblock, not from GOD's perspective.
JESUS took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray, Moses and Elijah came to speak with JESUS, but both did not do any travel through your materialist sky of course. Luke 9:29-36:
29 And as JESUS prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two MEN that stood with JESUS.
33 And it came to pass, as they departed from JESUS, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a CLOUD(the same CLOUD of Exodus 24:15-16, understand?), and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the CLOUD.
35 And there came a voice out of the CLOUD, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear Him.
36 And when the voice was past, JESUS was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
Yes, Giannis; Moses and Elijah came to speak with JESUS, but both did not do any travel through your materialist sky of course.
Heaven is not Sky.
17 Seventy returned with joy, saying: Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name.
18 JESUS said unto them: I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. (not from Sky)
To answer your question, we should let the Bible tell us or define "Who" the "Saints" are. For the Bible says to lean NOT unto thine OWN understanding.
"Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Psalms 50:5 KJV
- according to scripture, The Israelites of the Bible are the only nation to make a covenant with God by sacrifice - "And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the COVENANT, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." Exodus 24:8 KJV. Refer to Exodus 24:7 as well as they made a blood in, blood out agreement by the blood of an animal - sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
"He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD." Psalms 148:14 KJV - The word "even" throughout the Bible means "indeed". Knowing this, this is another verse that tells us the "Saints" of the Bible are the Israelites, which is all twelve tribes. The Bible defines itself for the most part if not all parts. Hope this helps, as the scriptures are the truth.
As Jacqui said there is a lot out there. The mark we see in Rev. 13 is a mark, or the name of the beast, or the number 666 in their right hand, or in their foreheads. This will not be a mystery at the time, people will not accidentally take it they will take it willingly.
My understanding: the hour of temptation, not taken out, but strengthened to go through, Rev. 3:10 and 2 Thess. 2:7-12 corresponds with the false prophet, by miracles, great wonders, and power was given him in the sight of the beast causing people to take the mark and worship the beast or be killed. A similar thing was done by Decian during the persecution in 250 AD. Instead of a mark, it was a signed and witnessed certificate, that people had to sacrifice to the Roman gods or else.
The number 666, many apply to people, Popes, and other things. This number goes way back in history, it is tied to false god worship, Paganism worship of the hosts of heaven, astrology, the 36 groups of stars, and when added 1+2+3 up to 36 = 666.
The word antichrist, many teachings and millions of dollars have been made on this word. It is in the Bible in 1 John 2:18,221 John 4:3 and 2 John 1:7 and according to John, there are billions of antichrists in the world not just one. It is also associated with the man of sin, the son of perdition in 2 Thes. 2:3. What is interesting is perdition has the same meaning as the name of the king the angel of the bottomless pit, destruction, Rev. 9.
In Revelation, there is the dragon (Satan), a beast, a false prophet, and the mystery Babylon the great. Satan is cast down and out of heaven permanently Rev. 12, he gives his seat power and authority to the beast, Rev. 13 we see this beast ascends out of the bottomless pit, Rev. 11:7Rev. 17:8. The beast is given 42 months (3.5 years), not 7.
A study of this will carry you all over the Bible. Rev. jumps, what I mean, is parts of the same event will be in another chapter.
Wow , thank you Earl , I shall be reading Revelation soon and I shall keep your comments in mind when I do . I'm a bit disappointed that I haven't received many answers to my question . I know it's a tough one but I would love to hear people's opinions , I hope that we are not scared of saying what we think in case we make fools of ourselves . I was a bit nervous about putting my ideas out there in case people thought I was stupid/ crazy but I'm glad I took a chance , if I hadn't done so I wouldn't have got your interesting response , thanks again , I guess we are the brave ones !
The first verse in Revelation tells us that Revelation is the revealing of Jesus Christ, so the beast is not technology.
The prophecies have the answers to Revelation and all the symbols.
Daniel 7:17 These great beast, which are four, are four kings .....
Daniel 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast ......
Daniel 7:23 ....the forth beast shall be the forth kingdom on the earth .....
Daniel 7:22 Until the ancient of days (Christ) come ......
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John, since that time the KINGDOM of God (the forth kingdom on earth) is preached, and every man PRESSES INTO IT.
The beast in Revelation is the Kingdom of God .....CHRIST IN YOU .....
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his (the beast, the kingdom of God) heads as it were wounded to death (Christ died on the cross); and his deadly wound was healed (Christ was resurrected), and all the world wondered after the beast (the kingdom of God).
I imagine that if everyone on here answered your question you wouldn't get two answers the same . All I can do is tell you what I think and im very willing to admit that I could be way off the mark here . For me , the mark of the beast is something to do with technology of some kind . The letters V & W are interchangeable in Hebrew and they are the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet 666 could be w w w world wide web . At this time it seems very likely to me that the anti Christ is Russia and its allies . The beast that was wounded but then recovered ? The fall of Soviet Russia in its communist state in the 1990's and it's re emergence as a global super power . I am in no measure dogmatic about this and just like you I would love to know what others think . If anyone else is willing to put themselves on the line and say what they think it would be great to here about it .
I want to know what the mark of the beast is ? And Who is the antichrist ? I have a idea of it and who it is so if you can tell me I would appreciate it so I can have Bible studies with friends and family ho wants to learn and grow in the Bible.
Agreed. When I post on my Bible reading (no in Exodus) I am not proposing that what I write is necessarily correct interpretation nor am I not open for correction and elaboration from others. As you said, some of it comes down to simply opinion or understanding with my limited knowledge or lack of training in the original languages or customs of the Biblical time periods.
So, I don't mind at all if someone 'calls me out" on what I write. I am simply going through the chapter, paraphrasing what I am understanding, and trying to convey connections I discover between the chapter under review and other portions of Scripture and doctrine that I know. So, feel free to interject anytime. I am so fallible! And I guess, I don't feel inhibited about sharing this way. Others may not be so open as I am. But I feel if I do not share my ideas with other believers, I will not be in a place to be corrected or instructed by someone who knows much more than myself.
Have a good evening, David, thank you for "chiming in".
Gig Thanks for clarification when the scripture is worked too many times it's from the readers point of view and not what God mean't which is challenging given the
Languages and customs it was translated from. One of the most challenging
Fields to me is understanding the bible is an eastern book a lot written viewed from an eastern mind.
I can see your point here. My point was that this sealing of the covenant is similar in pattern and shadow to the sealing of the New Covenant with the blood of Jesus. I don't believe I said that the animal blood equated to Jesus' blood. I did not mean that. I was just commenting that the blood was sprinkled on the altar unto YHWH to seal the covenant from His end and on the people for the sealing of the covenant from their end. But if you took it another way, I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I know that it is only the blood of Jesus that propitiates any sins, not animal blood. It is the sacrifice of Jesus that brings forgiveness of sins, not the sacrifice of animals.
Exodus 24 continued. So, it seems that this pavement would be made of all the primary colors that would together make all the colors of the rainbow. It was clear and transparent, without blurring, flaw, or imperfection. How awesome that would be to behold! I wonder how it affected Aaron, his sons, and the 70 elders? I also wonder if the people below saw any of this.
It says "But YHWH did not lay His hand on these nobles (elders)". I think this means that He didn't slay or harm them for seeing this manifestation of Himself because he chose to reveal Himself this way, knowing what man can take of His glory and not be consumed. During this visitation of YHWH, the 74 ate and drank with God. Not that God ate and drank, but that the 74 had a ceremonial meal for the sealing of the covenant. The blood sprinkled on the altar symbolized God's oath and the sprinkled blood on the people symbolized the Israelites' oath concerning this new covenant.
Next, YHHW calls Moses and Joshua up further on the mountain to the cloud that surrounded the top of the mountain. I like how God said, Come up to me on the mountain. He says He will give Moses tablets of stone that have the law and commandments that God Himself had written on the stone tablets. Moses is instructed to teach these to the people. Moses told the elders, Aaron and Aaron's sons to stay where they are and be regents (leaders and judges in Moses' stead for the Israelites.
The glory of the YHWH rested upon Mt. Sinai, covering the mountain for six days. Perhaps Moses went up the mountain on the first day of the week and on the seventh day (the Sabbath) YHWH to Moses out of the cloud.
It says that the sight of the glory of God was like a consuming fire for the Israelites below. Moses went into the cloud and was there for 40 days and 40 nights with YHWH.
Thus ends this chapter, leaving us in suspense! These people experience so many amazing things with YHWH. Surely this experience would be life changing!, But we shall see.
I guess I had never thought of the blood of Jesus going two ways like this. After Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar He read the covenant that he had written down to the Israelites. Again, the Israelites said in unison that they would do all that YHWH had said to be obedient to the covenant (and Him). Then , after the people consented to the covenant, he sprinkled the blood on the Israelites. Interesting how Moses says This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to these words is so similar to what Jesus said at the Last Supper concerning the New Covenant of His shed blood for us.
So both parties of the covenant had assented to the covenant with Moses being the mediator, just like Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant between YHWH and mankind.
After this. Moses took Aaron, Aaron's sons and 70 elders up the mountain as YHWH had instructed him to do. And when they had gone up the mountain as far as YHWH had instructed it says that they saw the God of Israel. Now I do not think that they saw him face to face (which I believe means in all of His glory or the completeness of His essence) because no man can see God face to face and live. It is said that Jesus is the only One who has seen God face to face and He lived because He is the eternal Son of God and saw Him face to face eternally prior to his incarnation. Likely, these people saw aspects of God's glory that God knew would not slay them. So, the text describes what they saw. It is not very detailed, but I think that God showed just enough of his glory to convince them that YHWH was indeed there, but not enough for them to be able to create an image of Him to be worshipped.
The pavement under God's feet was like sapphire. I read up on this and I learned that sapphire, ruby, and topaz are all of the same genus. Sapphire can be blue to green, rubies are red, and topaz is yellow. rainbow (just like it says in Revelations).
Moses had gone up the mountain to be with YHWH and hear from Him. From chapter 20 (the giving of the 10 commandments) through this chapter God had been speaking to Moses on the mountain the laws/covenant and Moses has gone down to tell the people what YHWH said to them and what they were to do in obedience to YHWH.
In chapter 24, God tells Moses to bring Aaron, Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 elders, but specifies that Moses is the only one who will come near to YHWH. the other 73 are to worship YHWH on the mountain from afar. So perhaps they were midway up the mountain and the rest of the Israelites were before the mountain, but not on it.
Before the 74 went up the mountain (Vs. 1-2) Moses went down and told the people all the words and judgments YHWH had given to them via Moses. And all the people responded together as if one voice vowing to do all that YHWH has said for them to do.
Then Moses wrote down all that YHWH had told him on the mountain. I am sure YHWH helped Moses remember everything accurately.
The next morning, early, Moses built an altar at the base of the mountain and also arranged twelve stone pillars (I assume near the altar). The altar represented YHWH and the pillars represented all of Israelite (the 12 tribes). Then Moses sent young men to get livestock to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings to YHWH. The text mentions oxen as being sacrificed. It doesn't say where the sacrifices were done, but apparently not on the altar, perhaps there was a nearby place to slaughter the animals and burn them.
Next, Moses took half the blood and sprinkled it on the altar to YHWH and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the people.
This is how this covenant was sealed, by blood. The blood sprinkled on the altar was towards YHWH to propitiate the sins of the people and the blood sprinkled on the people was for them to be made partakers of the covenant being recipients of the effects of the blood. Same as with Jesus.
To reply with additional scripture also Matthew 25:31-46, GOD cares how we treat people & how we are treated. Exodus 22:27, Exodus 24:13, examples of collateral loans, debts= pledge was the 'coat '
Hopefully this is helpful along with other comments
"And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."
Thank you for taking the time to answer my 2 questions.
1) You mention that the commandment at Leviticus 12:3 was a "suggestion". When the Law was give to Israel, they made a covenant between themselves and God. Please read Exodus 34:3-8. Notice specifically
Exodus 24:3 "And Moses came and told the people ALL THE WORDS of the LORD, and ALL THE JUDGMENTS: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ALL THE WORDS which the LORD hath said will we do."
That does not sound like a "suggestion" but a command - an order. Jewish people have thus very meticulously made certain to circumcise their children. Moses was almost killed by the LORD because he had not circumcised his son. Please read Exodus 4:24-26. That seems to me that the LORD takes circumcision very, very seriously. In fact, in the first century, even believing Jews believed that a believer in the Messiah must be circumcised to be saved.
Acts 15:1 "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED after the manner of Moses, YE CANNOT BE SAVED."
2) You mention that the first century Church followed the 10 commandments.
I do agree that they did follow 9 of those commandments. They are re-iterated in the New Testament or Covenant set up by Jesus through his blood mentioned at Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Luke 22:20. However, nowhere do the Apostles every tell the Church, in clear words, "remember to keep the sabbath". Could you provide me 1 verse where an apostle clearly says to keep the sabbath - that actual word "sabbath" being used? In fact, Paul says the opposite at Colossians 2:16 and Galatians 4:10.
3) Now to answer your question. The apostles did not ever say that they obeyed the "10" commandments. They said that they obeyed the commandments. Those would be the commandments of the New Testament given by Jesus Christ through his Apostles via the letters of Romans to Revelation.
Can a person decide to keep only a portion of the laws of his city or country? Can a person keep only a portion of the terms of his rental lease or of his work contract? In like manner, can a person keep only a portion of the contract (Mosaic Law) made between God and Israel. There were over 600 laws given. The 10 commandments are only the first 10 of those 600+ laws.
Notice what Israel said when the Mosaic Law (or Covenant) was inaugurated by blood at Exodus 24:3-8:
Exodus 24:3 "And Moses came and told the people ALL the words of the LORD, and ALL the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ALL THE WORDS which the LORD hath said will we do."
James 2:10-11 "For whosoever shall keep the WHOLE LAW, and yet offend in ONE POINT, he is guilty of ALL."
If a person keeps the 4th commandment but not the other commandments of the Old Covenant, he is breaking the law. That is why the apostle Paul, under inspiration, said the law had to be changed.
Hebrews 7:12 "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity A CHANGE ALSO OF THE LAW."
Hebrews 8:13 "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to VANISH AWAY."
Replaced by the New Covenant (or Testament) by Jesus' shed blood.
Luke 22:20 "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the NEW TESTAMENT in my blood, which is shed for you."
I gladly obey those commandments of Jesus Christ ( John 14:15), of the New Testament, which were communicated by inspiration and revelation to the Apostles - from Acts to Revelation. See 2 Corinthians 12:7 and 2 Timothy 3:16.
Many of the commandments found in the Old Covenant are indeed repeated in the New Covenant. However, we really are obeying only the New Covenant - not the Old Covenant. You cannot have 2 covenants in force at the same time since they would contradict one another. Just as you cannot have 2 rental leases in force at the same time. The new lease cancels the old lease. Please read Hebrews 8:7-13.
I am not under the 10 commandments given to ancient Israel and inaugurated by a ceremony between God and Israel. Please read Exodus 24:3-8.
I find 9 of the 10 commandments (Old Covenant) repeated in the New Covenant. So I obey the 9 commandments found in the New Covenant. I do not find the 4th commandment repeated in the New Covenant and thus I do not follow it since I am under the New Covenant and never does the New Covenant instruct the Church of God to keep the sabbath.
The Apostles being directed by God's Holy Spirit never instructed the Church in the Epistles from Romans to Revelation to keep the sabbath holy. Therefore, I do not keep it since it is not instructed to me to do so.
I hope that clarifies matter and invite your further comments.
The 10 commandments were the first of over 600 commandments given to the nation of Israel. It was inaugurated by a ceremony where the law was read, blood sacrifices were offered, and the people of Israel agreed to obey the whole law. See Exodus 24:3-8. This clearly was a covenant or contract between Israel and God via the mediator Moses.
The New Covenant was inaugurated by the mediator Jesus Christ by his shed blood and is between God and the Church.
See Luke 22:20.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 tells us that God would make a New Covenant. You suggest that the expression "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts" is referring to the Mosaic laws given to the nation of Israel. However, that can't be correct, since verse 32 clearly says that the New Covenant would not be "according to the covenant I made with their fathers".
If you sign a new lease with your landlord, the old lease becomes obsolete. You can't have 2 leases in force at the same time. They would contradict each other. You can't also have 2 Covenants in force since they too would contradict one another. One says circumcise your children (Mosaic Law) and one says it is not necessary to circumcise your children (New Covenant - see Acts 15.) See Hebrews 8:13.
The Bible differentiates between the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ. The Law of Moses is the Old Covenant and the Law of Christ is the New Covenant - the Laws found in Romans to Revelation.
1 Corinthians 9:21 speaks about the law to Christ (the New Covenant laws of Romans to Revelation).
Galatians 6:2 also refers to the law of Christ. The law of Christ is different from the law of Moses.
God himself gave these new laws of the New Covenant to the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles to transmit to the Church in the epistles. These are the commandments that the Apostle John is referring to in 1 John 5:2, 3.
The Apostles never commanded the Church to obey the sabbath in all the epistles.
Exodus 24:9-11 did say that the 74 people did see God, but what did God reveal to them about Himself? "There was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness." That's all they saw - what God chose to reveal to them.
Even Moses when He asked God to show him "His Glory", God obliged saying, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." ( Exodus 33:19-23).
So you will need to discern how God manifested Himself to some people & what they saw & understood from that sight. Was the sight sufficient to satisfy their anticipation & hope? I doubt they were disappointed, rather, overwhelmed & left in awe & fearful at this revelation.
The chapter says they saw God and then we have people in the comments saying no they did not because seeing him means they will not survive. Then why would the book say that?
No one here knows for sure. All we have are the words spoken from testimony. We need to stop over analyzing and making further confusion.
No, they did not see God, nor can any man see Him & continue to remain alive - such is the Majesty & Holiness of the Almighty ( Exodus 33:20), that sinners such as us would instantly dissolve at such a revelation . Even Moses, who begged to see God (to see His Glory) was not permitted, but God made a concession to him by walking by Moses, covering his eyes & only allowing His "back parts" to be seen ( Exodus 33:12-23).
So in Exodus 24:10, the four plus 70 of the elders of Israel, were only permitted to see God in a very limited way (we're not told this time what was seen except for the sapphire stone beneath Him & the appearance of the heavenlies around Him. They saw no body or shape, but what God chose to reveal to them. Even the Apostle Paul in his transportation into Heaven, heard such wonderful words that could not be spoken about to anyone ( 2 Corinthians 12:1-4) - and I sometimes wonder what Paul also saw there. Whatever he heard & saw, he revealed to us with the heavenly wisdom displayed in his letters to the Churches.
We should declare as the people declared on Exodus 24:7b
and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
Our declaration should be attached to good works in HIS name, Ephesians 2:10.
I am writing this during the December 2023 Christmas season. May we all endeavor to worship the LORD JESUS CHRIST in all HIS glory and splendor. GOD to shine HIS glorious face on all who call on HIM in truth and in spirit.
GOD is praised when we carry out HIS full counsel.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a prosperous New Year in CHRIST Name.
By the Word of GOD - the Word is GOD - self-executing, heavens are celestial environments in Christ that have nothing, but nothing, with the material space of Universe. You are confounding Heaven with Sky, so your interpretion of the Word of GOD is merely a materialist interpretation. Terrible, very terrible. By your words, you have knowledge only of sky, but have not knowledge of Heaven. Your thinking is from HUMAN perspective, a stumblingblock, not from GOD's perspective.
JESUS took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray, Moses and Elijah came to speak with JESUS, but both did not do any travel through your materialist sky of course. Luke 9:29-36:
29 And as JESUS prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.
30 And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elijah:
32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw His glory, and the two MEN that stood with JESUS.
33 And it came to pass, as they departed from JESUS, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said.
34 While he thus spake, there came a CLOUD(the same CLOUD of Exodus 24:15-16, understand?), and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the CLOUD.
35 And there came a voice out of the CLOUD, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear Him.
36 And when the voice was past, JESUS was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
Yes, Giannis; Moses and Elijah came to speak with JESUS, but both did not do any travel through your materialist sky of course.
Heaven is not Sky.
17 Seventy returned with joy, saying: Lord, even the demons are subject unto us through thy name.
18 JESUS said unto them: I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. (not from Sky)
"Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Psalms 50:5 KJV
- according to scripture, The Israelites of the Bible are the only nation to make a covenant with God by sacrifice - "And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the COVENANT, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words." Exodus 24:8 KJV. Refer to Exodus 24:7 as well as they made a blood in, blood out agreement by the blood of an animal - sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
"He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD." Psalms 148:14 KJV - The word "even" throughout the Bible means "indeed". Knowing this, this is another verse that tells us the "Saints" of the Bible are the Israelites, which is all twelve tribes. The Bible defines itself for the most part if not all parts. Hope this helps, as the scriptures are the truth.
This makes a lot of sense to me.
As Jacqui said there is a lot out there. The mark we see in Rev. 13 is a mark, or the name of the beast, or the number 666 in their right hand, or in their foreheads. This will not be a mystery at the time, people will not accidentally take it they will take it willingly.
My understanding: the hour of temptation, not taken out, but strengthened to go through, Rev. 3:10 and 2 Thess. 2:7-12 corresponds with the false prophet, by miracles, great wonders, and power was given him in the sight of the beast causing people to take the mark and worship the beast or be killed. A similar thing was done by Decian during the persecution in 250 AD. Instead of a mark, it was a signed and witnessed certificate, that people had to sacrifice to the Roman gods or else.
The number 666, many apply to people, Popes, and other things. This number goes way back in history, it is tied to false god worship, Paganism worship of the hosts of heaven, astrology, the 36 groups of stars, and when added 1+2+3 up to 36 = 666.
The word antichrist, many teachings and millions of dollars have been made on this word. It is in the Bible in 1 John 2:18,22 1 John 4:3 and 2 John 1:7 and according to John, there are billions of antichrists in the world not just one. It is also associated with the man of sin, the son of perdition in 2 Thes. 2:3. What is interesting is perdition has the same meaning as the name of the king the angel of the bottomless pit, destruction, Rev. 9.
In Revelation, there is the dragon (Satan), a beast, a false prophet, and the mystery Babylon the great. Satan is cast down and out of heaven permanently Rev. 12, he gives his seat power and authority to the beast, Rev. 13 we see this beast ascends out of the bottomless pit, Rev. 11:7 Rev. 17:8. The beast is given 42 months (3.5 years), not 7.
A study of this will carry you all over the Bible. Rev. jumps, what I mean, is parts of the same event will be in another chapter.
God bless,
RLW
The first verse in Revelation tells us that Revelation is the revealing of Jesus Christ, so the beast is not technology.
The prophecies have the answers to Revelation and all the symbols.
Daniel 7:17 These great beast, which are four, are four kings .....
Daniel 7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast ......
Daniel 7:23 ....the forth beast shall be the forth kingdom on the earth .....
Daniel 7:22 Until the ancient of days (Christ) come ......
Luke 16:16 The law and the prophets were until John, since that time the KINGDOM of God (the forth kingdom on earth) is preached, and every man PRESSES INTO IT.
The beast in Revelation is the Kingdom of God .....CHRIST IN YOU .....
Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his (the beast, the kingdom of God) heads as it were wounded to death (Christ died on the cross); and his deadly wound was healed (Christ was resurrected), and all the world wondered after the beast (the kingdom of God).
God Bless You.
Agreed. When I post on my Bible reading (no in Exodus) I am not proposing that what I write is necessarily correct interpretation nor am I not open for correction and elaboration from others. As you said, some of it comes down to simply opinion or understanding with my limited knowledge or lack of training in the original languages or customs of the Biblical time periods.
So, I don't mind at all if someone 'calls me out" on what I write. I am simply going through the chapter, paraphrasing what I am understanding, and trying to convey connections I discover between the chapter under review and other portions of Scripture and doctrine that I know. So, feel free to interject anytime. I am so fallible! And I guess, I don't feel inhibited about sharing this way. Others may not be so open as I am. But I feel if I do not share my ideas with other believers, I will not be in a place to be corrected or instructed by someone who knows much more than myself.
Have a good evening, David, thank you for "chiming in".
Languages and customs it was translated from. One of the most challenging
Fields to me is understanding the bible is an eastern book a lot written viewed from an eastern mind.
I can see your point here. My point was that this sealing of the covenant is similar in pattern and shadow to the sealing of the New Covenant with the blood of Jesus. I don't believe I said that the animal blood equated to Jesus' blood. I did not mean that. I was just commenting that the blood was sprinkled on the altar unto YHWH to seal the covenant from His end and on the people for the sealing of the covenant from their end. But if you took it another way, I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I know that it is only the blood of Jesus that propitiates any sins, not animal blood. It is the sacrifice of Jesus that brings forgiveness of sins, not the sacrifice of animals.
That's opinion and adding that which is not their and I'm very aware that
Those sacrifices were an indicator of that which is to come. But in
Hebrews it says those sacrifices weren't good enough so let's not add to
God's Word.
It says "But YHWH did not lay His hand on these nobles (elders)". I think this means that He didn't slay or harm them for seeing this manifestation of Himself because he chose to reveal Himself this way, knowing what man can take of His glory and not be consumed. During this visitation of YHWH, the 74 ate and drank with God. Not that God ate and drank, but that the 74 had a ceremonial meal for the sealing of the covenant. The blood sprinkled on the altar symbolized God's oath and the sprinkled blood on the people symbolized the Israelites' oath concerning this new covenant.
Next, YHHW calls Moses and Joshua up further on the mountain to the cloud that surrounded the top of the mountain. I like how God said, Come up to me on the mountain. He says He will give Moses tablets of stone that have the law and commandments that God Himself had written on the stone tablets. Moses is instructed to teach these to the people. Moses told the elders, Aaron and Aaron's sons to stay where they are and be regents (leaders and judges in Moses' stead for the Israelites.
The glory of the YHWH rested upon Mt. Sinai, covering the mountain for six days. Perhaps Moses went up the mountain on the first day of the week and on the seventh day (the Sabbath) YHWH to Moses out of the cloud.
It says that the sight of the glory of God was like a consuming fire for the Israelites below. Moses went into the cloud and was there for 40 days and 40 nights with YHWH.
Thus ends this chapter, leaving us in suspense! These people experience so many amazing things with YHWH. Surely this experience would be life changing!, But we shall see.
I guess I had never thought of the blood of Jesus going two ways like this. After Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar He read the covenant that he had written down to the Israelites. Again, the Israelites said in unison that they would do all that YHWH had said to be obedient to the covenant (and Him). Then , after the people consented to the covenant, he sprinkled the blood on the Israelites. Interesting how Moses says This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to these words is so similar to what Jesus said at the Last Supper concerning the New Covenant of His shed blood for us.
So both parties of the covenant had assented to the covenant with Moses being the mediator, just like Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant between YHWH and mankind.
After this. Moses took Aaron, Aaron's sons and 70 elders up the mountain as YHWH had instructed him to do. And when they had gone up the mountain as far as YHWH had instructed it says that they saw the God of Israel. Now I do not think that they saw him face to face (which I believe means in all of His glory or the completeness of His essence) because no man can see God face to face and live. It is said that Jesus is the only One who has seen God face to face and He lived because He is the eternal Son of God and saw Him face to face eternally prior to his incarnation. Likely, these people saw aspects of God's glory that God knew would not slay them. So, the text describes what they saw. It is not very detailed, but I think that God showed just enough of his glory to convince them that YHWH was indeed there, but not enough for them to be able to create an image of Him to be worshipped.
The pavement under God's feet was like sapphire. I read up on this and I learned that sapphire, ruby, and topaz are all of the same genus. Sapphire can be blue to green, rubies are red, and topaz is yellow. rainbow (just like it says in Revelations).
..continued
In chapter 24, God tells Moses to bring Aaron, Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 elders, but specifies that Moses is the only one who will come near to YHWH. the other 73 are to worship YHWH on the mountain from afar. So perhaps they were midway up the mountain and the rest of the Israelites were before the mountain, but not on it.
Before the 74 went up the mountain (Vs. 1-2) Moses went down and told the people all the words and judgments YHWH had given to them via Moses. And all the people responded together as if one voice vowing to do all that YHWH has said for them to do.
Then Moses wrote down all that YHWH had told him on the mountain. I am sure YHWH helped Moses remember everything accurately.
The next morning, early, Moses built an altar at the base of the mountain and also arranged twelve stone pillars (I assume near the altar). The altar represented YHWH and the pillars represented all of Israelite (the 12 tribes). Then Moses sent young men to get livestock to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings to YHWH. The text mentions oxen as being sacrificed. It doesn't say where the sacrifices were done, but apparently not on the altar, perhaps there was a nearby place to slaughter the animals and burn them.
Next, Moses took half the blood and sprinkled it on the altar to YHWH and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the people.
This is how this covenant was sealed, by blood. The blood sprinkled on the altar was towards YHWH to propitiate the sins of the people and the blood sprinkled on the people was for them to be made partakers of the covenant being recipients of the effects of the blood. Same as with Jesus.
Hopefully this is helpful along with other comments
Exodus 2:13-14, Exodus 4:23-26, Exodus 5:20-21, Exodus 6:9, Exodus 14:10-12, Exodus 15:24, Exodus 16:2,3, Exodus 16:19-20, Exodus 16:25-28, Exodus 17:2-4,
Hebrews 13:17,
Hopefully these are helpful to understand more fully the reason.
(Example/ Exodus 24:12,13)
Regarding Proverbs 6:
King Solomon took foreign wives he shouldn't have taken ( 1Ki. 11:1-8). in this
scripture; it proves he learned his lesson. Solomon was born to build
a temple For God for his people to worship in, so his lessons on not being lazy and
looking to ants for example was definitely what he must have observed.
proverbs 6 gives us a little glimpse into his time. How he felt being a King and ruling over people.
and building a temple for Jehovah ( Psalm 83:18) BUT the lessons can apply when applicable.
Romans. 15:4 For whatsoever (Whatever) things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience
and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
I hope this helps. Thanks
"And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."
Thank you for taking the time to answer my 2 questions.
1) You mention that the commandment at Leviticus 12:3 was a "suggestion". When the Law was give to Israel, they made a covenant between themselves and God. Please read Exodus 34:3-8. Notice specifically
Exodus 24:3 "And Moses came and told the people ALL THE WORDS of the LORD, and ALL THE JUDGMENTS: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ALL THE WORDS which the LORD hath said will we do."
That does not sound like a "suggestion" but a command - an order. Jewish people have thus very meticulously made certain to circumcise their children. Moses was almost killed by the LORD because he had not circumcised his son. Please read Exodus 4:24-26. That seems to me that the LORD takes circumcision very, very seriously. In fact, in the first century, even believing Jews believed that a believer in the Messiah must be circumcised to be saved.
Acts 15:1 "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, EXCEPT YE BE CIRCUMCISED after the manner of Moses, YE CANNOT BE SAVED."
2) You mention that the first century Church followed the 10 commandments.
I do agree that they did follow 9 of those commandments. They are re-iterated in the New Testament or Covenant set up by Jesus through his blood mentioned at Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Luke 22:20. However, nowhere do the Apostles every tell the Church, in clear words, "remember to keep the sabbath". Could you provide me 1 verse where an apostle clearly says to keep the sabbath - that actual word "sabbath" being used? In fact, Paul says the opposite at Colossians 2:16 and Galatians 4:10.
3) Now to answer your question. The apostles did not ever say that they obeyed the "10" commandments. They said that they obeyed the commandments. Those would be the commandments of the New Testament given by Jesus Christ through his Apostles via the letters of Romans to Revelation.
I welcome your thoughts again.
Good day to you, Dan.
Thank you for your comments.
Can a person decide to keep only a portion of the laws of his city or country? Can a person keep only a portion of the terms of his rental lease or of his work contract? In like manner, can a person keep only a portion of the contract (Mosaic Law) made between God and Israel. There were over 600 laws given. The 10 commandments are only the first 10 of those 600+ laws.
Notice what Israel said when the Mosaic Law (or Covenant) was inaugurated by blood at Exodus 24:3-8:
Exodus 24:3 "And Moses came and told the people ALL the words of the LORD, and ALL the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ALL THE WORDS which the LORD hath said will we do."
James 2:10-11 "For whosoever shall keep the WHOLE LAW, and yet offend in ONE POINT, he is guilty of ALL."
If a person keeps the 4th commandment but not the other commandments of the Old Covenant, he is breaking the law. That is why the apostle Paul, under inspiration, said the law had to be changed.
Hebrews 7:12 "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity A CHANGE ALSO OF THE LAW."
Hebrews 8:13 "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to VANISH AWAY."
Replaced by the New Covenant (or Testament) by Jesus' shed blood.
Luke 22:20 "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the NEW TESTAMENT in my blood, which is shed for you."
I gladly obey those commandments of Jesus Christ ( John 14:15), of the New Testament, which were communicated by inspiration and revelation to the Apostles - from Acts to Revelation. See 2 Corinthians 12:7 and 2 Timothy 3:16.
I kindly welcome your further comments.
I bid you a good day.
Thank you for your good words.
Many of the commandments found in the Old Covenant are indeed repeated in the New Covenant. However, we really are obeying only the New Covenant - not the Old Covenant. You cannot have 2 covenants in force at the same time since they would contradict one another. Just as you cannot have 2 rental leases in force at the same time. The new lease cancels the old lease. Please read Hebrews 8:7-13.
I am not under the 10 commandments given to ancient Israel and inaugurated by a ceremony between God and Israel. Please read Exodus 24:3-8.
I find 9 of the 10 commandments (Old Covenant) repeated in the New Covenant. So I obey the 9 commandments found in the New Covenant. I do not find the 4th commandment repeated in the New Covenant and thus I do not follow it since I am under the New Covenant and never does the New Covenant instruct the Church of God to keep the sabbath.
The Apostles being directed by God's Holy Spirit never instructed the Church in the Epistles from Romans to Revelation to keep the sabbath holy. Therefore, I do not keep it since it is not instructed to me to do so.
I hope that clarifies matter and invite your further comments.
Good day.
Thanks for your comments.
The 10 commandments were the first of over 600 commandments given to the nation of Israel. It was inaugurated by a ceremony where the law was read, blood sacrifices were offered, and the people of Israel agreed to obey the whole law. See Exodus 24:3-8. This clearly was a covenant or contract between Israel and God via the mediator Moses.
The New Covenant was inaugurated by the mediator Jesus Christ by his shed blood and is between God and the Church.
See Luke 22:20.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 tells us that God would make a New Covenant. You suggest that the expression "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts" is referring to the Mosaic laws given to the nation of Israel. However, that can't be correct, since verse 32 clearly says that the New Covenant would not be "according to the covenant I made with their fathers".
If you sign a new lease with your landlord, the old lease becomes obsolete. You can't have 2 leases in force at the same time. They would contradict each other. You can't also have 2 Covenants in force since they too would contradict one another. One says circumcise your children (Mosaic Law) and one says it is not necessary to circumcise your children (New Covenant - see Acts 15.) See Hebrews 8:13.
The Bible differentiates between the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ. The Law of Moses is the Old Covenant and the Law of Christ is the New Covenant - the Laws found in Romans to Revelation.
1 Corinthians 9:21 speaks about the law to Christ (the New Covenant laws of Romans to Revelation).
Galatians 6:2 also refers to the law of Christ. The law of Christ is different from the law of Moses.
God himself gave these new laws of the New Covenant to the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles to transmit to the Church in the epistles. These are the commandments that the Apostle John is referring to in 1 John 5:2, 3.
The Apostles never commanded the Church to obey the sabbath in all the epistles.
Even Moses when He asked God to show him "His Glory", God obliged saying, "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen." ( Exodus 33:19-23).
So you will need to discern how God manifested Himself to some people & what they saw & understood from that sight. Was the sight sufficient to satisfy their anticipation & hope? I doubt they were disappointed, rather, overwhelmed & left in awe & fearful at this revelation.
No one here knows for sure. All we have are the words spoken from testimony. We need to stop over analyzing and making further confusion.
So in Exodus 24:10, the four plus 70 of the elders of Israel, were only permitted to see God in a very limited way (we're not told this time what was seen except for the sapphire stone beneath Him & the appearance of the heavenlies around Him. They saw no body or shape, but what God chose to reveal to them. Even the Apostle Paul in his transportation into Heaven, heard such wonderful words that could not be spoken about to anyone ( 2 Corinthians 12:1-4) - and I sometimes wonder what Paul also saw there. Whatever he heard & saw, he revealed to us with the heavenly wisdom displayed in his letters to the Churches.