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2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Consider the information in the following link, as to the need for our nation to reflect and repent.
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners
“A National Prayer Alliance”
P.O. Box 5152
Herndon, VA 20172-1970
chpp1994@gmail.com
LET US REFLECT AND REPENT
A Press Release from the Office of Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05)
” . . . if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
LET US REFLECT AND REPENT
6/29/16
Congressman Doug Lamborn has introduced a resolution (H. Res. 790), expressing support for the designation of July 2, 2016 as the “National Day of Personal Reflection and Repentance.”
“While there will be no solemn assemblies or public gatherings, this is a call for all of us to personally reflect before our God, to repent for our national and our personal sins, and to ask God to forgive us and to heal our land. There is substantial historical precedent for national repentance and seeking God’s forgiveness and favor.
Presidents John Adams, James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln all declared days of repentance during their presidencies. As it is written in Chronicles 7:14, ‘if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.'”
– Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05)
TEXT OF RESOLUTION
Expressing support for designation of July 2, 2016 as the “National Day of Personal Reflection and Repentance.”
Whereas we hold and celebrate July 4th as our day of Independence, the actual vote to dissolve all ties with Great Britain was on July 2, 1776;
Whereas upon approving of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams believed the Second of July ought to be commemorated as a day of deliverance by solemn act of devotion to God Almighty;
Whereas President John Adams, declared that May 9th, 1798 as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer;
Whereas in 1812, President James Madison declared August 20th, 1812 as a day, to be observed by the people of the United States as a day of public humiliation, and prayer;
Whereas in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War called for a day of humility, fasting, and prayer, and for other purposes;
Whereas, it is the duty of nations, as well as of men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is Lord;
Whereas, we know that we have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown; but we have forgotten God;
Whereas, we have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our heart, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own;
Whereas intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us;
Whereas, we have failed to respond, personally and collectively, with sacrifice and uncompromised commitment to the unmet needs of our fellow man, both at home and abroad; as a people, we have become so absorbed with the selfish pursuits of pleasure and profit that we have blinded ourselves to God’s standard of justice and righteousness for this society;
Whereas, it therefore behooves us to humble ourselves before Almighty God, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness: Now, therefore be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives
1) Supports the designation of a “National Day of Personal Reflection and Repentance.”
2) Calls upon the people of the nation to humble ourselves as we see fit, before our Creator to acknowledge our final dependence upon Him and to repent of our national sins.
Please call your congressman!
Capitol Hill Prayer Partners is asking all of our friends to call your own member of Congress, urging them to support H.Res.790: Calling for a Day of Personal Reflection and Repentance.
This bill may yet be offered later this year, or even next year, so your voice of support is urgently needed.
You can reach your member’s office by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, and asking to be connected to his or her office on the Hill.
Thank you!
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The Four Major Prophetic Passages Of Daniel – Chapters 2, 7, 9, 11
The Scofield Study Bible Provides The Outline For This Post (606 B.C.- 534 B.C.)
Daniel 2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision
Daniel 2:31-35: King Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
31 “You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its appearance was awesome. 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Daniel 2:36-45 – The Interpretation
Daniel 2:36-38 – The First World Empire. Babylon Under Nebuchadnezzar (Re: Dan 7:4)
The Interpretation—Babylon the First Kingdom
36 “This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king. 37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength and the glory; 38 and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of gold.
Daniel 2:39 – Second And Third World Empires: Medo-Persia (Re: 7:5; 8:20) and Greece (Re 7:6; 8:21)
Medo-Persia and Greece
39 After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.
Daniel 2:40-43 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Rome
40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41 In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.
Daniel 2:44-45 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Divine Kingdom/Messianic Kingdom
44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”
Daniel Chapter 7 – Daniel’s Vision Of The Four Beasts
Daniel 7:1-3 – The Dream (Re: 2:31-43)
Vision of the Four Beasts
1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel saw a dream and visions in his mind as he lay on his bed; then he wrote the dream down and related the following summary of it.2 Daniel said, “I was looking in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts were coming up from the sea, different from one another.
Daniel 7:4 – First World Empire: Babylon (Re:2:37-38)
4 The first was like a lion and had the wings of an eagle. I kept looking until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man; a human mind also was given to it.
Daniel 7:5 – Second World Empire: Medo-Persia (Re: 2:39; 8:20)
5 And behold, another beast, a second one, resembling a bear. And it was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and thus they said to it, ‘Arise, devour much meat!’
Daniel 7:6 – Third World Empire: Greece (Re:2:39; 8:21-22; 10:20; 11:2-4)
6 After this I kept looking, and behold, another one, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird; the beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
Daniel 7:7 – Fourth World Empire: Rome (Re:2:23-24; 2:40-43; 9:26)
7 After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
Daniel 7:8 – Rome: Final Form Of Fourth World Empire; The Ten Kings And The Little Horn (Re:2:24-27; See Scofield Note on 2:14)
8 While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.
Daniel 7:9-12: The Coming Of The Son Of Man (Re:2:9-14; Mt 24:27-30; Mt 25:31-34; Rev 19:11-21)
The Ancient of Days Reigns
9 “I kept looking
Until thrones were set up,
And the Ancient of Days took His seat;
His vesture was like white snow
And the hair of His head like pure wool.
His throne was ablaze with flames,
Its wheels were a burning fire.
10 “A river of fire was flowing
And coming out from before Him;
Thousands upon thousands were attending Him,
And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him;
The court sat,
And the books were opened.
11 Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
Daniel 7:13-14: Scene In Heaven Before Coming Of Son Of Man (Re:Rev 5:1-14)
The Son of Man Presented
13 “I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:15-22: The Interpretation Of Beast Vision
The Vision Interpreted
15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit was distressed within me, and the visions in my mind kept alarming me. 16 I approached one of those who were standing by and began asking him the exact meaning of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: 17 ‘These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth. 18 But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.’
19 “Then I desired to know the exact meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, exceedingly dreadful, with its teeth of iron and its claws of bronze, and which devoured, crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet, 20 and the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up, and before which three of them fell, namely, that horn which had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts and which was larger in appearance than its associates. 21 I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them 22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
Daniel 7:23-28: Satan’s Blasphemous Leader
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time,times, and half a time. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
28 “At this point the revelation ended. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts were greatly alarming me and my face grew pale, but I kept the matter to myself.”
Daniel 9: Daniel’s Prayer, And The Prophecy Of The Seventy Weeks
Daniel 9:1-2: The Vision Of The Seventy Weeks (Re: 9:1-27)
Daniel’s Prayer for His People
1 in the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Daniel 9:3-19: Daniel’s Confession And Prayer
3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and loving kindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances. 6 Moreover, we have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers and all the people of the land.
7 “Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You. 8 Open shame belongs to us, O Lord, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; 10 nor have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets. 11 Indeed all Israel has transgressed Your law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. 12 Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.
15 “And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked. 16 O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. 17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
Daniel 9:20-27: The Seventy Weeks Of Years
Gabriel Brings an Answer
20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. 22 He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.
Seventy Weeks and the Messiah
24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
Daniel 11: From Darius To The Man Of Lawlessness (Re 11:1-12:13)
Daniel 11:1-20
Conflicts to Come
1 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. 2 And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. 3 And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.
5 “Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. 6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times.7 But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. 8 Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years. 9 Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land.
10 “His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress. 11 The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former. 12 When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.
14 “Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.15 Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. 16 But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side.18 Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. 19 So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.
20 “Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle.
Daniel 11:21-35: Antiochus Epiphanes, The Syrian King Who Will Hurt Israel
21 In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. 23 After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. 24 In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him.26 Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain. 27 As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. 28 Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
29 “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. 32 By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. 33 Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. 34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.
Daniel 11:36-45: Prophecy Concerning His Willful King
36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. 38 But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. 39 He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.
40 “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. 41 He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. 42 Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.44 But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
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God’s prophetic plan for the end times laid out in the book of Daniel chapters 6-12
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Background Of Daniel (Scofield Study Bible)
The book of Daniel, like Revelation in the New Testament, is called an apocalypse, as are Isaiah 24-27 (the Isaiah Apocalypse) and the visions of Zechariah. “Apocalypse” means “unveiling.” Apocalyptic writing may use many forms and symbols.
The author of this book, Daniel, whose name means “God is my judge, was taken in his youth to Babylon in the first deportation under Nebuchadnezzar. His life extended to at least 530 B.C.
Daniel is a book of kings and kingdoms, of thrones and dominions. While including a number of historical records, it embodies prophecies of the sequence of kingdoms in “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24; see Revelation 16:19, note), and portrays the end of this period. It voices the only prophecy in the Old Testament (9:24-27) that sets the time of the Messiah’s first advent.
The book of Daniel shows the timeline of The Gentiles. The book of Ezekiel shows the timeline Of The Jews.
Scofield Outline Of Daniel – Chapters 6-12
Timeline 538 – 534 B.C.
Daniel’s Vision of “The Four Beasts.” (Daniel 7)
The dream (Daniel 7:1-3)
First world empire: Babylon (Daniel 7:4)
Second world empire: Medo-Persia (Daniel 7:5)
Third world empire: Greece (Daniel 7:6)
Fourth world empire: Rome (Daniel 7:7)
Rome: final form of fourth world empire: the ten kings and the little horn (Daniel 7:8)
The vision of the coming of the Son of Man in glory: (Daniel 7:9-12; Matthew 24:27-30; 25:31-34; Revelation 19:11-21)
Scene in Heaven before the coming of the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 5:1-4)
The interpretation of the beast vision (Daniel 7:-22)
Satan’s blasphemous leader (Daniel 7:23-28)
The Prophecy of the Defeat of the Persians by the Greeks, and the Desecration of the Temple. (Daniel 8)
The vision of the ram and the goat (Daniel 8:1-8)
The little horn (Daniel 8:9-14)
The interpretation of the vision (Daniel 8:15-19)
The identify of the ram (Daniel 8:20)
The goat and his successors (Daniel 8:21-22)
The king of bold face (Daniel 8:23-27)
Daniel’s Prayer and the Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9)
The vision of the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:1-2)
Daniel’s confession and prayer (Daniel 9:3-19)
The seventy weeks of years (Daniel 9:20-27)
Daniel’s Final Vision (Daniel 10-12)
The vision of the Glory of God (Daniel 10:1-9)
Conflict: holy and unholy angels (Daniel 10:10-21)
From Darius to the man of lawlessness (Daniel 11:1-20)
Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king who will hurt Israel (Daniel 11:21-35)
Prophecy concerning the willful king (Daniel 11:35-45)
God’s Prophetic Plan For The End Times Laid Out In The Book Of Daniel Chapters 1-5
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Themes Of Daniel (Scofield Study Bible)
Daniel, like Ezekiel, was a Jewish captive in Babylon. He was of royal or priestly descent (1:3). His long life extended from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Ezra and Zerubbabel.
Consider the themes of Daniel, which are: the four beasts, the Ancient of Days, The Son of man, the desecration of the temple, the prophecy of the seventy weeks, the manifestation of the man of sin, the great tribulation, the two witnesses, the return of the Messiah, the resurrections and the judgments.
Daniel is distinctively the prophet of the “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24), (See Scofield “Luke 21:24”). His vision sweeps the whole course of Gentile world-rule to its end in catastrophe, and to the setting up of the Messianic Kingdom.
Introduction to Daniel (MacArthur Study Bible)
According to Hebrew custom, the title is drawn from the prophet who, throughout the book, received revelations from God. Daniel bridges the entire 70 years of the Babylonian captivity (ca. 605–536 B.C.; cf. 1:1 and 9:1–3). Nine of the twelve chapters relate revelation through dreams/visions. Daniel was God’s mouthpiece to the Gentile and Jewish world, declaring God’s current and future plans. What Revelation is to the NT prophetically and apocalyptically, Daniel is to the OT.
The following outline comes from the Scofield Study Bible. This study of Daniel is not a verse by verse examination of scriptures. Instead, the emphasis is placed on key areas that relate to the, “God’s Plan For The Ages,” study.
Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of the statue: Daniel 2:1-13.
Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream/vision: “four world empires” (Daniel 2:31-35)
First world empire: Babylon (Daniel 2:36-38; 7:4)
Second world empire: Medo-Persia (Daniel 2:39; 7:5; 8:20)
Third world empire: Greece (Daniel 2:39; 7:6; 8:21)
Fourth world empire: Rome (Daniel 2:40-43; 7:6; 9:21)
Messianic Kingdom to be established on Earth (Daniel 2:44-45; Matthew 3:2 (Scofield note)
Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the deliverance to be of God (Daniel 3:26-28)
The Vision and Humbling of Nebuchadnezzar – The King’s proclamation to all nations (Daniel 4:1-3)
Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of a great tree (Daniel 4:4-18)
Daniel interprets the dream (Daniel 4:10-27)
The dream fulfilled; the king’s restoration (Daniel 4:37)
Daniel’s Experiences under Belshazzar; Belshazzar defiles the temple vessels (Daniel 5:1-4)
The handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5:5-9)
Daniel interprets the writing (Daniel 5:10-30)
The Biblical Order Of The Monarchs Of Daniel’s Time (Scofield Note, Daniel 5:18)
How will the alignment of nations attempt to destroy Israel?
Click onto any blue letter, number or symbol to see the video and text in the blog.
Consider the world events of today, as they relate to the mistreatment of Israel by the nations of the world, even by the USA. The lack of respect for “God’s chosen people” has never been greater by America than it has been during the time of the current White House Administration in the USA. Consider the description of the attacking forces of Israel in Ezekiel Chapter 39, as they are identified in the video. Consider the words of God, as they relate to His love for Israel. Dates for this post come from the Scofield Study Bible.
Deuteronomy 7:6 New Living Translation (NLT) 1451 B.C.
6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Jeremiah 31:3 New Living Translation (NLT) 606 B.C.
Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Zechariah 2:8 New Living Translation (NLT) 519 B.C.
8 After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.
Zechariah 14:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 487 B.C.
God Will Battle Jerusalem’s Foes.
1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
Zechariah 14:2. “All the nations” gather against Jerusalem to battle.
Consider your nation. Consider the other nations of the world. “All nations” will be gathered together to attack and try to destroy Israel. The military forces will be composed of those who were not caught up to heaven with Christ at the time of the rapture (John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-53). Included in the “nations of the world,” will be the forces of the United States Of America.
Zechariah 14:3. Consider the words that God gave to the prophet Zechariah as he describes His defense of Israel.
Ezekiel 39 587 B.C. Looking Ahead. New Living Translation (NLT)
The prophecies of Ezekiel cover a period of time from B.C. 595-574. Ezekiel prophesied to all of the displaced tribes of Israel. The attackers of Israel have long had a hatred for Israel, which is only about the size of the US state of New Jersey. The size of those which will attack Israel is far greater than Israel. But they and many other nations, to include many in the USA, consider “God’s chosen people” to be the cause of the hatred that exists in the world of the middle east. In future posts, we will consider the scriptural authority for Israel to possess its land. No US President has the authority to negotiate away that which God has given to “His chosen people.” We will also discuss the term, “God’s chosen people.” It is important for God’s people to be aware of the things in the world that are taking place which affect freedom and God’s people. The liberal news programs will not provide the truth in reporting that will be found in Fox News. Do the things that are written in the prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah appear to be part of today’s world events? Continue to study the books of prophecy. Reliable study Bibles include: MacArthur, Ryrie, Jeremiah and Scofield. Continue to watch news broadcasts that are not biased against Israel or God’s scriptural truth. The reality of the writings of Ezekiel 38-39 is exactly that, “real,” and is as real as a heart attack. It is important for God’s people to place in offices of leadership those who will pay more than just lip service to the support of Israel and to the truth of God’s Word. Each person’s vote is important, and should be used in accordance with God’s will. It is time for God’s people to get serious about their relationship with God. “Please read this very carefully.” If you belong to a Church that is a part of the National Council of Churches, or of the World Council of Churches, there is a good chance that you have not been taught the importance of supporting Israel. There is also a good chance that you have not been taught that same-sex marriage, abortion on demand, and men going into the restrooms of women, “are wrong and are perversions of God’s Holy Word.” If you see nothing wrong with abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, or men going into the restrooms of women, there is a good chance that you have not been born again, and do not have the Spirit of God dwelling within your spirit, influencing your decisions and actions. Consider the truth of the following two verses.
The Wisdom Of God
1 Corinthians 1:18 New Living Translation (NLT)
18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.
Pray for God to reveal the truth of His Word to you.
Ezekiel Chapter 39 Text
The Slaughter of Gog’s Hordes (vs 2. Consider the actions of God when He forces the un-Godly opposition forces into the battle against Israel.)
1 “Son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am your enemy, O Gog, ruler of the nations of Meshech and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drive you toward the mountains of Israel, bringing you from the distant north. 3 I will knock the bow from your left hand and the arrows from your right hand, and I will leave you helpless. 4 You and your army and your allies will all die on the mountains. I will feed you to the vultures and wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open fields, for I have spoken, says the Sovereign Lord. 6 And I will rain down fire on Magog and on all your allies who live safely on the coasts. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “In this way, I will make known my holy name among my people of Israel. I will not let anyone bring shame on it. And the nations, too, will know that I am the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 8 That day of judgment will come, says the Sovereign Lord. Everything will happen just as I have declared it.
9 “Then the people in the towns of Israel will go out and pick up your small and large shields, bows and arrows, javelins and spears, and they will use them for fuel. There will be enough to last them seven years! 10 They won’t need to cut wood from the fields or forests, for these weapons will give them all the fuel they need. They will plunder those who planned to plunder them, and they will rob those who planned to rob them, says the Sovereign Lord.
11 “And I will make a vast graveyard for Gog and his hordes in the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Dead Sea. It will block the way of those who travel there, and they will change the name of the place to the Valley of Gog’s Hordes. 12 It will take seven months for the people of Israel to bury the bodies and cleanse the land. 13 Everyone in Israel will help, for it will be a glorious victory for Israel when I demonstrate my glory on that day, says the Sovereign Lord.
14 “After seven months, teams of men will be appointed to search the land for skeletons to bury, so the land will be made clean again. 15 Whenever bones are found, a marker will be set up so the burial crews will take them to be buried in the Valley of Gog’s Hordes. 16 (There will be a town there named Hamonah, which means ‘horde.’) And so the land will finally be cleansed.
17 “And now, son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Call all the birds and wild animals. Say to them: Gather together for my great sacrificial feast. Come from far and near to the mountains of Israel, and there eat flesh and drink blood! 18 Eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of princes as though they were rams, lambs, goats, and bulls—all fattened animals from Bashan! 19 Gorge yourselves with flesh until you are glutted; drink blood until you are drunk. This is the sacrificial feast I have prepared for you. 20 Feast at my banquet table—feast on horses and charioteers, on mighty men and all kinds of valiant warriors, says the Sovereign Lord.
21 “In this way, I will demonstrate my glory to the nations. Everyone will see the punishment I have inflicted on them and the power of my fist when I strike. 22 And from that time on the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God. 23 The nations will then know why Israel was sent away to exile—it was punishment for sin, for they were unfaithful to their God. Therefore, I turned away from them and let their enemies destroy them. 24 I turned my face away and punished them because of their defilement and their sins.
Restoration for God’s People
25 “So now, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation! 26 They will accept responsibility for their past shame and unfaithfulness after they come home to live in peace in their own land, with no one to bother them. 27 When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, I will display my holiness among them for all the nations to see. 28 Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them away to exile and brought them home again. I will leave none of my people behind. 29 And I will never again turn my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon the people of Israel. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”
Commentary: MacArthur Study Bible (Everyone should own a MacArthur Study Bible)
39:1–10 I am against you. This scene of the army’s ruin adds detail to 38:18–23 such as: 1) the disarming of soldiers (v. 3); 2) their fall in death (vv. 4, 5); 3) the gorging of birds and beasts on the corpses (v. 4); 4) fire sent also on others besides the army (v. 6); and 5) burning of weapons by Israelites (vv. 9, 10).
39:9, 10 burn the weapons. There is enough equipment to provide fuel for 7 years.
39:9 seven years. A vast army (cf. “many,” 38:15) would have much weaponry, requiring 7 years to burn. Since this is likely at the end of the time of tribulation, synonymous with the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16; 19:19–21), the burials would extend into the millennial kingdom.
39:11–16 give Gog a burial place. Israelites moving E from the Mediterranean, with the sea to their backs and the Jezreel Valley before them, bury bodies. Further, people in the whole land help in the interment, which consumes 7 months. The description fits the time after Christ’s Second Advent extending into the millennial era as those who go into His kingdom do the work (cf.Rev. 20:1–10).
39:11, 16 Hamon Gog. Lit. “the multitude of Gog.” In v. 16, a city in the area will be named Hamonah, “multitude” (cf. a similar idea in Joel 3:14).
39:17–20 Speak to…bird and…beast. God’s word summons carrion birds and carnivorous animals to consume the fallen flesh as described in Rev. 19:21.
39:17, 18 My sacrificial meal. Since God describes the feast by the imagery of a sacrificial meal, the warriors who fell (v. 19) are described figuratively in words such as rams and other animals used in sacrifice.
39:21–29 I will set My glory. God vanquishes Israel’s foes to show His glory so that His enemies and Israel will all know that He is the Lord (vv. 6, 22). This is Israel’s salvation spoken of in Zech. 12:10—13:9 and Rom. 11:25–27.
39:29 poured out My Spirit. God’s provision of His Spirit at the Second Advent complements the regathering (cf. 36:27; 37:14;Joel 2:28). The Gog and Magog assault in Rev. 20:7–9 at the end of the Millennium is another assault on Jerusalem patterned after certain images of the invasion here (chaps. 38, 39), but it is a distinct event one thousand years after the millennial kingdom begins. See note on Rev. 20:8, 9.
Click onto any blue letter, number or symbol to see the video and text in the blog.
Consider the world events of today, as they relate to the mistreatment of Israel by the nations of the world, even by the USA. Consider the description of the Ezekiel 38 War of the video. Consider the words of God, as they relate to His love for Israel.
Deuteronomy 7:6 New Living Translation (NLT)
6 For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Jeremiah 31:3 New Living Translation (NLT)
Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Zechariah 2:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
8 After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.
Zechariah 14:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
God Will Battle Jerusalem’s Foes
1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.
Consider the words that God gave to the prophet Ezekiel as he describes an upcoming war on Israel.
Ezekiel 38 New Living Translation (NLT)
Prophecy Of The Future Invasion Of Israel
1 This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3 Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! 4 I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. 6 Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north, and many others.
7 “Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. 8 A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. 9 You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.
10 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. 11 You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence! 12 I will go to those formerly desolate cities that are now filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder, for the people are rich with livestock and other possessions now. They think the whole world revolves around them!’ 13 But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, ‘Do you really think the armies you have gathered can rob them of silver and gold? Do you think you can drive away their livestock and seize their goods and carry off plunder?’
14 “Therefore, son of man, prophesy against Gog. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: When my people are living in peace in their land, then you will rouse yourself. 15 You will come from your homeland in the distant north with your vast cavalry and your mighty army,16 and you will attack my people Israel, covering their land like a cloud. At that time in the distant future, I will bring you against my land as everyone watches, and my holiness will be displayed by what happens to you, Gog. Then all the nations will know that I am the Lord.
17 “This is what the Sovereign Lord asks: Are you the one I was talking about long ago, when I announced through Israel’s prophets that in the future I would bring you against my people?18 But this is what the Sovereign Lord says: When Gog invades the land of Israel, my fury will boil over! 19 In my jealousy and blazing anger, I promise a mighty shaking in the land of Israel on that day. 20 All living things—the fish in the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the people on earth—will quake in terror at my presence. Mountains will be thrown down; cliffs will crumble; walls will fall to the earth. 21 I will summon the sword against you on all the hills of Israel, says the Sovereign Lord. Your men will turn their swords against each other. 22 I will punish you and your armies with disease and bloodshed; I will send torrential rain, hailstones, fire, and burning sulfur!23 In this way, I will show my greatness and holiness, and I will make myself known to all the nations of the world. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Notes from MacArthur Study Bible. Everyone should own a MacArthur Study Bible.
38:1—39:29 These chaps. tell of a coming northern confederacy of nations who will invade the Promised Land.
38:2 against Gog. This name is found in 1 Chr. 5:4. The LXX used “Gog” to render names such as Agag (Num. 24:7) and Og (Deut. 3:1), possibly showing that though it was a proper name, it came to be used as a general title for an enemy of God’s people. “Gog” most likely carries the idea “high” or “supreme one,” based on the comparison in Num. 24:7. It refers to a person, described as a “prince” from the land of Magog, who is the final Antichrist.See note on Rev. 20:8, where Gog and Magog are referred to again. These titles are used there symbolically of the final world uprising against Jerusalem, its people and Messiah King. This attack comes not just from the N but the 4 corners of the world, as a world of sinners at the end of the 1,000 year kingdom come to fight the saints in the “beloved city” of Jerusalem. On that occasion, there is only one weapon used—divine fire. This is the climax to the last battle with Satan and his armies, whose eternal destiny is set. It is followed by the final judgment of all the ungodly before the Lord (Rev. 20:11–15) and the creation of the eternal, sinless state (Rev. 21:1). See notes on chap. 39. Magog.Some see this people as derived from Japheth (Gen. 10:2), later called the Scythians. Others propose a people in SE Anatolia, later known as Asiatic people such as the Mongols and Huns. Others see Magog as an overall term for barbarians, N of Palestine, around the Caspian and Black Seas. the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. Should be translated “chief prince of Meshech and Tubal…” because: 1) Rosh (more than 600 times) in the Heb. OT is an adjective, “chief,” often in references to the “chief priest” (2 Kin. 25:18); 2) most ancient versions took it to mean “chief “ or “head”; and 3) in all places other than chaps. 38 and 39 where both Meshech and Tubal are mentioned, Rosh is not listed as a third people (27:13; 32:26; Gen. 10:2; 1 Chr. 1:5). This is also descriptive of the Antichrist, who rises to world dominance in the coming time of tribulation (cf. Dan. 9:24–27;11:36–45; Rev. 13:1–17; 19:20). Meshech, and Tubal. Two peoples were recognized in ancient Assyrian monuments: one called Mushki (Mushku) and the other Tubali (Tabal). Both were in Asia Minor, the area of Magog, modern-day Turkey. Summing up, a chief prince, who is the enemy of God’s people, will lead a coalition of nations against Jerusalem. The details of this enemy force and its destruction are given by Ezekiel in the rest of chaps. 38, 39.
38:4 I will…lead you out. Just as God used Assyria (Is. 8) and Babylon (21:19) as human invaders for His judgments, He aims to use this army. In this case, He brings the invader to Palestine so that He may visit judgment (v. 8) on the invader itself (38:18–23; 39:1–10). He thus uses the language of hooks in the jaws, as in judging Egypt (29:4). From the aggressors’ perspective, they think that it is their plan only to seize the spoil which draws them to Palestine (vv. 11, 12).
38:5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya. The invasion involves a coalition of powers from the E and S of Palestine. Persia is modern Iran, Libya is in N Africa, W of Egypt; and Ethiopia is S of Egypt.
38:6 Gomer. Today the area is Armenia, which also was known as Cappodocia, having a people called Gomer in Assyrian inscriptions. Togarmah. Today’s eastern Turkey (see note on 27:14).
38:7, 8 This is the great time of Israel’s cleansing, salvation, and spiritual life (cf. 39:22, 27, 28; Zech. 12:10—13:9), getting them ready for Messiah’s return and kingdom (Zech. 14).
38:8 In the latter years. In the context of Israel’s restoration (Ezek. 34–39), the invader will make its final bid for the Land.those brought back from the sword. This refers to Israelites who have been returned to their land, after the sword had killed or scattered many of their people. The Heb. word for “brought back” means “to return” or “restore” (Gen. 40:13; 41:13).gathered. This word also frequently refers to God’s final regathering of Israel (37:21; Is. 11:12; 43:5; Jer. 32:37). It has begun historically and will continue until the latter days. In the final millennial kingdom, there will occur the full and spiritual regathering, when all Israel is saved to enter their promised kingdom (cf. Zech. 12–14; Rom. 11:25–27). dwell safely. This term occurs in several contexts devoted to the Israelites’ blessed estate after God has brought them back to their land (28:26;34:25, 28; 39:26; Jer. 32:37; Zech. 14:11).
38:9 You will ascend. The time of the invasion is best understood as the end of the future tribulation period of 7 years. Israel will have been under a false peace in treaty with the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27; 11:22, 24), before he turns on them in the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15). The false peace will end in hostility lasting to the completion of the 7 years (Zech. 14:1–3). When this final war occurs (cf. Rev. 16:12–16), Christ will ultimately conquer the beast, the false prophet, and all the ungodly forces (Rev. 19:11–21) in order to establish His millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:1–10).
38:10–13 This describes the peace in Israel during the period of Antichrist’s short-lived treaty with them (Dan. 9:27) in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week. References to “unwalled villages,” refer to that period of 3½ years when Israel is secure under the protection of the world-ruling “prince that shall come,” called Antichrist (cf. Dan. 9:27). After Antichrist turns on Israel, there is an escalation of hostility until the end of the 7 year time when this great force comes to plunder Jerusalem and the Promised Land (v. 12).
38:12 to take plunder…booty. Antichrist takes over the world for his own power and possession. The wealth of his empire is described in Rev. 18.
38:13 Dedan, Tarshish. See note on Jon. 1:3.
38:15 riding on horses. These could be actual horses used in war, if tribulation judgments (seals, trumpets, vials) in Rev. 6–16 have dealt drastic blows to industries producing war vehicles and weaponry. Or, some see horses and weapons here (39:3, 9) being used symbolically to represent meaning which would be easy to grasp in Ezekiel’s day, but which would be fulfilled in the future time with different war forms suitable to that time.
38:16 that the nations may know Me. The phrase, frequent in Ezekiel, is part of the theme to glorify God and show His sovereign power (cf. Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). God is the victor, who will be “hallowed” by fire (cf. v. 19).
38:17 Are you he…? See notes on 38:2. This refers to the general references to this time and the participants (cf. Joel 3:9–17; Amos 5:11, 12; Zeph. 3:8). Even Daniel (Dan. 2:41–44) referred to this time at least 3 decades prior to Ezek. 38. The nature of the question presupposes that the previous generalities are now being particularized in the person of Gog.
38:18–23 My fury will show. God’s patience will be exhausted with the repeated attempts to annihilate Israel since the “abomination” by Antichrist (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15), and He will employ a great earthquake in Israel; panic will seize the invading soldiers (v. 21) who will turn and use their weapons against one another (cf. 2 Chr. 20:22, 23). He will further decimate the ranks by pestilence, a deluge of rain, large hailstones, plus fire and brimstone. The descriptions here are identical to that of the last half of the 7 year tribulation in Rev. 6:12–17; 11:19; 16:17–21;19:11–21.
Click onto any blue letter, number or symbol to see the video and post on the blog.
The Rise Of The Anti-Christ, Dr. Ed Hindson
Daniel 11:37 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Anti-Christ may be a homosexual. Listen carefully to Dr. Hindson’s description of the Anti-Christ.
“He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.”
John 16:7-14 New American Standard Bible
Concerning the restrainer (vs 8-10 show the influence that believers have through the indwelling Presence of God’s Holy Spirit.)
7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He,the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
Post Preview
This post will be the first of many, scanning God’s Holy Word from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. There is no lesson plan to follow, other than the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit. Videos will be used to open each post, although there may be no relationship to the post text, but will relate to the overall series. The purpose of each post is to create an environment of learning that will encourage a further sharing of the information that is being provided. Two biases will be very obvious to anyone who reads these posts, which are God’s love for Israel (Jeremiah 31:3), and His love for the Church (Ephesians 5:25). In the following two verses of scripture, notice the action words that are used to illustrate God’s love.
Jeremiah 31:3 New Living Translation (NLT)
Long ago the Lord said to Israel:“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.
Ephesians 5:25 New Living Translation (NLT)
25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her
Post 1. Destruction of Perfection
Genesis 1:1 New American Standard Bible (NASB) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:31 New American Standard Bible (NASB) God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1-3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (The sabbath, or seventy day rest, is not mentioned again until Exodus 16:23, which was appx 2513 years later…per Scofield Study Bible).
From Genesis 2:4 through 3:12, we see the creation of Adam and Eve and the fall of Adam and Eve.
In Genesis 3:3, we see the first lie of all mankind: “You shall not … touch it…” (see Gen 2:15-17, “you shall not eat from it.”)
From Genesis 3:13 through 3:19, we see the punishment and the curse that resulted from the fall.
Genesis 3:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB) Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.
Genesis 3:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. (In this verse we see that Adam and Eve resorted to their own power to cover their nakedness, by using fig leaves.)
3:7 opened…knew…sewed. The innocence noted in 2:25 had been replaced by guilt and shame (vv. 8–10), and from then on they had to rely on their conscience to distinguish between good and their newly acquired capacity to see and know evil. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note).
Genesis 3:21 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (In this verse we see the first blood sacrifice, whereby God provided animal skins to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.)
3:21 tunics of skin. The first physical deaths should have been the man and his wife, but it was an animal—a shadow of the reality that God would someday kill a substitute to redeem sinners. (MacArthur Study Bible note)
From Gen 1:1 until the time of the sin/fall of Adam and Eve, everything in creation was perfect (Gen 1:31). From the first lie, until the eating of the forbidden fruit, only three verses separated the two. Consider how quickly the effects of sin, and collateral sin, can destroy a person’s life. The perfection that fell can easily be determined, as follows. Anything that we see in our fallen world today is a result of the fall and the resulting curse. For instance, after the fall, there have been many tears from our eyes. There have been death, mourning, crying and pain, in amounts and degrees that may have proven to be unbearable. So, let’s consider the effects of the fall, which did not happen until Adam sinned. Let’s pay special attention to the horrors of “death,” which was not a part of God’s plan.
Romans 5:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned -”
Based on this verse, there was “no death” until Adam sinned. There were no pre-historic cave men and women who died millions of years prior to the time that Adam sinned. Consider Genesis 1:31, “it was very good.” There were no natural phenomena, such as storms, excessive heat or cold. There were no instances of little dogs being eaten by alligators (I think that you get the picture…everything was perfect before the fall, and nowhere near perfect after the fall. In other words, ever since the fall, “the world has been a mess.”).
A Glimpse Of God’s Plan Of Redemption Of Mankind
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Death is a surety. Eternal life can also be a surety.
Job knew of God’s promise of eternal life. There is a song that matches the words of the KJV,”My Redeemer.”
Job 19:25 King James Version (KJV) (1520 BC.)
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter-day upon the earth:
God’s Plan For Perfection Using Israel.
Genesis 3:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”
MacArthur Study Note. Notice “seed of woman/eve.” First prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus. It is with normal reproduction that the seed of man brings about a conception. But, in this verse, the wording relates to the “seed of woman.”
3:15 After cursing the physical serpent, God turned to the spiritual serpent, the lying seducer, Satan, and cursed him.bruise your head…bruise His heel. This “first gospel” is prophetic of the struggle and its outcome between “your seed” (Satan and unbelievers, who are called the Devil’s children in John 8:44) and her seed (Christ, a descendant of Eve, and those in Him), which began in the garden. In the midst of the curse passage, a message of hope shone forth—the woman’s offspring called “He” is Christ, who will one day defeat the Serpent. Satan could only “bruise” Christ’s heel (cause Him to suffer), while Christ will bruise Satan’s head (destroy him with a fatal blow). Paul, in a passage strongly reminiscent of Gen. 3, encouraged the believers in Rome, “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Rom. 16:20). Believers should recognize that they participate in the crushing of Satan because, along with their Savior and because of His finished work on the cross, they also are of the woman’s seed. For more on the destruction of Satan, see Heb. 2:14, 15; Rev. 20:10..
God has a plan for correcting things of the world, and returning “all things” to their “pre-fall” state.
Revelation 21:1-5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The New Heaven and Earth
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Let’s say it again” “…Behold, I am making all things new…”
God’s Plan At A Glance “To Make All Things New.”
God will use “the seed of woman” to bring about the Messiah, Jesus, through the Jews. He will be the Redeemer of fallen mankind; the Redeemer who was made known to Job. (Job 19:25)
Factors That Show The Jews Being Favored By God To Bring The Messiah Into The World As A Savior
Deuteronomy 7:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Jeremiah 31:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.
Zechariah 2:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.
John 4:22 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
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Matthew 12:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Note: MacArthur Study Bible (everyone should own a MacArthur Study Bible)
12:8 the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath. Christ has the prerogative to rule over not only their man-made sabbatarian rules, but also over the Sabbath itself—which was designed for worshiping God. Again, this was an inescapable claim of deity—and as such it prompted the Pharisees’ violent outrage (v. 14).
Exodus 20:8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy:
Deuteronomy 5:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
12 Be careful to remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you.
Jesus Our Sabbath Rest
Key Verses (G. Campbell Morgan, 1863-1945)
Hebrews 3:1 Names of God Bible (NOG)
1 Brothers and sisters, you are holy partners in a heavenly calling. So look carefully at Yeshua, the apostle and chief priest about whom we make our declaration of faith.
Hebrews 4:14 Names of God Bible (NOG)
14 We need to hold on to our declaration of faith: We have a superior chief priest who has gone through the heavens. That person is Yeshua, the Son of God.
Hebrews 3-4 New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Greater Than Moses
1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.
Warning Against Unbelief
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger,‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said:
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God
4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4 speaks of Jesus as our Sabbath rest. Verses 9-10 in particular state, “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” How is Jesus our Sabbath rest?
The key to understanding how Jesus is our Sabbath rest is understanding what the Sabbath means. The Hebrew word shabat was the word “rest” in the Old Testament first used in regard to God “resting” from creation on the seventh day. The Sabbath would later become part of the Law of Moses, referring to the Sabbath day, Saturday, upon which the Jewish people were to do no work.
In the New Testament, Jesus declared Himself “lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). He equated Himself with God the Father, becoming God in human form. In addition, Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
In Hebrews 3 and 4, the author developed the concept of Jesus as our Sabbath rest, revealing how a relationship with Christ frees humans from the works of the law and allows a person to rest in the work of Christ to forgive sin. Ultimately, those who believe in Jesus will spend eternity in a “Sabbath rest” with Him (Hebrews 4:9).
Today, many continue to live as if their salvation depends on how many good deeds they perform. Yet Christ is the only one who can provide sufficiently for the sins of people and offer eternal life. It is by His grace we receive salvation, through faith. As Ephesians 2:8-9 reveal, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Jesus serves as our Sabbath rest in the sense that He provides freedom from living under the works of the law. Instead, His sacrifice has paid the price for our salvation. We accept salvation as His free gift, entering into His rest both now as well as in eternity in His presence.
Hebrews 4 ends with words of comfort for those who enter God’s Sabbath rest: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). As a result of Christ’s finished work, we can confidently come before God, receiving mercy and grace in our time of need.
Scofield Reference Notes On Book Of Hebrews
(C. I. Scofield, 1843-1921; everyone should own a Scofield Study Bible)
Book Introduction – Hebrews
WRITER: The authorship of Hebrews has been in controversy from the earliest times. The book is anonymous, but the reference in 2 Peter 3:15 seems conclusive that Paul was the writer. See also Hebrews 13:23. All agree that, whether by Paul or another, the point of view is Pauline. We undoubtedly have here the method of Paul’s synagogue addresses. No book of Scripture more fully authenticates itself as inspired.
DATE: From internal evidence it is clear that Hebrews was written before the destruction of the Temple, A.D. 70 (cf Hebrews 10:11).
THEME: The doctrinal passages reveal the purpose of the book. It was written with a twofold intent: To confirm Jewish Christians by showing that Judaism had come to an end through the fulfillment by Christ of the whole purpose of the law; and The hortatory passages show that the writer had in view the danger ever-present to Jewish professed believers of either lapsing back into Judaism, or of pausing short of true faith in Jesus Christ. It is clear from the Acts that even the strongest of the believers in Palestine were held to a strange mingling of Judaism and Christianity (e.g. Acts 21:18-24 and that snare would be especially apt to entangle professed Christians amongst the Jews of the dispersion.
The key-word is “better.” Hebrews is a series of contrasts between the good things of Judaism and the better things of Christ. Christ is “better” than angels, than Moses, than Joshua, than Aaron; and the New Covenant than the Mosaic Covenant. Church truth does not appear, the ground of gathering only being stated (Hebrews 13:13). The whole sphere of Christian profession is before the writer; hence exhortations necessary to warn and alarm a mere professor.
For Deeper Study – MacArthur Study Bible Notes (Everyone should own a MacArthur Study Bible)
Interpretive Challenges
A proper interpretation of this epistle requires the recognition that it addresses 3 distinct groups of Jews: 1) believers; 2) unbelievers who were intellectually convinced of the gospel; and 3) unbelievers who were attracted by the gospel and the person of Christ but who had reached no final conviction about Him. Failure to acknowledge these groups leads to interpretations inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.
The primary group addressed were Hebrew Christians who suffered rejection and persecution by fellow Jews (10:32-34), although none as yet had been martyred (12:4). The letter was written to give them encouragement and confidence in Christ, their Messiah and High-Priest. They were an immature group of believers who were tempted to hold on to the symbolic and spiritually powerless rituals and traditions of Judaism.
The second group addressed were Jewish unbelievers who were convinced of the basic truths of the gospel but who had not placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their own Savior and Lord. They were intellectually persuaded but spiritually uncommitted. These unbelievers are addressed in such passages as 2:1-3;6:4-6; 10:26-29; and 12:15-17.
The third group addressed were Jewish unbelievers who were not convinced of the gospel’s truth but had had some exposure to it. Chapter 9 is largely devoted to them (see especially vv. 11,14, 15, 27, 28).
By far, the most serious interpretive challenge is found in 6:4-6. The phrase “once enlightened” is often taken to refer to Christians, and the accompanying warning taken to indicate the danger of losing their salvation if “they fall away” and “crucify again for themselves the Son of God.” But there is no mention of their being saved and they are not described with any terms that apply only to believers (such as holy, born again, righteous, or saints). This problem arises from inaccurately identifying the spiritual condition of the ones being addressed. In this case, they were unbelievers who had been exposed to God’s redemptive truth, and perhaps made a profession of faith, but had not exercised genuine saving faith. In 10:26, the reference once again is to apostate Christians, not to genuine believers who are often incorrectly thought to lose their salvation because of their sins.
Verse by verse study.
3:1–6 This section presents the superiority of Jesus over the highly revered Moses. The Lord had spoken with Moses “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11) and had given the law to him (Neh. 9:13, 14). The commandments and rituals of the law were the Jews’ supreme priorities, and to them Moses and the law were synonymous. Both the OT and the NT refer to the commands of God as the “law of Moses” (Josh. 8:31; 1 Kin. 2:3; Luke 2:22; Acts 13:39). Yet, as great as Moses was, Jesus was infinitely greater.
3:1 holy brethren. The phrase occurs only here and in 1 Thess. 5:27, where some manuscripts omit “holy.” The writer addresses believers who have a “heavenly calling” (cf. Phil. 3:14). They are elsewhere described as desiring a “heavenly country” (11:16) and as coming to “the heavenly Jerusalem” (12:22). They are “holy” in the sense that they are set apart unto God and identified with the heavenly realm—citizens of heaven more than citizens of earth. calling. The reference, as always in the NT epistles, is to the effective summons to salvation in Christ (cf. Rom. 8:30; 1 Cor. 7:21). consider. The writer asks for the readers’ complete attention and diligent observation of the superiority of Jesus Christ. Apostle and High Priest. An apostle is a “sent one” who has the rights, power, and authority of the one who sends him. Jesus was sent to earth by the Father (cf. John 3:17, 34; 5:36–38; 8:42). The topic of the High-Priesthood of Christ, which was begun in 2:17, 18 and is mentioned again here, will be taken up again in greater detail in 4:14—10:18. Meanwhile, the writer presents the supremacy of Christ to Moses (vv. 1–6), to Joshua (4:8), and to all other national heroes and OT preachers whom Jews held in high esteem. Jesus Himself spoke of His superiority to Moses in the same context in which He spoke of His being sent by the Father (John 5:36–38, 45–47; cf. Luke 16:29–31). Moses had been sent by God to deliver His people from historical Egypt and its bondage (Ex. 3:10). Jesus was sent by God to deliver His people from spiritual Egypt and its bondage (2:15). of our confession. Christ is the center of our confession of faith in the gospel, both in creed and public testimony. The term is used again in 4:14 and 10:23 (cf. 2 Cor. 9:13; 1 Tim. 6:12). In all 3 uses in Hebrews there is a sense of urgency. Surely, the readers would not give up Christ, whom they had professed, and reject what He had done for them, if they could understand the superiority of His person and work.
3:2 house. The term refers to a family of people rather than a building or dwelling (cf. v. 6; 1 Tim. 3:15). Those who were stewards of a household must above all be faithful (1 Cor. 4:2). Both Moses (Num. 12:7) and Christ (2:17) faithfully fulfilled their individual, divine appointments to care for the people of God.
3:3, 4 He who built. Moses was only a part of God’s household of faith, whereas Jesus was the creator of that household (cf. 2 Sam. 7:13; Zech. 6:12, 13; Eph. 2:19–22; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5) and, therefore, is greater than Moses and equal to God.
3:5, 6 servant…Son. The term for “servant” implies a position of dignity and freedom, not slavery (cf. Ex. 14:31; Josh. 1:2). However, even as the highest-ranking servant, Moses could never hold the position of Son, which is Christ’s alone (cf. John 8:35).
3:5 spoken afterward. Moses was faithful primarily as a testimony to that which was to come in Christ (cf. 11:24–27; see note on John 5:46).
3:6 whose house we are. See notes on v. 2; Eph. 2:22; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 2:5; 4:17. if we hold fast. Cf. v. 14. This is not speaking of how to be saved or remain saved (cf. 1 Cor. 15:2). It means rather that perseverance in faithfulness is proof of real faith. The one who returns to the rituals of the Levitical system to contribute to his own salvation proves he was never truly part of God’s household (see note on 1 John 2:19), whereas the one who abides in Christ gives evidence of his genuine membership in that household (cf. Matt. 10:22; Luke 8:15; John 8:31; 15:4–6). The promise of God will fulfill this holding fast (1 Thess. 5:24;Jude 24, 25). See note on Matt. 24:13. hope. See the writer’s further description of this hope in 6:18, 19. This hope rests in Christ Himself, whose redemptive work has accomplished our salvation (Rom. 5:1, 2; see note on 1 Pet. 1:3).
3:7–11 The writer cites Ps. 95:7–11 as the words of its ultimate author, the Holy Spirit (cf. 4:7; 9:8; 10:15). This passage describes the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings after their delivery from Egypt. Despite God’s miraculous works and His gracious, providential faithfulness to them, the people still failed to commit themselves to Him in faith (cf. Ex. 17; Num. 14:22, 23;Ps. 78:40–53). The writer of Hebrews presents a 3-point exposition of the OT passage: 1) beware of unbelief (vv. 12–19); 2) be afraid of falling short (4:1–10); and 3) be diligent to enter (4:11–13). The themes of the exposition include urgency, obedience (including faith), perseverance, and rest.
3:7 Today. The reference is to the present moment while the words of God are fresh in the mind. There is a sense of urgency to immediately give heed to the voice of God. This urgency is emphasized by repeating the reference to “today” from Ps. 95:7 three more times (vv. 13, 15; 4:7) and is the theme of the writer’s exposition (cf. 2 Cor. 6:2).
3:11 My rest. The earthly rest which God promised to give was life in the land of Canaan which Israel would receive as their inheritance (Deut. 12:9, 10; Josh. 21:44; 1 Kin. 8:56). Because of rebellion against God, an entire generation of the children of Israel was prohibited from entering into that rest in the Promised Land (cf. Deut. 28:65; Lam. 1:3). The application of this picture is to an individual’s spiritual rest in the Lord, which has precedent in the OT (cf. Ps. 116:7; Is. 28:12). At salvation, every believer enters the true rest, the realm of spiritual promise, never again laboring to achieve through personal effort a righteousness that pleases God. God wanted both kinds of rest for that generation who was delivered from Egypt.
3:12 brethren. This admonition is addressed to those having the same potential characteristics as the generation which perished in the wilderness without ever seeing the Land of Promise. They were unbelieving Jewish brethren who were in the company of the “holy brethren” (v. 1). They were admonished to believe and be saved before it was too late. See Introduction: Interpretive Challenges. an evil heart. All men are born with such a heart (Jer. 17:9). In the case of these Hebrews, that evil manifested itself in disbelief of the gospel which moved them in the opposite way from God.
3:13 exhort one another daily. Both individual accountability and corporate responsibility are intended in this admonition. As long as the distressing days were upon them and they were tempted to return to the ineffective Levitical system, they were to encourage one another to identify completely with Jesus Christ.hardened. Repeated rejection of the gospel concerning Jesus results in a progressive hardening of the heart and will ultimately result in outright antagonism to the gospel. Cf. 6:4–6; 10:26–29;Acts 19:9. deceitfulness. Sin lies and deceives, using every trickery and stratagem possible (cf. Rom. 7:11; 2 Thess. 2:10;James 1:14–16). The Hebrews deceived themselves with the reasoning that their rejection of Jesus Christ was being faithful to the older system. Their willingness to hang on to the Levitical system was really a rejection of the living Word (4:12) of the “living God” (v. 12), who through Christ had opened up a “new and living way” (10:20). Choosing the path of unbelief always leads only to death (v. 17; 10:26–29; cf. 2:14, 15; Jude 5).
3:14 The exhortation is similar to that in v. 6. It repeats the theme of perseverance.
3:15–19 The quotation from Ps. 95:7, 8 is repeated (cf. v. 7). The first quotation was followed with exposition emphasizing “today” and the urgency that word conveys. This second quotation is followed with exposition emphasizing the word “rebellion” (vv. 15,16) and presenting the theme of obedience by means of its antithesis, disobedience. Four different terms are employed to drive the point of rebellion home: “rebelled” (v. 16), “sinned” (v. 17), “did not obey” (v. 18), and “unbelief” (v. 19). This initial third (see notes on vv. 7–11) of the writer’s exposition of Ps. 95:7–11is summed up by the obvious conclusion that the Israelites who died in the wilderness were victims of their own unbelief (v. 19)
4:1–10 The second section of the writer’s exposition of Ps. 95:7–11 goes beyond the description of unbelief and its dire consequences (3:12–19) to define the nature of the “rest” which the disobedient had forfeited. The first section had dealt primarily with Ps. 95:7, 8; the second section deals primarily with Ps. 95:11.
4:1 promise. This is the first use of this important word in Hebrews. The content of this promise is defined as “entering His rest.” His rest. See note on 3:11. This is the rest which God gives, therefore it is called “My rest” (Ps. 95:11) and “His rest.” For believers, God’s rest includes His peace, confidence of salvation, reliance on His strength, and assurance of a future heavenly home (cf. Matt. 11:29). come short. The entire phrase could be translated “lest you think you have come too late to enter into the rest of God” (cf. 12:15). With reverential fear all are to examine their own spiritual condition (cf. 1 Cor. 10:12; 2 Cor. 13:5) and to actively press for commitment on the part of others (cf. Jude 23).
4:2 faith. Mere knowledge of God’s message is not sufficient. It must be appropriated by saving faith. Later in the epistle a much longer exposition will take up this topic of faith (10:19—12:29). The writer’s point of comparison is that, like the Jews who left Egypt (3:16–19), his generation had also received God’s message through the preaching of the gospel—they had been evangelized.
4:3 we…do enter. Those who exercise faith in the message of God will enter into their spiritual rest. This is the corollary of Ps. 95:11 which states the opposite side: that the unbeliever will not enter into the rest which God provides. finished from the foundation of the world. The spiritual rest which God gives is not something incomplete or unfinished. It is a rest which is based upon a finished work which God purposed in eternity past, just like the rest which God took after He finished creation (v. 4).
4:4, 5 By way of explanation for the statement in v. 3, the writer cites the illustration of the seventh day of creation and quotes Gen. 2:2. Then he repeats the last part of Ps. 95:11.
4:6, 7 The opportunity to enter God’s rest remains open (cf. “a promise remains” in v. 1). It is not yet too late. God had offered the rest to His people in Moses’ time and continued to offer it in David’s time. He is still patiently inviting His people to enter His rest (cf. Rom. 10:21). Quoting Ps. 95:7, 8 once again (see 3:7,15), the author urges an immediate, positive response. The themes of urgency and obedience are thus combined in a clear invitation to the readers.
4:8–10 God’s true rest did not come through Joshua or Moses, but through Jesus Christ, who is greater than either one. Joshua led the nation of Israel into the land of their promised rest (see note on 3:11; Josh. 21:43–45). However, that was merely the earthly rest which was but the shadow of what was involved in the heavenly rest. The very fact that, according to Ps. 95, God was still offering His rest in the time of David (long after Israel had been in the Land) meant that the rest being offered was spiritual—superior to that which Joshua obtained. Israel’s earthly rest was filled with the attacks of enemies and the daily cycle of work. The heavenly rest is characterized by the fullness of heavenly promise (Eph. 1:3) and the absence of any labor to obtain it.
4:9 rest. A different Gr. word for “rest” meaning “Sabbath rest” is introduced here, and this is its only appearance in the NT. The writer chose the word to draw the readers’ attention back to the “seventh day” mentioned in v. 4 and to set up the explanation in v. 10 (“ceased from his works as God did from His”).
4:11–13 The concluding third part of the exposition of Ps. 95:7–11 emphasizes the accountability which comes to those who have heard the Word of God. Scripture records the examples of those in the wilderness with Moses, those who entered Canaan with Joshua, and those who received the same opportunity in David’s day. It is the Word which must be believed and obeyed and the Word which will judge the disobedient (cf. 1 Cor. 10:5–13).
4:12 two-edged sword. While the Word of God is comforting and nourishing to those who believe, it is a tool of judgment and execution for those who have not committed themselves to Jesus Christ. Some of the Hebrews were merely going through the motions of belonging to Christ. Intellectually, they were at least partly persuaded, but inside they were not committed to Him. God’s Word would expose their shallow beliefs and even their false intentions (cf. 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Pet. 4:5). division of soul and spirit. These terms do not describe two separate entities (any more than “thoughts and intents” do) but are used as one might say “heart and soul” to express fullness (cf. Luke 10:27;Acts 4:32; see note on 1 Thess. 5:23). Elsewhere these two terms are used interchangeably to describe man’s immaterial self, his eternal inner person.
4:13 open to the eyes of Him. “Open” is a specialized term used just this one time in the NT. It originally meant to expose the neck either in preparation for sacrifice or for beheading. Perhaps the use of “sword” in the previous verse triggered the term. Each individual is judged not only by the Word of God (cf. John 12:48), but by God Himself. We are accountable to the living, written Word (cf. John 6:63, 68; Acts 7:38) and to the living God who is its author.
4:14—7:28 Next, the writer expounds on Ps. 110:4, quoted in 5:6. Not only is Christ as Apostle superior to Moses and to Joshua, but as High-Priest, He is superior to Aaron (4:14–5:10; cf. 3:1). In the midst of his exposition, the writer gives an exhortation related to the spiritual condition of his readers (5:11–6:20). At the conclusion of the exhortation, he then returns to the subject of Christ’s priesthood (7:1–28).
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Key Associated Verses (All dates are from Scofield Study Bible)
Matthew 1:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (4 B.C.)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Note: 1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note)
Isaiah 7:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 742 B.C.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
John 14:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (33 A.D.)
9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
John Chapter 7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” 9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel.22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?27 However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple,teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.29 I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said,‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division of People over Jesus
40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” 47 The Pharisees then answered them, “You have not also been led astray, have you? 48 No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [Everyone went to his home.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV). (Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible).
7:2 Feast of Booths. The longest festival of the Jewish year (lasting seven days), this feast followed the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lev. 23; Deut. 16). It was a celebration of God’s gracious provision for the Israelites in the wilderness and the completion of the year’s harvest. There was a ceremonial water-drawing (commemorating the provision of water in the wilderness, Num. 20:2–13) and a lamp-lighting ritual. The first of these ceremonies provides the setting for Jesus’ proclamation in vv. 37, 38, the second for His statement in 8:12.
7:3, 5, 10 his brothers. Cf. 2:12; Matt. 12:46. Some of the brothers later believed in Jesus (Acts 1:14).
7:6 My time. See vv. 8, 30; 2:4; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1; Matt. 26:18; Mark 14:41. Such passages show the concern of Jesus to conform to God’s schedule.
7:7 The world. Humanity in its opposition to God and His purpose….evil. Evildoers resent being unmasked by the good (3:19, 20).
7:8 I am not going up to this feast. Jesus does indeed later go to the Feast. His brothers have asked Him to present Himself openly to the crowds. But Jesus asserts that He is “not” yet ready to appear in such a public way.
7:13 for fear of the Jews. This is not a reference to all those who were natural descendants of Abraham. Rather, the term refers to Jewish leaders and officials who were hostile toward Jesus.
7:15 has never studied. Jesus was not known to have been taught by any rabbi, yet His knowledge and wisdom astounded those who heard Him (cf. 3:2; Matt. 7:28; Luke 2:47).
7:16 his who sent me. Jesus indicates the source of His teaching. His message is not original with Himself but comes from His Father.
7:17 will know. A true perception of the divine nature of Christ’s teaching is granted to those who earnestly desire to do God’s will (Ps. 25:14).
7:18 on his own authority. A contrast is established between self-seeking messengers and Jesus, whose guiding principle is to be true to His mission (12:49). See 1:14, 17; 14:6; 18:37; 2 Cor. 11:10; Rev. 3:7, 14; 19:11—passages where Christ and His message are identified with truth. This is also said of God the Father (7:28; 8:26; 17:3; Ps. 31:5; Is. 65:16; Rom. 3:4; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 6:10; 15:3; 16:7) and of the Holy Spirit (14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6; 5:6). The same applies to the Scripture and apostolic preaching (17:17; Ps. 119:30, 43, 138,142, 151, 160; Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15; James 1:18). This is in sharp contrast with Satan who is “a liar” (8:44).
7:19 Moses . . . the law. The blessing of having received the law as the revelation of God’s will (cf. Ps. 103:7; Rom. 3:2; 9:4) becomes a bane through disobedience (Rom. 7:7–12).
7:20 have a demon. Compare 8:48–52; 10:19–20; Matt. 12:24.
7:21 I did one deed. Jesus refers to the one deed He had done in their region, the healing of the lame man (5:1–15).
7:22 circumcision. Circumcision was prescribed in the law of Moses (Lev. 12:3), but it was previously instituted by God in the days of Abraham (Gen. 17:10–14). The regulation that it had to be performed on the eighth day was commonly regarded as taking precedence over the law of rest on the Sabbath.
7:23 whole body well. Jesus calls attention to the inconsistency of His accusers. There were a number of activities permitted on the Sabbath, including circumcision. He compares these activities with the work of healing.
7:27 we know where this man comes from. The people knew that Jesus was from Galilee (vv. 41, 52), and this seemed to conflict with the prevailing view that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (v. 42; Matt. 2:5, 6) or that His origin would be unknown. Jesus in response points to His divine origin rather than an earthly location. In failing to acknowledge His divine mission they showed their ignorance of God’s plan, in spite of the miracles, which were proof of God’s endorsement (v. 31).
7:30 they were seeking to arrest him. The plots against Christ’s life could not succeed until God’s own time had come.
7:34 You will seek me and you will not find me. This is not in contradiction with Matt. 7:7. There Jesus is speaking about a thirst for God (cf. v. 37) that only the Holy Spirit creates in someone; but here He is referring to an effort to find Him geographically, which would be futile since He would be in heaven. Note the contrast between unbelievers (v. 34) and believers (14:3).
7:35 Where does this man intend to go. The Jews were puzzled as to Christ’s origin and so could not understand His destination, which was heaven. They understood it merely in geographical terms and were not pleased at the thought that He would exercise His ministry among the Greeks, heathens that they despised.
7:37, 38 At the climax of the feast, Jesus repeated dramatically the message He had given to the Samaritan woman (4:10–14) making clear that coming to Him meant believing in Him.
7:38 as the Scripture has said. What follows is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but there are several Old Testament passages that connect water with the end-time gift of the Spirit (e.g., Is. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27) and the blessings of the present (messianic) age (e.g., Is. 12:3; 58:11). Jesus fulfills the meaning of the Feast of Booths (v. 2 note)….rivers. This implies great abundance, benefiting not only believers, but also those around them.
7:39 the Spirit had not been given. Jesus is referring to the blessing of Pentecost. Of course, the Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament period, but at Pentecost He entered into a more intimate relationship with believers (14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19). This is the Messiah’s gift to His people: He baptizes with the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16), but this blessing in its full measure and glory must await the ascension of Christ who will pour out the Spirit from heaven upon His people (16:7; cf. Eph. 4:8).
7:40 the Prophet. A reference to Deut. 18:15. It is interesting to observe the testimony of those outside the group of disciples who were not blinded by prejudice. They understood that Jesus could be “the Prophet” promised by Moses. They knew that His miracles were worthy of the Messiah they expected (v. 31). Some called him “the Christ” (v. 41), and they testified that no one ever spoke like Him (v. 46).
7:41–43 Dispute over the identity of Jesus continues to focus on His origin (cf. vv. 25–36 and notes). The people’s questioning remains trapped within the limits of this world (3:1–15; 4:1–26).
7:45–52 The strong prejudice of the chief priests and Pharisees is apparent in their condemnation of the temple guards (vv. 47,48), of the crowd (v. 49), and even of Nicodemus, one of their number (v. 52).
7:52 Galilee was held in contempt by the Sanhedrin as a mixed-race region where the law was not zealously observed.
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Key Associated Verses (All dates are from Scofield Study Bible)
Matthew 1:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (4 B.C.)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Note: 1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note)
Isaiah 7:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 742 B.C.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
John 14:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (33 A.D.)
9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
Gospel Of John, Chapter 6, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Five Thousand Fed
1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Jesus Walks on the Water
15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He *said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
Words to the People
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them,“Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Words to the Jews
41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say,‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”
Words to the Disciples
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Peter’s Confession of Faith
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you,the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV). (Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible)
6:1–71 This chapter is a major turning point in chs. 2–12. It reveals the identity of Jesus as One sent from the Father (vv. 38,44, 46, 50, 51, 57); it graphically distinguishes belief and unbelief through the illustration of eating Jesus’ flesh and blood (vv. 53–58); and it chronicles the growing rejection, motivated by unbelief, that confronted Jesus (vv. 41, 42, 60–66). The signs in this chapter call to mind corresponding saving events in the history of Israel. They indicate that Jesus fulfills the typology of the Passover, the Exodus, and the provision of food in the wilderness.
6:1–4 Jesus leaves Jerusalem and travels to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, around the time of the Passover. This feast was established in Ex. 12:43–51 to commemorate how God “passed over” the Israelites and killed the Egyptians. The Old Testament passages read during the Passover in Jesus’ time probably included Gen. 1–8, Ex. 11–16, and Num. 6–14. There are strong similarities between these texts and Jesus’ comments in this discourse.
6:1 Sea of Tiberias. Another name for the Sea of Galilee, in honor of the town of Tiberias, built by Herod between a.d. 20–30.
6:2 signs. John has reported only one healing in Galilee, of the official’s son (4:46–54). Jesus must have done other such miracles as well (cf. 21:25).
6:3 Jesus went up on the mountain. This detail may be intended to suggest a comparison of Jesus and Moses, who went up on Mount Sinai (v. 14 note).
6:5–15 The feeding of the five thousand. Jesus brings food to a multitude, as Moses did in the wilderness (Num. 11).
6:5 that these people may eat. Reminiscent of Num. 11:13, where Moses asks God a similar question.
6:7 Two hundred denarii. A denarius was about one day’s wage (Matt. 20:2).
6:10 five thousand. The figure does not include women and children (Matt. 14:21; cf. 2 Kin. 4:42–44).
6:14 the Prophet. That is, the Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15).
6:15 to make him king. The kingship of the Messiah was to be spiritual, not political. While accepting the title “King of Israel” (1:49), Jesus refused the offer of Satan (Matt. 4:8, 9; Luke 4:5,6) and the misguided efforts of the people.
6:16–21 This miracle is recorded in Matt. 14:22–33 and in Mark 6:47–51. It should not be confused with the calming of the storm found in Matt. 8:23–27; Mark 4:36–41; and Luke 8:22–25.
6:21 immediately. Some understand this to be an additional miracle; others take it to mean that after Jesus’ entrance into the boat, no further difficulties were encountered.
6:26 not because you saw signs. Although they saw the miracle of the loaves and fishes, they did not recognize it as a sign identifying Jesus as the Messiah. It was merely as an opportunity for a meal to them.
6:27 Jesus points to the spiritual meaning of the miracle, which is to set God’s seal of approval on His ministry and to identify Him as the Son of Man, the promised Messiah.
6:31 They expected that the coming of the Messiah would be marked by a miracle as great as or greater than the giving of the manna in the desert.
6:32 the true bread from heaven. The word “true” has a special meaning. Jesus refers to what is everlasting, as opposed to something merely representative. The bread God provided through Moses (Ex. 16; Num. 11) was only material and temporary, not spiritual and eternal. See note at 4:24.
6:33 he who comes down from heaven. This is Jesus Christ, whose incarnation is described as “coming down” (vv. 38, 41, 42,50, 51, 58; 3:13, 31; Eph. 4:9–10).
gives life to the world. Christ provides eternal life to those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). They are chosen not only from the Jews but from the whole world. Jesus does not here teach universal salvation, but the universal relevance and appeal of His saving work (3:16 note).
6:34 give us this bread. They misinterpreted Jesus’ statement by taking it on a purely physical level, as Nicodemus (3:4) and the Samaritan woman (4:15) had done.
6:35 I am the bread of life. This is the first of seven such “I am” sayings in 6:38 not to do my own will. The will of the Son and the will of the Father agree; there is no competition or disagreement. Jesus’ submission to the Father shows this agreement.this Gospel (8:12; 9:5; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6;15:1, 5). The expression looks back to Ex. 3:14 and is an implicit claim to deity (8:58, 59 and notes).
6:37 All that the Father gives me. God leads to faith all whom He plans to redeem. The redemption of the elect is certain. The Son promises acceptance to anyone who truly believes.
6:38 not to do my own will. The will of the Son and the will of the Father agree; there is no competition or disagreement. Jesus’ submission to the Father shows this agreement.
6:39 lose nothing . . . but raise. The Father’s will is more than that Jesus should make an offer to lost sinners. He will at last raise up all who are given Him by the Father and lose not one from that group. God graciously perseveres with true believers, ensuring their final salvation. See “Perseverance of the Saints” at Rom. 8:30.
6:41 the Jews grumbled about him. This response is similar to that of the Israelites in the wilderness, who complained against Moses and Aaron (Ex. 16:7; 17:3; Num. 11:1).
came down from heaven. Jesus’ origin establishes His identity as Messiah and Son of God (vv. 29, 33, 38; 1:1, 2, 14, 18, 45, 46; 3:2, 13, 17, 31; 5:36–38). Those confronted with this revelation must respond either in belief or in rejection. There is no middle ground.
6:44 unless the Father who sent me draws him. Jesus teaches that no one can respond positively to His warning and invitation apart from the Father’s work of drawing the individual to Jesus. The heart is naturally hard and will not accept God’s invitation, unless a special work of God’s grace takes place (v. 65). See “Effectual Calling and Conversion” at 2 Thess. 2:14.
6:45 they will all be taught by God. In its original context Is. 54:13 is a promise of final redemption. Jesus indicates in the next sentence that those who participate in this redemption are those who come to Him, thereby identifying Himself as the One in whom that final redemption comes.
Everyone who has heard . . . comes to me. Whoever wishes may come, and they come because they have “learned from the Father,” who draws them (v. 44)
.
6:51–58 Jesus’ hearers continue to misunderstand His statements, taking them on a purely physical level (cf. v. 34). Understood literally, what Jesus said would be highly objectionable since it would involve cannibalism and a use of blood that was strictly forbidden in the Law (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 7:26,27; 17:10–14; Deut. 12:23, 24). Jesus uses the language of eating and drinking to illustrate the intimacy of the union between Christ and the believer. This spiritual union, by which Christ imparts new life to the believer, is portrayed later in the Gospel as the union of a vine and its branches (15:1–8). It is sometimes called the “mystical union,” and is a recurrent topic in Paul’s letters (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:3–14).
Though some see here a reference to the Lord’s Supper, a mention of that sacrament at this point would have been incomprehensible to Jesus’ listeners. This passage is best understood as pointing to the spiritual reality the Lord’s Supper also signifies—union with Christ and all the benefits of salvation received through Him.
6:51 the living bread. See note on v. 32.
the world. See note 4:42.
6:53 unless you eat . . . and drink. Apart from personal union with the Savior there is no salvation. See “The Lord’s Supper” at1 Cor. 11:23.
6:60 many of his disciples. These disciples took offense at Jesus’ words, refused to listen to Jesus’ explanation, and were unwilling to accept the message of salvation by grace.
6:61, 64, 70. Three examples of supernatural knowledge (cf.2:24, 25).
6:62 see the Son of Man ascending. Like “lifted up” (3:14 note), “ascend” here probably refers to the events beginning with Christ’s being “lifted up” on the cross and climaxing in His exaltation at the right hand of the Father. If many of His disciples grumbled at the hard sayings of vv. 53–58, what would their response be to the scandal of the crucifixion? See “The Ascension of Jesus” at Luke 24:51.
where he was before. A reference to the eternal pre-existence of the living Word (1:1–3).
6:63 the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. This makes it plain that a merely physical understanding of Jesus’ words was utterly mistaken. Note the close cooperation of the Father (vv. 37–40, 44–46, 57, 65), the Son, and the Holy Spirit (v. 63) shown in this passage.
6:65 no one can come to me unless. It is impossible for anyone to come to Christ without the enabling call of God. The sinner’s moral inability to choose Christ must be overcome by the gracious and sovereign power of the Spirit (3:5–21).
6:66–71 A crucial turning point in this Gospel. Many disciples, together with the crowds, reject Christ in unbelief, while His remaining disciples (as exemplified by Peter’s confession) deepen their faith in Him.
6:67 Do you . . . go away. Jesus’ question elicits the firm confession of Peter as the spokesman for the Twelve. A parallel situation is found in Matt. 16:13–20; Mark 8:27–29; Luke 9:18–20.
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Leviticus 20:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 You shall consecrate yourselves therefor and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. (to be consecrated is to be set apart)
Disclaimer. The message of this post may not be understood by a person that has not been born again.
Consider the Holiness of God. May we never cease adoring Him and giving Him praise. May nations all around the world seek to have leaders who will follow the example of love, humility and praise for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Joshua 24:1-15).
Consider the times of worship and praise that take place in our congregations. We should also consider that when we leave those special times, that our praise must continue in our lives as we demonstrate to the world of unbelievers that we follow the teachings of God’s Holy Word, regardless of what unbelievers want to hear. As leaders of congregations, we must speak the truth of God’s Word regardless of that which the people of our congregations may want to be spoken to them. The prophet Ezekiel was commissioned by God to speak to such a congregation,”the people of Israel.”
Ezekiel 3:4-11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5 For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech or difficult language, but to the house of Israel, 6 nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;7 yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. Surely the whole house of Israel is stubborn and obstinate. 8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. 9 Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely. 11 Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’”
There are two applications that can be taken from God’s instructions to Ezekiel. First, a leader of a congregation has no choice but to speak the truth of God’s Word. Second, if a congregation has a leader who does not speak the truth of God’s Word, such a congregation should find another leader who will speak the truth of God’s Word, regardless of opposing factors. Consider a reward that comes from the truth of God’s Word, as we find in John’s Gospel: “eternal life with God, by and through Jesus, and only by and through Jesus.”
John 8:32 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 14:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
When God’s Spirit comes into someone’s spirit (takes up residence), which is the literal indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, the penalty for not having the indwelling of God’s Spirit is averted. (See Revelation 20:15, below)
Let’s discuss the born again experience; the need for it; how it happens; and the result of having the Spirit of Father, Son, Holy Spirit dwelling within someone’s own spirit. The born again experience has a result of a belief and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. It is easy to understand that if a person has been born again, that person will believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. If a person believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior, that person has been born again/born from above. It is the desire of God for all people to be saved from the eternal punishment of Hell. Such a salvation is realized through a belief/trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. A person who believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior has been born again/born from above, which is a Spiritual happening.
John 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Romans 8:1 New King James Version (NKJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
THE NEED FOR THE NEW BIRTH
Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, and the accompanying curse (Genesis 3:17), our spirits are unworthy of being in the presence of God or of His Kingdom. God is Light; until we are born again, we are darkness. The need is for us to be literally/spiritually residing in the Spirit of “Father, Son, Holy Spirit.”
John 3:3 New American Standard Bible
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
1 John 1:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
God Is Light
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
John 1:1-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Deity of Jesus Christ – He came to offer light to darkness.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The Witness John
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The New Birth Given Through God’s Holy Spirit. We can not cause our spirit to be born from above (be spiritually born again). Jesus relates the new birth of our spirit to the movement of the wind. We can not see the wind, and we have no control over it. However, we can see the result of the wind blowing a tree back and forth. It is the same with us after we have been born again; we can see the presence of our new-born spirit by our changed lives, which is now influenced by the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit.
John 3:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
THE RESULTS OF THE NEW BIRTH (THE BIRTH FROM ABOVE)
We are literally, spiritually, in Christ, in His Spirit. We now have a new spirit which is as pure as the Spirit of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 New American Standard Bible (NASB) Remember 1 John 1:5.
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
We have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within our Spirit. Remember 1 John 1:5. We have an expectant hope of “glory” which is eternal life with Christ.
Colossians 1:27
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
The Presence of God’s Holy Spirit is available only to those people whom have been born again. The “Spirit of truth” is key to the result of someone having the eternal indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit will never leave the spirit of anyone whom has been born again.
John 14:16-17 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Role of the Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
There is the inter-dwelling of Spirits of Father, Son, Holy Spirit, with the spirit of every person who has ever been born again.
John 14:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Jesus taught His disciples when He was with them. After Jesus ascended to Heaven the Holy Spirit would continue to teach them, just as Jesus would have continued to teach. The same Holy Spirit teaches all of the people, who have been born again, the same things of truth that he He continued to teach the disciples.
John 14:26 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
God’s Holy Spirit will testify about Jesus to all of whom have been born again.
John 15:26-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
26 “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, 27 and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
God’s Holy Spirit will convict the world through the knowledge and testimony of those whom have been born again. Such knowledge can also be described as spiritual wisdom. Born again believers in Christ will be prompted by the Holy Spirit to speak out to the world against sin, righteousness and judgment. The Holy Spirit of God will continue to teach born again believers in Christ all aspects of truth as it relates to sin and righteousness and judgment.
John 16:7-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He,the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
Consider those people who have not been born again. They do not have the prompting God’s Holy Spirit within their spirits. In essence, those people lack Godly wisdom. Nothing of spiritual understanding is part of the thinking and reasoning processes of unbelievers, those of whom have not been born again.
1 Corinthians 1:18 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Wisdom of God
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
In 2009, we had a crew of unbelievers that began leading our country. From the white house, down, (President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Senate Majority Leader, Speaker of the House Of Representatives, and other leaders of the Democrat party), we were led by people who showed no evidence of having God’s Holy Spirit indwelling and convicting them of sin. In essence, our country was led by people who had no Godly Wisdom guiding them; they showed no evidence of “being set apart and being holy.” For a person to support abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, men in womens’ restrooms, etc., such a mindset is evidence of the lack of the indwelling Presence of God’s Holy Spirit, and not being set apart and holy. For people who continue to vote for the people who support abortion on demand, same-sex marriage, men in womens’ restrooms, etc., such a mindset is evidence of the lack of the indwelling Presence of God’s Holy Spirit, and of not being set apart and holy.
Consider this statement of truth. No democrat who is holding elected office, or who is seeking elected office, has spoken out against the perverted order of our President to allow men to go into the rest rooms of women. No democrat, male or female, father or mother, has said that it is wrong to allow a man to go into a restroom where “their daughter or granddaughter” may be molested by a man “who says that he is a woman.” Considering this action of the President, I didn’t think that our nation is ruled by a king.
Any person can make a mistake, but when decisions and acts of sinful recourse continue, such as taking the life of an unborn child, up until the moment of birth, there is no way that such people can truly say that they have been born again, and are set apart and are holy. Such people, politicians and voters, need to get serious about the subject of eternal life. Such people may fool others, but there is no way that they will fool God. For such a person who reads this post, I encourage you to get right with God and His Holy Word, and flee the sinful life that is evidence of your lack of the Presence of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within your spirit. Don’t take the truth of this post lightly. You can’t mock God. If you live the live of one that has not been born again, such a reward is waiting for you.
Galatians 6:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
The reward of not being born again is the Great White Throne Judgment and the Lake Of Fire, which are places that only those whom have not been born again will find their place.
Revelation 20:10-13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Great White Throne Judgment
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
Commentary vs 10-13
vs 10. The devil, beat (anti-christ), and false prophet were into the lake of fire.
vs 11. The Great White Throne Judgment is the place where those who never were born again will have to pay the debt penalty for their works in life. Those which had been born again, and had the Spirit of Father, Son and Holy Spirit living within their spirit, had their sin debt paid by Jesus when He was crucified.
vs 12 The “dead” are those which did not have God’s Spirit living within them prior to their natural death. 1 Thes 4:16-17, the “dead in Christ,” are those which had been “born again” and had the Spirit of God living within them prior to their natural death.
vs 13. There was no escaping the Great White Throne Judgment, regardless of where and how an unbeliever may have died.
The place of eternal judgment for unbelievers, those whom had not been born again is shown, as follows.
Revelation 20:15 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
The Great White Throne Judgment and the Lake Of Fire, are the horrible places where those who have not been born again will find “staring them in the face.” Very simply stated, “if you have not been born again, born from above (John 3:3/John 3:8), you will, without fail, stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment, and you will, without fail, be thrown into the Lake of Fire, and will be tormented “day and night” forever and ever. An eternity in Hell is nothing to be taken take lightly; please don’t!
It is no my purpose to tell anyone how they should vote. It is however, the responsibility of any believer in Christ to warn others of the reality of not being born again. As was stated earlier in this post, anyone who has a lifestyle of: supporting the killing of unborn babies, or supporting men marrying men and women marrying women, or supporting men being allowed to use the restrooms of women, has a lifestyle that is in direct opposition to the teachings of God’s Holy Word. Such people who continue in such a lifestyle show the lack of God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within their spirit with clear evidence of the prompting of a lifestyle of righteousness by the Holy Spirit. Such people will find their eternal place of residence being in the lake of fire unless they repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and show works that represent such a saving relationship and their being born again/from above.
Consider the eternal Godly penalties that relate to personal lifestyles that show an absence of the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
Consider the eternal Godly reward that is promised to those that have come out of sinful lifestyles.
1 Corinthians 6:11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
But, make such a change in lifestyle true.
Matthew 3:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
Unfortunately some people may not understand the spiritual truth of God’s scripture as it relates to living a holy life.
1 Corinthians 2:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (A natural man is one who does not have the Spirit of God dwelling within him)
14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
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Parades, picnics, store sales, etc. Is that the extent of Memorial Day for you? Does the day “come and go,” and then we all get “back to the grind,” and “forget to honor and remember” the vast numbers of those heroes of our armed forces, “those of whom gave their all” for our nation? Please consider the opening video, and the following text which I have posted a few times in the past.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). During these times in which we live, there is a great lack of respect for those who have served our nation in the military services. May we never forget to honor, remember, and thank those which have served in all of our nation’s wars and other military campaigns.
The innocence of the 50s and early 60s had come and gone. Our nation was at war in Southeast Asia, or better known as Vietnam. The movie, “Good Morning Vietnam,” shows how a group of radio disc jockeys tried to make things better for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen who were spending a year of their life trying to hold back the communist forces of North Vietnam. The late Robin Williams plays such a dj. I was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. My time was spent in Thailand and The Republic of The Philippines, in support of the war effort, so I was very blessed and thankful that I didn’t have to enter an area of combat. I can remember the great service that the djs of the Armed Forces Radio And Television Service did to strengthen the morale of our military and civilian personnel who were assigned to different areas of Southeast Asia. Armed Forces Vietnam Network, and other AFRTS organizations, did a great job of bringing the music of “back home” to a land that was very much a, “third world.” In my Air Force barracks in the Philippines, we had a group of those wonderful djs living with us. They were members of the Army, Navy, and of course, the Air Force. I can remember a great Navy dj; I think that his name was Ray Lorio. I trust that life was good to him after he left the Philippines. My tours of duty ended in 1971 in the Philippines, and 1974 in Thailand. Please consider the value of the video. It shows scenes from a movie that was about a very unpopular war. Horrible things were happening, as the movie shows, and the song may seem to be out-of-place. But, such songs were very important to our troops, many of whom, would be spat upon once they returned home. So, please sit back for two minutes and thirty-nine seconds and watch a video about a time in our nation’s history that has not been explained in its fullness to most people of our nation, or throughout the world. Below, you will find a link to a site that will tell you more about the hero djs of the Vietnam War.
AFVN – American Forces Vietnam Network Home Page – OoCities http://www.oocities.org/afvn/ – View by Ixquick Proxy – Highlight
Hear AFVN Vietnam military radio again or watch military tv news again on your computer – authentic shows heard or seen years ago. See pictures of the GI’s …
Eternity 