tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14277399903929647322024-02-20T19:41:14.187-05:00 SPACESHIP THEOLOGY Do we prefer to languish in a comfortable and familiar error rather than exert the effort necessary to discover the truth? Inventing the flat earth: Columbus and Modern Authorities; by Jeffrey Burton Russell. Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-73134562402816541522016-12-17T13:45:00.000-05:002019-03-12T17:11:03.388-04:00154 - The Spaceship "Theology" Has Docked<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>The spaceship:</b> <i>Theology,</i> embarked on its journey to go where this man had never gone before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Launch</b>: Calendar date, 7,17, 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Mission</b>: To study the teachings of the <i>Old Testament </i>and report the findings to earthlings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Observation</b>: Many humanoids hold to what they think is written in the <i>Old Testament</i> but they really have no idea of what the <i>Old Testament</i> teaches or else they know but ignore its teachings in any case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the first leg of this journey, three reports were sent every week; reports which delved into a variety of deeply held and sometimes erroneous theological opinions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Calendar date: </b>2,14,2014, saw the beginning of one report a week; starting at Genesis 1:1 and working its way to the end of the <i>Old Testament.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A serious attempt was made to not follow the traditional religious viewpoints just because they are the most popular, but, surprisingly, in some cases, the <i>Bible</i> and the traditional viewpoint actually agree.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Several times it seemed as though I had "crashed and burned" the spaceship, but the younger crew members in my family pushed a few buttons on the control panel and the ship was ready to sail again. Many thanks to them all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To all the passengers, the regular faithful from way back and to the newcomers a heartfelt word of appreciation is extended to you. All the +1's and the re-shares were very, very encouraging. Many of the comments were really uplifting; a few were downright nasty and unnecessarily painful. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In those cases the words of The Captain came to mind, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Blessed are you when men shall revile you ... and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mat 5:11.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently there have been several developments which have necessitated the recall and docking of the spaceship <i>theology</i>, for the time being at least. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is possible that after the necessary repairs have been made the ship will sail again, perhaps under a new flag. If she does sail again it will be for the purpose of taking a non-traditional look at the <i>New Testament.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I close with these words, </span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah bless you and keep you. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Jehovah </span><span style="color: red;">make</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b> Jehovah lift up His face to you and give you peace.</b> </span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Numbers 6:24-26.</span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-13868231321005299252016-12-10T13:01:00.000-05:002019-03-12T16:57:01.443-04:00153 - Questions and Answers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Malachi</u></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>"Messanger of Jehovah". </b>He prophesied from 418-400 BCE. His writings end at about the same time as the books of <i>Ezra </i>and <i>Nehemiah</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Earlier I wrote, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Judging by how well the prophet's names suit their function or personality it is not </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;">believed that these were their given names. Perhaps they are pseudonyms which they got because of their activities or lifestyle. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">The analogy of the headings of the other prophets favors the view that Malachi is a proper name. </span></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Easton Bible dictionary</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Among the minor prophets, Malachi is the one exception to the rule about having a nickname. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Malachi</i> is a book of questions and answers. It is written as though the Jews ask the questions and Jehovah answers.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />1. The Jews ask: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In what have You loved us?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Jehovah answers: <span style="color: magenta;">Here is an example,</span> <span style="color: red;">Was not Esau Jacob's brother? ... yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau and made his mountains a desolation</span> <span style="color: magenta;">and gave you the land of milk and honey. </span>Malachi 1:2-3. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. <span style="color: red;">In what way have we despised Your name?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah answers: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">You offer defiled bread upon My altar; </span><span style="color: magenta;">Consider this, all week long you cuss, swear and take My name in vain and then, on Sunday, you come and sing holy praises.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: red;">If you think you are being religious, but can't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and everything you do is useless</span>.</span><span style="color: red;"> </span>James 1:26. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: red;">Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.</span> James 3:10.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">3. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">In what way have we defiled You? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah answers: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In your saying, The table of Jehovah, it is a thing to be despised. And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> When the Jews brought their sacrifices they were to bring only the best, not the blind; not the one with a broken leg; only the best. When we give something to charity do we give only the broken or outdated and items that are no good? As if our gifts to Jehovah can be something cheap.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then Jehovah says, <span style="color: red;">And if you offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Here the word <span style="color: red;">evil </span>can include <span style="color: blue;">displeasing</span>,</span> S<i>trong H7451</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Then, sarcastically, he adds: </span><span style="color: red;"> Bring it now to your governor. Will he accept you? </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">M</span>alachi 1:6-8. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: magenta;">Not only in the realm of worship have you shortchanged me but </span><span style="color: red;">there is a second thing you have done, covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, weeping, and groaning. </span><span style="color: magenta;"> You come to church with artificial remorse and weeping but I will not hear you.</span><br /><br />4. <span style="color: red;">Why?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span>Jehovah answers: <span style="color: red;">Because I have been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your covenant wife. And did He not make you one? do not act treacherously with the wife of your youth. </span>2:13-15.<br /><br /><span style="color: magenta;">The one you promised to love forever, in sickness and in health, now, how are you treating her? You have put </span><span style="color: red;">the wife of your youth</span><span style="color: magenta;"> into a position where she may legally and morally divorce you I</span> <span style="color: red;">hate sending away;</span> 2:16. <span style="color: red;">Sending away</span> is the biblical way of saying "divorce".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are you surprised that I am rejecting your pretended remorse and tears!</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">With the expression “wife of thy youth” the prophet appeals to the heart of the husband, pointing to the love of his youth with which the marriage had been entered into; ... “Yet she was thy companion, who shared thy joy and sorrow, and the wife of thy covenant, with whom thou didst make a covenant for life.”</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span><i>K&D.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You have wearied Jehovah with your </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(empty) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">words. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet you say,</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In what have we wearied Him?</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah answers:</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When you say, Every evildoer is good in the eyes of Jehovah, and He delights in them; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is far too much of this false theology in today's churches. We hear it all the time, <span style="color: blue;">God loves everybody.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what the psalmist said</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah ... hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Psalm 11:5.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. <span style="color: red;">Where is the God of justice?</span> 2:17.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some, because they cannot see Him, insist that He does not exist. They ask: where is your God anyway? The way you live does not convince me that He is even real.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. <span style="color: red;">In what have we robbed You?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah answers: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">In the tithe and the offering! </span><span style="color: red;">You are cursed with a curse; for you are robbing Me, the nation, all of it. B</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">ring all the tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is important to notice here that the tithe is not for the purpose of feeding the preacher or to make sure the church has enough money to run its various entertainment programs. The tithe is one-tenth of your crop or income, and it is to be used to feed the hungry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">The tithe is to be brought</span> <span style="color: red;">i</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nto the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to feed the destitute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">If you, as a nation,<span style="color: red;"> </span>will look after the poor<span style="color: red;">, </span></span><span style="color: red;">see if I will not open the windows of Heaven for you, and pour out a blessing for you, until there is not enough room.</span></span> 3:8-10.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. <span style="color: red;">What have we spoken against You? </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah answers: <span style="color: red;">You have said, It is vain to serve God; and, What profit is it that we have kept His charge?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">Look into the future for you</span> <span style="color: red;">shall be Mine, ... for the day that I will make up My treasure. And I will pity them as a man has pity on his son who serves him. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Then you shall again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God, and him who does not serve Him.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">3:13-18. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For behold, the day is coming, burning like a fire pot; and all the proud, and every doer of wickedness, shall be chaff. And the coming day will set them ablaze, ... which will not leave root or branches to them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise, and healing will be on His wings.</b></span> </span>4:1-2.<br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-20109060583341414142016-12-03T16:30:00.000-05:002019-03-11T23:56:05.320-04:00152 - Judah's Cause to Celebrate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Haggai</u></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b> <b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> "</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>my feast". <span style="color: blue;"> </span></b><span style="color: blue;">A name given in anticipation of the joyous return from exile. Perhaps a Levite, as the rabbis say he was buried at Jerusalem among the priests. Tradition represents him as returning with the first exiles from Babylon his birthplace, under Zerubbabel 536 B.C.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Easton Bible Dictionary.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />When the captives in Babylon were allowed to return to Judea they began to build a temple but soon they lost interest in it and rather finished their own homes. The main theme of the <i>Book of Haggai </i>is, why are you living so comfortably at home and not exerting any effort in rebuilding the temple of the Lord. <span style="color: red;">Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your finished houses, and shall this House</span> (the new temple)<span style="color: red;"> lie waste? </span>Haggai 1:4. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">You looked for much,</span> (good crops, etc) <span style="color: red;">and behold, little </span>(the yield was poor)<span style="color: red;">! Because My House that is waste, and you, each man runs to his own house. </span>1:9. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The people were not in the least interested in worshipping Jehovah until Haggai got on his soapbox, then <span style="color: red;">Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel ... and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of Jehovah of Hosts, their God.</span> 1:14</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Word of Jehovah came by the prophet Haggai, saying ... Now speak </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">... to the remnant of the people, saying, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who is left among you who saw this house in her first glory? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(That is in reference to the temple that Solomon built). </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And how do you see it now? When compared to it, is it not as nothing in your eyes?</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">2:1-3. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the post I shared on July 24, 2015, I wrote, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">In the seventh month of the year of their return the people started rebuilding the altar on which to worship Jehovah. In the second month of the second year, they started rebuilding the temple,</span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Ezra 3:8</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">and the</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">ancient men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">It just did not measure up to their expectations or to the grandeur of Solomon's temple. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">And many </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">of the younger people</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> shouted aloud for joy </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">because they had a place to worship </span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so that the people could not tell the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ezra<span style="color: red;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">3:12-13.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Some believe that Psalms 146-150 were specially written to be used as hymns for the dedication ceremony of the second temple.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zechariah</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></span></h3>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Jehovah remembers" </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">or</span> </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"Jehovah is renowned". </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zechariah was an active preacher at the same time as Haggai. He also spoke of the restoration of Jerusalem as we see in these words, <span style="color: red;">Then the Angel of Jehovah answered and said, O Jehovah of Hosts, how long will You not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah against which You have cursed these seventy years?</span> Zachariah 1:12. It was after 70 years of captivity that the Jews were finally allowed to return home.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, four horns! And I said to the angel who talked with me, What are these? And he answered me, These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1:18-19.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">These are believed to be Shalmaneser</span> (of Assyria); <span style="color: blue;">Nebuchadnezzar</span> (Babylon); ... <span style="color: blue;">Cambyses</span> (the Medes and Persians), ... <span style="color: blue;">and may likewise have reference prophetically to their after troubles and captivity by the Romans. </span><i>Gill</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Everyone in Jerusalem, celebrate and shout! Your king has won a victory, and he is coming to you. He is humble and rides on a donkey.</span> 9:9 CEV. The Christian church interprets this to mean Christ, especially so since on Palm Sunday He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems interesting that a Jewish Bible commentator takes a similar stance as the Christian Church has,<span style="color: blue;"> It is impossible to interpret this except as referring to the King Messiah, as it is stated: “and his rule shall be from sea to sea.” We do not find that Israel had such a ruler during the days of the Second Temple.</span> <i>Rashi</i>. This, of course, does not insinuate that Rashi is referring to Jesus Christ; people in the Jewish religion are still waiting for the Messiah to come.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My people will go through an ocean of troubles, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">one wonders if truer words have ever been spoken. <span style="color: red;">B</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ut I will overcome the waves and dry up the deepest part of the Nile. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Speaking symbolically, Egypt's 'life-line' will be dried up and they will no longer harass Israel.) </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Assyria's great pride will be put down, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(it was Assyria that captured and destroyed the Northern tribes of Israel and now, at the end of all Jewish conflicts, Assyria will finally get what she deserves). What goes around - comes around and Assyria had this coming.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">I'll strengthen my people because of who I am, and they will follow me.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">10:11 CEV. </span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-39511902144148559622016-11-26T16:30:00.000-05:002019-03-11T18:04:56.070-04:00151 - Judah's Short Lived Revival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Nahum </u></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>"consolation". </b>Jonah, against his wishes, preached to the Ninevites and they repented of their sins and so judgement did not fall on the city at that time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nahum consoles the people of Judah by telling them that Ninevah (the capital city), and Assyria will be destroyed. This message, no doubt, gave the Jews a lot to rejoice about. What they did not realise is that after Babylon had destroyed Assyria, Babylon would also destroy Jerusalem and its environs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some students place Nahum as late as<b> </b>663-645 BCE. If this is the right time frame, he was speaking of the fall of Assyria just before Judah fell to the Babylonian army. Some put Nahum much earlier, </span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mr Whiston places him in the year ... 726 B.C.; and says that he foretold the destruction of Nineveh an hundred fifteen years before it came to pass, so says Josephus. </span></span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gill.</span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The horseman lifts up both the bright sword and the lightning of the spear. And many are slain, and there are a mass of dead bodies, and no end of corpses; they stumble on their dead bodies. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shalmaneser V, ruler of the Assyrian army during the defeat of Israel, was known for is extreme violence. Because of this, </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Behold, I am against you, says Jehovah of Hosts;</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">3:3-5.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no healing of your fracture; your wound is grievous; </span>Assyria is past hope of recovery, Babylon, the fierce nation, will come and destroy it.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> who hear the news of you shall clap the hands over you; </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the surrounding nations will rejoice when they hear of the downfall of their enemy. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for upon whom has your wickedness not passed continually?</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3:19.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Habakkuk</u></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><b>"He Who Clings"</b> this is a suggested meaning. <i>Guzik.</i> <br /><br />It is believed that Habakkuk lived through the spiritual revival of Judah, while King Josiah ruled, and then witnessed the moral decline of his people after the fervour of the revival was past. It was the moral decline that occasioned the book of Habakkuk. <br /><br />The basic outline of this book is:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />1. Habakkuk asks Jehovah why He is not punishing Judah for her moral decadence. 1:1-4.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">there is strife, and contention rises up. Therefore the law has become helpless, and justice does not always go forth.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 1:4. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I cry out to You of violence, and You do not save!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 1:2. </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> This is my complaint and I think something should be done about it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. The Lord answers Habakkuk. 1:5-11.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Look among the nations, and behold and wonder marvelously; for I will work a work in your days which you will not believe, not even if it is declared to you. For lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, the bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess homes not their own.</span> 1:5. <span style="color: magenta;">Look at what is happening in the world around you. Can't you see that I am already setting Babylon in motion to punish Judah?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Habakkuk complains again. 1:12-2:1.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Will you be silent when the wicked swallows one more righteous than he?</span> 1:13. <span style="color: magenta;">Lord you are using a more wicked nation than Judah to punish Judah, that is just not fair.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Lord answers Habakkuk. 2:2-19.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">For the vision is still for an appointed time, but it speaks to the end, and it does not lie. Though it lingers, wait for it; because it will surely come. It will not tarry.</span> 2:3. After Babylon had done her work of destroying Judah, Babylon herself was destroyed by the Medes and Persians.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the vision is still for an appointed time, but it speaks to the end. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The city of Babylon and the kingdom of Babylon may have been destroyed, but Habakkuk says that his prophecy </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">speaks to the end, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John, in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Revelation,</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> had much to say about the lifestyle of the people of Babylon. Unfortunately, that lifestyle has invaded the Christian Church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">But Jehovah is in His holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">2:20. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Habakkuk's prayer. 3:1-19.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">O Jehovah, I have heard Your report; I am afraid. O Jehovah, give new life to Your work in the midst of years; in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> 3:2. </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Lord, our God, we know that we deserve condemnation, but while judging us, please look at us in mercy.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Zephaniah</u> </span></b></h3>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b> <b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Jehovah hath hidden"</span> </b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Easton Bible Dictionary.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is believed that he prophesied in the days of Josiah, between 642 and 611 B.C.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It sounds as if Zephaniah was an extremist. According to him the coming destruction, brought by Jehovah, will destroy everything that has ever been created.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">I will completely snatch away all from on the face of the ground, says Jehovah. I will snatch away man and beast; I will snatch away the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks, even the wicked; and I will cut off man from the face of the earth, says Jehovah.</span> Zeph. 1:2-3.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, this agrees with Saint Peters words, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 2 Peter 3:10.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The problem with Zephaniah's prophecy is that after everything has been destroyed the nation of Isreal will again flourish and sin no more. <span style="color: red;">The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies, and a deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth; for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid. Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.</span> 3:13-14. </span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-66513210949239997972016-11-19T17:00:00.000-05:002019-03-11T16:59:37.766-04:00150 - Christ's Birth is Predicted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Micah</u></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> "Who is like God?" </b>Micah prophesied to both, Israel and Judah at the same time as Isaiah was prophesying to Judah. Probably more than anyone else in the <i>Old Testament</i>, except maybe for Isaiah, Micah clarified the prophecy of the coming Messiah. Before the Messiah comes there are more tears for Israel to shed!</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"> For behold, Jehovah is coming out of His </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">place,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"> and will come down and walk on the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall melt under Him </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial";">(He is coming in judgement). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red;">All this is for the transgression of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria?</span><span style="color: black;"> Soon after Israel and Judah separated, in a civil war, the Israelites built a temple of worship in Samaria and in it, they worshipped other Gods. This was <span style="color: red;">the transgression of Jacob</span>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";">And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Micah 1:3-5. They were so proud of their temple; it was to be the place where Jehovah lived, but t</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he temple Solomon had built had also become a sanctuary in which to worship other Gods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To fill in the historical information gaps here I suggest:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2016/05/124-wicked-wicked-wicked.html</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the destruction promised in the first three chapters of <i>Micah</i> the recurring theme of the restoration of Jerusalem, <span style="color: red;">in the last days, </span>is again promised. </span></span>4:1.<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After Christ's return, </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah shall reign over them in Mount Zion from now on, even forever. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> Jerusalem, enemy troops have<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> surrounded you; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(speaking prophetically, he may have been referring to the Seleucid army). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">they have struck Israel's ruler in the face with a stick. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This does not refer to doing any damage to the person, it is just a statement to represent insult. We might use the phrase, "he spat in his face".</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";">And this One shall be </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(bring) </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">peace</span>. When Assyria shall<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial";"> come into our land; and when he shall walk in our palaces. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">then we shall raise against him seven </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">shepherds and eight anointed ones from men.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">5:5.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This statement is </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Supposed to mean the seven Maccabees, Mattathias, and his five sons, and Hyrcanus, the son of Simon.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><i>Barnes.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back then, about 550 years before it happened, Micah was predicting that Assyria would enter Israel and be defeated. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part of the Seleucid army was based in Assyria at that time</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">This piece of history happened when the Maccabees fought the Seleucid army </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">about 160 years before Christ was born. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the LORD will choose one of your people to rule the nation -- someone whose family goes back to ancient times </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(someone who is the offspring of Ruth and Boaz; namely, Christ)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The LORD will abandon Israel only until this ruler</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Jesus Christ) </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">is born, </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the rest of his family returns to Israel. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Jewish people were scattered all over the globe but in 1948, when Israel again became a nation, the Jews returned home in droves; so this prophecy was fulfilled. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet, Micah, using a few similes, says, not all Jews will return to Israel but </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as showers on a blade of grass, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(scattered and pervasive) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">which does not wait for man, nor delay for the sons of men. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This seems like a fitting portrait of the actual situation. The Jewish people are ambitious, they will not sit around and wait for things to go their way, they will try to make things go their way.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:7-8. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Throughout the years the Jews have become scattered across the world. Sometimes, in their ambition, they are ruthless, like a lion in the forest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, Micah says, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Like a shepherd taking care of his sheep, this ruler </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Jesus Christ) </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">will lead and care for his people by the power and glorious name of the LORD his God. His people will live securely, and the whole earth will know his true greatness, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">because he will bring peace. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:1-5</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">CEV.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we look at the history of Israel since Christ was born we see that Israel has not lived in peace as Micah predicted. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I repeat what has been said a number of times already, the <i>Old Testament</i> prophets did not comprehend the concept of "the Church Age" which came between Christ's ascension into heaven and His return from heaven. To their way of thinking, the birth of the Messiah, the one anointed by Jehovah, led immediately to the restoration of Israel, and Jehovah's kingdom on earth. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Here is an aside note</u></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back when I was much younger and beginning to become aware of professional sports, I decided that, as a Christian, I could not watch, or in any way support, professional sports because they had become the religion; the players the items of worship; of North America. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This week in the news, my belief was vindicated. <i>The Montreal Canadians</i> have a new player and he is "so good" that they call him "God". But it does not stop there. I believe it is <i>The Edmonton Eskimos</i></span> that<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> have an invaluable player and he is called "Jesus Christ'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though I do appreciate the game of hockey, I, a Christian, can not support the blasphemy involved in professional sports! </span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-63993440427462996592016-11-12T16:30:00.000-05:002019-03-11T15:20:32.039-04:00149 - The Whale was a Male<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Jonah</u></span></b></h3>
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"dove". </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> He was the son of</span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Amittai </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">whose name means </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">the truth. </b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jonah prophesied during the second half of the ministry of Hosea and Amos from about 770-755 BCE. This is the best-known book of the twelve minor prophets. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To get an interpretation of it, the likes of which you have probably never heard or read, I will use </span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Rashi's Jewish Bible commentary.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Printed on </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">yellow</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> background). All the <i>Bible</i> quotations in this post are taken from the <i>Bible</i> <i>Rashi</i> uses. It is very different than the Protestant<i> Bible</i>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stick with me and I will tell you a "whale of a tale".</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying: Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim against it, But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Jehovah. </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">1:1-3 </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To escape his commission Jonah went to Joppa, modern-day Jaffa, on the shore of the Meditteranean Sea; from there he meant to sail to Tarshish, in Spain, as far West as any ship would take him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He wanted to escape from Jehovah's presence; he believed that Jehovah was limited to the promised land. He said<span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: yellow; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will flee to the sea, for the Shechinah</span></span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">(God's glory)</span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">does not rest outside the Holy Land.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: #ffe599;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"> to a sea named Tarshish,</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial";"> according to <i>Bible</i> dictionaries, there is no sea named Tarshish.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Come, let's cast lots, so that we will know because of whom this evil has befallen us.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 1:7. </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"> Casting lots, to determine God's will, was common among the Jews, even in religious matters; Non-Jews also used that system to decide on important matters. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">They saw that the other ships were sailing in the sea calmly, and theirs was breaking.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial";"> In his <i>Bible, </i>as well as in ours, there is no record of any other ships in the area at that time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the Lord appointed a huge fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 2:11:17. </span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">Those sixteen days that Israel was missing the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">manna,</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> since they did not eat it for a complete forty years - God took this manna and sustained the fish so that Jonah would not be digested in its intestines, and Jonah, too, ate within it from this manna. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white;">Rashi has Jonah inside the whale for sixteen days! It is interesting that the Israelites, during their wilderness wanderings, had to go without manna for 16 days so that God would have enough manna to feed the fish for that length of time to protect Jonah from being digested by the whale. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white;">Jonah, while inside the whale, ate the same manna in the whale's stomach as the whale did. Oh, yummy! Note this observation. The six million (this is a Biblical commentary's calculated estimate) Jews in the wilderness ate as much manna in one day as the whale ate in one day. I think that that whale had a healthy appetite.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Jonah prayed to the Lord his God, from the belly of the fish. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2:2. </span><span style="background-color: yellow;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">It was a male, and he stood there with room, so that he did not think to pray. The Holy One, ... hinted to the fish, and it spewed him out into the mouth of a female, which was full of embryos, and it was crowded there, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">and he prayed there</span><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">.</span><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">The whale was a male and it was big enough for Jonah to stand up inside with room to spare and that is why he did not think to pray. Why go with the stated facts when you can embellish? </span><br />
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial";">In this story, the whale did not spew Jonah onto the shore as our <i>Bible </i>says,</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And the Lord said to the fish, and it spewed Jonah onto the dry land.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 2:11,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">but it spewed Jonah into the mouth of a female whale, among the embryos, embryos in the mouth of the whale. Go figure. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">There,</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> Jonah was so crowded that he thought to pray.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Water has surrounded me even to the soul, the deep encompassed me; the Red Sea hangs over my head.</span> </span></span><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="background-color: yellow; text-align: left;">The Red Sea hangs over my head. For the Holy One, ... showed him the Red ... Sea and how Israel crossed in its midst, for the fish’s two eyes were like two windows, and he would look and see everything in the sea.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">If Jonah was on a ship going to Tarshish he would not have been in the Red Sea but in the Meditteranean Sea. Of course, as Rashi tells the story, Jonah was in the whale for sixteen days so maybe the whale swam from the Mediterranean Sea, through the Strait of Gibraltar, around the African continent and back North into the Red Sea. </span></span><br />
<span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span> <span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">Not only was Jonah in the wrong sea but he could look out at the sea through the whale's eyes which acted as windows for Jonah. How convenient!</span></span></div>
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">Once Rashi gets Jonah planted safely on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea his commentary begins to make some sense.</span></span><br />
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Reasonable</u></span></span></h3>
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">Jonah preached </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial";">in the capital of Assyria,</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial";"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">to the Ninevites, and the people repented of their sins and Jehovah changed His mind about punishing them. Jonah was not pleased;<span style="color: red;"> </span></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was grieved. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4:1.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span> <span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;">He complained to the Lord and said, <span style="color: magenta;">I knew that if they repented you would spare them and now they will continue to be a threat to Israel's security just like they were before. </span>(In 723 BCE Israel was taken captive by Assyria and about 110 years later the Assyrian nation fell to the Babylonian empire in 612 BCE.) </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;">Not only that, people will think I am a false prophet because the destruction I promised did not happen.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: magenta; font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"> </span><br />
<span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span> <span class="co_RashiText" style="text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">To close the <i>Book of Jonah</i> I will end with the same words I used in the story about Balam and his talking donkey. "Talking animals and illogical contradictions such as are found in this <i>Bible</i> story remind one again of this very pertinent quotation: </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The recording of history with literal exactness of detail is a fairly modern development. At the time, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">(the <i>Bible</i> was written), </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">precise fact was far less important than the spiritual message of the stories shared.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Jesus and His Times, Readers Digest.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></i></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="co_RashiText" style="text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></span> <span class="co_RashiText" style="text-align: left;"><span class="co_RashiText" style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The writer of this story was making the point that Jehovah will forgive if people will repent. The method the writer uses to make his point is not the issue.</span></span></span></span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-42635785007856378622016-11-05T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-11T14:34:50.232-04:00148 - Hypocrisy Upon Hypocrisy <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Amos </u></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> "Burden-bearer".</b> By his own admission he </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">was no prophet, nor ... a prophet's son. But ... a herdsman and a gatherer from sycamore trees,</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:14.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> but there was a burden on his heart which he just had to share with the people of Israel. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he was prophesying in Beth-el, 783 years </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">before the birth of Jesus Christ.</span><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Clarke</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is about 50 years after Joel prophesied and about 60 years before Israel was taken captive by Assyria.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The sins that Amos preached against are, of course, the same sins the other prophets spoke against; all of them fit North America as well; </b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>laziness, </b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>indulging in the pleasures that riches afford, </b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>neglecting the needy, </b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>failing to worship Jehovah, </b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>pretending we are "so spiritual", </b></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and to us, Jehovah says, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><ul>
</ul>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Come to Bethel </span>(your house of God) <span style="color: red;">and transgress </span>(<span style="color: magenta;">that is where you mock Me the most</span>)<span style="color: red;">; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Come </span><span style="color: red;">to Gilgal </span>(where you go for special religious meetings)<span style="color: red;">. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">It is there that </span>you <span style="color: red;">bring your sacrifices </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the morning, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(your empty lip service - you pretend to sing the words but you don't even think of what you are singing).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">your tithes ... </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving from that which is leavened, </span>(money which you gained unjustly)<span style="color: red;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">For so you love to do, ... says the Lord Jehovah.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">4:4-5.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Probably the best-known line in the <i>Book of Amos</i> is, spoken by Jehovah,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">prepare to meet your God, O Israel.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Amos 4:12.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This statement can be taken in two ways:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. <span style="color: red;">Prepare to meet God</span> by bowing before Him now and in humility ask Him to forgive your sins, make a new person of you and pledge to obey His rules for the rest of your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. You can wait until you die or until Christ comes back and then, after the rapture of The Church, you will <span style="color: red;">meet your God</span>. Whether or not you are an atheist now will not change the fact that you will meet Him then. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I saw the dead, ... stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. </span>Rev. 20:12.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Obadiah </u></b></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b> "worshipper of Jehovah". </b>It is believed that he was a contemporary of Hosea, Joel, and Amos. It is also conjectured that Jeremiah copied freely from<i> Obadiah</i>. <span style="color: blue;"> C</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ompare Obadiah 1:5 with Jer. 49:9; Obadiah 1:6 with Jer. 49:10; Obadiah 1:8 with Jer. 49:7.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>Fausset.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Judging by how well the prophet's names suit their function or personality it is not to be believed that these were their given names. Perhaps they are pseudonyms which they got because of their activities or lifestyle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The prophets, as foretellers of future events, spoke in the past tense as though the future events were already history. In that style, Obadiah spoke of the destruction of Edom about 800 years before it happened. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obadiah did not prophecy against Israel or Judah but against the children of Esau. The Edomites lived South of Judah and they were continually at odds with the children of Jacob. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we look back at the history of the children of Abraham we recall that Isaac, the son of Abraham, was the father of the twins, Esau and Jacob. Esau left home and his offspring became their own tribe, but the descendants of Esau never did forgive the children of Jacob for the way Jacob swindled their father. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the Israelites were fleeing from Egypt, they asked the Edomites permission to pass through their land, but permission was not granted. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is Obadiah's message: </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Shame shall cover you from the violence against your brother Jacob, and you shall be cut off forever.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Obadiah 1:10. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Obadiah tells us why </span>Edom<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> will be destroyed;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> On the day of your standing on the other side, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(as non-involved onlookers) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">on the day that the strangers were capturing his<span style="color: black;"> (Judah's)</span> force, and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the soldiers cast lots for the division of the plunder of the city, as was usual at such times:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><i><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Gill.</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">even you were like one of them.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1:11 </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They stood</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> as a spectator of the ruin of Jerusalem, and that with delight and pleasure; when they should, as brethren and neighbours, have assisted against the common enemy; </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">nor should you have rejoiced over the sons of Judah in the day of their ruin; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">nor should you have enlarged your mouth </span>(boasted)<span style="color: red;"> in the day of </span><span style="color: black;">(Judah's)</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">distress. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">You should not have entered into the gate of My people </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(to pillage)</span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">in the day of their calamity;</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Nor should you have sent out against his force </span></span><span style="color: red;">in</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the day of his calamity. </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, the total restoration of Israel is announced and the destruction Esau is declared; </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame. And the house of Esau shall be for stubble. And they shall kindle in them and burn them up. And no survivor shall be to the house of Esau; </span>1:18. <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ironically, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the Edomites) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">fought side by side with the Jews </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(in) </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the rebellion against Rome in 66-70 A.D. and were crushed by Rome, never to be heard of as a people again. The predictions of Oba</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">diah </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1:10; Oba</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">diah </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1:18 were proven true. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Guzik</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the Edomites are not the only nation that will suffer in that manner,<span style="color: red;"> all the nations ... shall be as though they had not been.</span> Any nation that will take up arms against Israel in the battle of Armageddon, which is yet to come, will be destroyed and they will </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">be as though they had not been.</span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-75479776030115147702016-10-29T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-11T12:56:53.575-04:00147 - National Destruction and Armegeddon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h3>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>JOEL </u></b></h3>
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"<b>Jehovah is God". </b><i>Bible</i> commentaries are reluctant to give a date for Joel's activities except to say that he preached only to Judah and therefore it was probably after the capture of Israel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some, however, place him as early as 835 BCE; this would actually put him about 100 years before Hosea and about 115 years before the fall of Israel in 720 BCE. If that date is right it is strange that Joel did not even mention Israel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On the other hand, if he preached after the fall of Israel it seems strange that he did not use the captivity of Israel as a warning to the people of Judah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">That which the creeping locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten. And that which the swarming locust has left, the locust larvae has eaten. And that which the locust larvae has left, the stripping locust has eaten. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joel 1:4 </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In 1915 a devastating plague of locusts covered what is modern-day Israel and Syria. The first swarms came in March, in clouds so thick they blocked out the sun. The female locusts immediately began to lay eggs, 100 at a time. Witnesses say that in one square yard, there were as many as 65,000 to 75,000 eggs. In a few weeks they hatched, and the young locusts resembled large ants. They couldn’t fly yet, and got along by hopping. They marched along 400 to 600 feet a day, devouring every speck of vegetation along the way. After two more stages of molting they became adults who could fly - and the devastation continued. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a nation has come up on My land, strong and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the jaw teeth of a lioness. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He has laid My vine waste and splintered My fig tree. He has stripped it and cast it away; its branches grow white.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: left;">1:6-7. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Scholars say that this <span style="color: red;">nation</span> refers to the army of locusts that invaded Israel. Gill allows that this may refer to the Babylonian army and the damage that they did to the land when they first arrived in Judah 606 BCE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those aren't the only problems Judah faced; there was a drought in their land that has completely destroyed all food sources.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to biblical prophets, these things befall a nation because they have turned their back on the teachings of Jehovah. Yet, in spite of all of that </span><span style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">says</span><span style="color: red; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Is Your Faith Real</u></span></h3>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Yes, tear your heart and not your robes, </span>or, in other words, <span style="color: magenta;">don't put on a show of religion, rather be genuinely repentant for your sins. </span>This was Christ's continual beef with the Pharisees of His time - hypocritical religion! The psalmist wrote </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Psalm 51:17.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and turn to Jehovah your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness. </span></span></span><span style="text-align: left;">2:12.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">This is the prophets continuously repeated anthem: <span style="color: magenta;">let Him heal your spirit and then, with His help, your lifestyle will also improve.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And it shall be afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams; your young men shall see visions. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most<i> Bible</i> commentaries agree that this refers to the day of Pentecost when the holy spirit was poured out on the waiting disciples in the upper room. (See Acts ch. 2). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, EBC has this slant, <span style="color: blue;">There follows ... the promise of a great outpouring of the Spirit on all Israel, </span>(but only Israel) <span style="color: blue;">amid terrible manifestations in heaven and earth.</span> There is some soundness in their thinking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that Joel speaks of </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Jehovah your God. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">To Joel that was the national God of Israel.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Also, he distinctly says, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">your sons and your daughters, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">your old men </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">your young men; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for Joel, the word <span style="color: red;">your</span> is a reference to the children of </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Israel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another point is that when the multitude, on the day of Pentecost heard the apostles speaking in tongues, they said, <span style="color: red;">Behold, are not these who speak all Galileans?</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acts 2:7. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This would indicate that the spirit had been poured only on Jewish people. Furthermore, when Peter talked to his hearers that day he limited that promise to the Israelites, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Men, Jews, and all who dwell at Jerusalem, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">2:14 </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again he said,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Men, Israelites, hear these words. </span>Act 2:22.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Christian church loves to claim this promise for the present age but is it perhaps for a future time? Joel and Peter both associate it with prophecies for the last days:</span><span style="color: red;"> </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. ... </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I will give wonders in the heaven above, and miracles on the earth below, blood and fire and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">vapor</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of smoke. </span>Acts 2:20<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious Day of the Lord. </span>Acts 2:17-20.</li>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For, behold, in those days and in that time, when I will bring again the exiles of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Joel 3:1-2.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is said that there is no valley in Israel called "The valley of Jehoshaphat" but the word <span style="color: red;">Jehoshaphat</span> means <span style="color: blue;">God will judge</span>. So it is believed that the name "Jehoshaphat" alludes to the <span style="color: blue;">Har-Magedon where the battle of Armageddon will be fought. It is the scene of the final conflict between Christ and Antichrist.</span></span> <i>Easton Bible Dictionary.</i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“Valley of Decision” has been used in countless evangelistic meetings to show people that they stand in the “Valley of Decision,” and must decide for or against Jesus. Joel’s context is exactly the opposite. Man does indeed stand in the valley of decision, but it is God who does the deciding, not man. It is a valley of judgment.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joel looks out upon the Valley of Jehoshaphat at the Battle of Armageddon, and sees multitudes facing their eternal fate - truly, it is a valley of decision, and those who fight against the LORD and His Messiah are in the wrong place in the valley of decision, ultimately fulfilled at the Battle of Armageddon.</span><i> </i></span><i>Guzik.</i><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-2629552834025455072016-10-22T06:47:00.000-04:002019-03-11T12:35:27.651-04:00146 - The Price of a Female Slave<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Adultery</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether Hosea's "autobiography" is actual or an allegory the message it portrays should speak to all of us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He chose a prostitute as a wife; together they built a home with two sons and a daughter. However, the mother could not get her wayward ways out of her system and she left home to live with Hosea's friend. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Jehovah said to me, Go again. Love a woman beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of Jehovah toward the sons of Israel, who turn to other gods. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hosea 3:1. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In chapter 1 Hosea is told to <span style="color: red;">take to yourself a wife, </span>but by chapter three his love for her has grown and he is told to go back to her, in love, and bring her home again so that their family could be a family again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <i>Bible </i>teaches that in the case of unfaithfulness divorce is allowed but it is by no means obligatory. If the partner who has been wronged is willing to forgive, the relationship can be restored; </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">according to the love of Jehovah. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> If it were not so, how could Jehovah keep on taking us back if we go and follow other gods after we have promised to follow Him forever?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is true that the <i>Bible</i> allows for divorce in the case of adultery but not just because the guy wants blue walls and she wants pink walls. Christ said that in the case of divorce, except in the case of adultery, the divorced person may not marry again. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">But I say to you that whoever shall put away his wife, except for the cause of fornication, </span>(The word fornication is </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Used for adultery</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Mat_5:32)<i> </i></span><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fausset</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">'s </span>Bible dictionary</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>)</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry her who is put away commits adultery. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew 5:32.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, churches, in general, have no qualms in going against Christ's teaching in that matter. For divorcees to get remarried is common practice in almost all churches these days. Why does the church believe she has the right to pick and choose which of Christ's teachings she wants to follow?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hosea's wife was already his because years ago she had married him but now he bought her back. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley and a half homer of barley.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">3:2.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The cash was half the regular price of a female slave and the 12 bushels of barley made up the remaining half. <b>This is a picture of how much people are really worth - twenty-four bushels of barley, and yet the amount paid for the redemption of humans is priceless, and this is </b></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>according to the love of Jehovah.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For Jehovah has a quarrel with the people of the land, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>this quarrel was not started by Jehovah, it was started by those humans who refuse to live according to the "rules of the book".</b></span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Spiritual Adultery</u></span></h3>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This description does not fit only the Israelites; it describes North America to a "Tee"; </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">because there is no truth. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">O</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ne can hardly answer the phone these days without expecting to be swindled by some smooth talking shyster.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nor mercy, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">can we not bend over backwards to give more than we promised; more than we owe; can we not "pay it forward"?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nor knowledge of God in the land. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If some time was spent in school teaching the children even the basics of what the <i>Bible</i> teaches, the following list of sins would not be so prevalent in our society. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The least we should expect is that every person who lives in a country that has Christian churches should know the ten commandments. Muslim children know the basic rules of the Koran. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Children do not learn the ten commandments at home from their unchurched parents; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">those same children do not go to Sunday school, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so the most logical place to learn them is in public schools. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If only so many of our educators were not so stubborn and blind. It would not hurt them to admit that the<i> Bible</i> has good teachings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hosea knew the ten commandments:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">There is lying,</span> Hosea 4:2. <span style="color: red;">You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.</span> Exodus 20:16. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and swearing,</span> Hosea 4:2. <span style="color: red;">You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain. For Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.</span> Exodus 20:7. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and killing</span>, Hosea 4:2. <span style="color: red;">You shall not kill.</span> Exodus 20:13. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and stealing,</span> Hosea 4:2. <span style="color: red;">You shall not steal. </span>Exodus 20:15. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and the committing of adultery;</span> Hosea 4:2. <span style="color: red;">You shall not commit adultery.</span> Exodus 20:14. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Some versions have this added phrase, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">they break out</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">; </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Rashi</i><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> tells us that this means, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">They bear children from their friends’ wives. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and blood touches blood.</span> Hosea 4:2. In the ancient Hebrew, this is literally <span style="color: red;">bloody deed touches bloody deed.</span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently, violent crimes had become so common that one seemed immediately to follow another as if touching it. Not that much different than the shooting sprees in the USA.</span></li>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They break all restraint: It all connects back to leaving the knowledge of God. Soon, truth and mercy are things of the past, and people no longer practice restraint. When </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(a) </span><span class="" style="color: blue;">man</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> will not or can not restrain himself, bloodshed and destruction follow.</span><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">i. Our modern age is completely set against the idea of restraint. </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ii. The message is the same: You make your own rules. You answer to no one. You are the one that matters. Your universe revolves around you. You should only restrain yourself if you want to.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">iii. The ultimate result is bloodshed after bloodshed. </span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Barnes Bible Commentary.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">let no man reprove.</span> 4:4. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <i>Targum</i> states it more clearly, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but yet they say, let not the scribe teach, nor the prophet reprove:</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'' </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gill</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></i></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those that do not want to hear what the <i>Bible</i> teaches accuse us of "picking fights" or "causing dissensions". The current trend is, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">never reprove anyone, for fear that they may be offended. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We must never say anything that is not politically correct, for others may have different opinions than we do, and if we vocalise our opinion we are "belittling" them. It is doubtful that the Christian church will ever again develop a backbone and stand up for the moral standards that the <i>Bible</i> teaches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Israel and Ephraim. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ephraim was the major tribe of the ten Northern tribes constituting Israel; so much so that sometimes Israel is even called Ephraim. (See Hosea 5:9-13 for a good example.) </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Israel and Ephraim</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>shall fall by their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:5.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By being aware of current trends Hosea might have foreseen the coming destruction of Israel, by Assyria, it was only about 25 years away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some believe that Hosea preached from 790-755 BCE. If this is true his prediction of the fall of Judah was made at least 170 years before it happened. Was that astute foresightedness; was it a "lucky" guess, or was it that </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">holy men of God spoke being borne along by the Holy Spirit.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Peter 1:21. </span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-86927542018797702202016-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:002019-03-10T14:41:43.739-04:00145 - Christ's Coming Kingdom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>North America</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The following, spoken to the leaders of Israel, sounds as if it also applies to the leaders of the North American people. Read the words of Isaiah 10:1-4 <span style="color: red;">(in red).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">You,</span> North American, <span style="color: red;">people are in for trouble! You,</span> corrupt judges, <span style="color: red;">have made cruel and unfair laws;</span> <span style="color: red;">you,</span> lawmakers, have your spineless stooges at your beck and call. For a bribe, these lawyers, without moral compunctions, will twist the truth in court cases so that you can <span style="color: red;">cheat the poor and needy and rob widows and orphans,</span> and destroy the lives of rape victims. Judges, your pawns will do whatever needs to be done to wring the last penny from the hands of <span style="color: red;">the poor and needy</span>; and you call this justice!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">But what will you do when you are fiercely attacked and punished by foreigners?</span> ISIS is at your doorstep; a few have already entered your borders. You boast that you are the most powerful nation in the world, so <span style="color: red;">where will you run for help?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Where will you hide your valuables? </span>Your whole mindset is of material wealth; your stocks and bonds; your mansions and fancy cars; your yachts and private planes; how will you feel when they are all confiscated by ISIS? and their cohorts? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">How will you escape being captured or killed?</span> Mass shootings by terrorists or off balanced minds are prevalent because you insist that everyone, regardless of their mental state, political or religious leanings, is perfectly free to walk the streets carrying firearms. You asked for it, now <span style="color: red;">How will you escape being captured or killed?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The Lord is still angry, and he isn't through with you yet! </span>When a country, which was built on Christian principles, turns its back on Jehovah, He has every right to say ... <span style="color: red;">I am furious! </span></span>Isaiah 10:1-4 CEV.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jehovah is a long-suffering and a forgiving God. Even though His nations have scorned Him and scoffed at Him, He still says, <span style="color: red;">I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die. </span></span>Ezekiel 33:11.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Israel did not repent and they were destroyed. The words in the <i>Book of Daniel</i> fit North America too: the handwriting on the wall of North America is easy to see. <span style="color: red;"> God has numbered the days of your kingdom and has brought </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it to an end. He has weighed you on his balance scales, and you fall short of what it takes </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to be a nation</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Dan. 5: 26-28 CEV.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>A New King Is Coming</u></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the populations of the nations have been decimated, due to the Battle of Armageddon, a new kingdom will be established. It will be the antithesis of present-day kingdoms. <span style="color: red;">S</span><span style="color: red;">omeone from David's family will someday be king;</span><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">w</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e recall, from <i>Matthew</i> chapter one, that Jesus Christ is the direct descendant of King David; and He is coming to set up His kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The Spirit of the LORD will be with him to give him understanding, wisdom, and insight.</span> Jehovah's spirit will be with the new king to guide Him in the affairs of His new kingdom. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">He will be powerful, and he will know and honor the LORD. </span>This statement clearly states that Christ is not the LORD - it says that <span style="color: red;">he will know and honor the Lord.</span> <span style="color: red;"> His greatest joy will be to obey the LORD.</span> This king <span style="color: red;">won't judge by appearances or listen to rumors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The poor and the needy will be treated with fairness and with justice.</span> This is exactly the opposite to what lawmakers in the nations of the world are doing today: note again, <span style="color: red;">you cheat the poor and needy and rob widows and orphans.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">His word will be law everywhere in the land. </span>The words of Christ will be the law. Those who do not obey <span style="color: red;">will be put to death. </span> One can't help but wonder, though, if capital punishment is enforced in the land of perfect peace, in Christ's kingdom, should capital punishment not also be part of the civil laws in Christian countries. After all, that is the Biblical stance on this issue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Honesty and fairness will be his royal robes. </span></span>11:1-5 CEV.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> This statement is an indication as to how literally we should, or should not, accept the words of Isaiah 11. Since the words <span style="color: red;">honesty and fairness</span> are used symbolically as clothing, is it not also possible to believe that the promised coming kingdom will not be as totally, wonderfully peaceful as we have been led to believe? It may not even be worldwide! Is this whole chapter symbolic? Perhaps it will be a comparative peace; compared perhaps to the Battle of Armageddon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that in the new kingdom <span style="color: red;">Israel will stop being jealous of Judah, and Judah will no longer be the enemy of Israel. </span><span style="color: red;"> Instead, they will get together and attack the Philistines in the west. Then they will defeat the Edomites, the Moabites, and the Ammonites in the east.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="Image result" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Kingdoms_around_Israel_830_map.svg/2000px-Kingdoms_around_Israel_830_map.svg.png" width="268" /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; text-align: left;">Some Bible students insist that those people mentioned here are still living in the areas as shown on the map. According to some the Philistines are the modern day Palestinians. The Edomites are, of course, the Arabians and the Moabites and the Ammonites are the Jordanians. </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">The descendants of Moab who have remained in the same geographical area as their forefathers now call themselves Jordanians. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #006621; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: left; white-space: nowrap;">www.reference.com › ... › Social Sciences › Cultures & Traditions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> They will rule those people and take from them whatever they want.</span> </span>11:13-14<span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Isn't it interesting that when preachers talk about Christ's coming kingdom of peace, they never mention these verses which tell us that during that kingdom, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">where Christ rules, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">according to Isaiah, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">there will still be wars in the Near East?</span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-71524844734076980052016-10-15T15:30:00.000-04:002019-03-10T14:26:43.019-04:00144 - A Prostitute For A Wife<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Our Library</u></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We have now finished the book of <i>Daniel</i> and by doing that we also finished the section called the <i>Major Prophets</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the more recent viewers to this blog, I might mention that we have been treating the <i>Bible</i> as a library with an older wing and a newer wing. In the first wing there are five shelves and in the new wing, there are four shelves. To orient yourself with this picture I suggest</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2014/10/38-old-testament-library.html </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #edf4ff;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the <i>Major Prophets</i>, Isaiah took us from</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #888888; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the days of Uzziah,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Isaiah 1:1,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in about 736 BCE, and Daniel ended the section in circa 540 BCE. N</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ow by moving forward to the next shelf, the <i>Minor Prophets,</i> we move back in time. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #edf4ff;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As to the dates, as in almost everything biblical, <i>Bible </i>scholars do not agree. Of the sixteen <i>Old Testament</i> prophets who have a book named after them, it seems that Hosea may be the first one, although some place Jonah as the first. We will, in keeping with our form, follow the arrangement in the order they are found the Protestant Bible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edf4ff;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In about 930 BCE, in a civil war, Israel, the Northern 10 tribes, separated from Judah, the Southern 2 tribes. Immediately Israel fell into idolatry and pagan style worship. It is this turn of events that the prophets lamented and preached against so vehemently. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edf4ff;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>HOSEA</b> - </u></span></span></h3>
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<span style="background-color: #edf4ff;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>"Salvation"</b> 790-755 BCE. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By comparing Ezekiel with Hosea we see some very distinct similarities. Both are very brash in their language and both are very adept at using realistic word pictures.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And Jehovah said to Hosea, Go, take to yourself a wife of adultery and children of adultery. For the land has utterly gone lusting away from Jehovah. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hosea 1:2. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At this point in the history of the Jewish people, the Southern tribes were still worshipping Jehovah in the temple that Solomon had finished only a few years earlier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, the leaders of the Northern tribes did not want their people going to Jerusalem because they were afraid that they might not return and so they built a temple of their own and soon incorporated pagan deities and styles of worship. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what Hosea is preaching against.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some scholars say that Hosea actually married a prostitute; others say that he was only using the metaphor to bring his point home -</span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">concerning spiritual matters you Israelites are spending time in the "red light district". </span><br /><br />Hosea also had three children with the "supposed" prostitute that he married. The names of his children are so outlandish that it is hard to imagine that a caring father would burden his real kids with such names. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Picture this: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first day of school;</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a little black-haired Jewish boy; the teacher asks, </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is your name? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The tyke responds,</span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>my name is </span><span style="color: red;">God Will Sow</span></span>.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teacher: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That is an interesting name, so what is your sister's name? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Student: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh, her name is</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No Mercy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teacher: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh my, what is your baby brother's name? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Student: </span><span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not-my-people.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>Hosea 1:4,6,9.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Based on this argument alone, i</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t seems that </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it is safe to say that Hosea did not actually marry a prostitute and that the children he spoke of were not real, but simply part of his sermon. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apart from whether or not the situation was actual, the teaching is pertinent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In ancient times when farmers planted their grain, they would scatter the seed by hand, this was called "sowing". Jehovah says <span style="color: magenta;">I will </span><span style="color: magenta;">(<span class="" style="color: red;">sow</span>)<span style="color: magenta;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">scatter </span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the people of the northern tribes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the daughter was born Jehovah said to Hosea, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">call her name </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">No Mercy, for I will no more have mercy. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the third child was born Jehovah said, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Call his name, Not-my-people, </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For you are not My people, and I will not be for you</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (I will not fight for you)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><br /><br />
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<u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Restoration </span></u></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we have seen in previous posts, this picture of Jehovah rejecting Israel does not end in gloom; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">there is a great day coming when</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> the number of the sons of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered. And it shall be, in the place where it was said to them, You are not My people, there it shall be said to them, You are the sons of the living God.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hos 1:10. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Later, in history, Ezekiel also speaks of that day of restoration when the dry bones come back to life.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms anymore at all.</span> Ezekiel 37:22.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One part of history that the Jewish prophets did not seem to grasp is "the Church age". They believed that the Messiah was coming but they did not grasp the idea that there was a span between Messiah's arrival and the final restoration of Israel. After the Christian church was born the <i>New Testament</i> writers explained "the Church age". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the Jews will again be gathered as one nation the Christians will also be resurrected to a new life because of the death and resurrection of Christ. At that time the Jewish nation will <span style="color: red;">set over themselves one head</span>, He is the ruler of the house of David, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I will give her vineyards to her from there. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is easier to understand in the Darby translation,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">I will give her her vineyards.</span> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the valley of Achor for a door of hope. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The valley of Achor is close to Jericho; it was there that Israel lost the battle against the little town of Ai. After that, it was called <span style="color: red;">The Valley of Achor</span>, or</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">he Valley of Trouble</span>. Now Jehovah promises that </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The valley of Achor </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">will become</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> a door of hope; i.e., trouble would be turned into joy, despair into hope. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Easton Bible Dictionary.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That reference may well be to <i>The Song of Moses</i> and to Miriam's festival of music, as they are found in Exodus 15.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And it shall be at that day, says Jehovah, you shall call Me, My Husband.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Israel and the Christian Church will no more "play the prostitute" in the spiritual realm; after the restoration of all things, the redeemed will see Jehovah as their loving husband. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And I will betroth you to Me forever. Yea, I will betroth you to Me in </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">righteousness, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in judgment, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in loving-kindness, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in mercies. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will even betroth you to Me in faithfulness. </span></li>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And you shall know Jehovah. </span>2:15-20.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-42543196107686011152016-10-08T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-10T14:04:24.012-04:00143 - Don't Jump The Queue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Great Resurrection</span></u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the content, it is obvious that Daniel is no longer writing only about Antiochus of Syria or the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus with the Roman army. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By using the phrase,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">h</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">e makes it clear that</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">he is speaking of the great resurrection of the dead after the last war is finished.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He is prophesying about the misty, distant future and says, </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I heard, but I did not understand. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Daniel 12:8. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">here is hope; there will be deliverance, but first comes destruction and desolation. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The people of Syria are already experiencing it. If the destruction in Syria now is the beginning of the last war, it will move south from Syria into Israel. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation; until that time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And at that time your people </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Daniel's race)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">According to some commentators, this means "those destined for death in the war, will die, those destined to life will live". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, it seems to me that Daniel is here introducing the idea of the resurrection of the dead. The dead </span><span style="text-align: left;"></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">shall be delivered </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">from the grave; all those </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">that shall be found written in the book. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> It is true that Daniel limits that resurrection to the Jews because Judaism is a one nation religion, but after the resurrection of Christ, the Apostles could understand that since Christ died for all races then also all races would be included in the resurrection.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And many, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">the word </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(many) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">is sometimes used for "all"; see Rom_5:15,</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">many </span>(<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">all</span></span>)<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">Daniel </span><span style="text-align: left;">12:1-2. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ, speaking of the rapture, said,</span> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works. </span>Mat. 16:27. <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">John, in the <i>Apocalypse</i>, wrote it like this, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I saw the dead, ... stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. </span>Rev. 20:12. <br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For anyone who believes the <i>Bible</i> to be true or even those who do not, but still believe in life after death, this teaching is certainly a great incentive</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to live lives with high moral standards. <b>Our eternal rewards will be commensurate with our lifestyle while on earth.</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">Daniel </span><span style="text-align: left;">12:1-2.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">To me, it seems interesting that Daniel is not comparing life with death but rather with shame. Even those who do not receive rewards for a life well lived will still be alive but suffer </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">shame and everlasting contempt.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">The question is then asked </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">when shall be the end of these wonders?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The answer is </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">when they have made an end of scattering the power of the holy people</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (the Jews)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the antichrist and his army have destroyed the military forces of Israel; when Israel can no longer count on her own prowess to win the battle of Armageddon then </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all these things shall be finished. </span>12:6-7.<br />
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<h3>
<u>But Wait Your Turn</u></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But you go on to the end, for you shall rest and stand in your lot at the end of the days.</span> 12:13 <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel is told to continue steadfast till the end of his life and then he will go to </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">rest in the dust of the earth </span></span>(2:2) <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">just like all other people</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>who will die before the rapture. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Concerning this topic lets look at some Bible heroes:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Abraham: the father of the Jewish nation: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">H</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">eb 11:10. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">did not receive the promise, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">for God had provided some better thing for us, that they should not be made perfect without us. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heb 11:39-40.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Abraham is still waiting for the rapture of the church before he will enter heaven!</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Samuel: When King Saul went to the witch of Endor </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to recall Samuel </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">after Samuel had died, the witch <span style="color: red;">saw him coming up out of the earth</span>. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Samuel said to Saul, <span style="color: magenta;">Why did you</span> <span style="color: red;">bring me up?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is obvious that he did not come down from heaven which he would have needed to do if saints go to heaven when they die. Samuel said to Saul, <span style="color: red;">Jehovah has left you and has become your enemy and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me.</span> Jehovah's enemies do not end up in heaven. <b> This shows that Samuel, though he was dead, had not yet gone to heaven. All of us must wait for the rapture before we will see Jesus face to face!</b></span><br />
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3. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> David: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Israel's most famous poet and songwriter and a man about whom Jehovah said, I </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">have found David ... to be a man after My own heart.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acts 13:22. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even so, about him the Apostle Peter said,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the patriarch David, ... is both dead and buried. </span>Acts 2:29. <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">David has not ascended into the heavens. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Acts 2:34. If a man after God's own heart has not yet gone to heaven why would any of us think that we will as soon as we die?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Job: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Known for his unending patience said, </span><span style="color: red;">and even after they corrupt my skin, yet this: in my flesh I shall see God.</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Job 19:26.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He did not expect to go to heaven as soon as he died. He expected to be in the grave at least until his skin was destroyed in the grave. Then, at the rapture of The Church, with his new glorified body, he would see Jehovah. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Paul wrote, </span><span style="color: red;">For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, </span>(the dead are still dead when the trumpet sounds)<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: red;">and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Cor. 15:52-53.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Daniel:</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a man greatly beloved</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan. 10:11,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">must wait until </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the end of the days </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for his </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">inheritance. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> How then, is it logical that we will get our inheritance immediately at our death? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How could it be that we should spend some time in heaven, with Jesus, and later, after the rapture, be arraigned to stand at the judgement seat of Christ to find out our standing? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <b>If even Daniel does not go to heaven at the time of his death, where did <i>Bible</i> teachers get the idea that "us ordinary folks will </b></span><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">go to be with Jesus</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> as soon as we die"? </span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Christ: <span style="color: red;">But now Christ has risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruit of those who slept. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Cor. 15:20. O</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">f all those who have died,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Christ is the first to go to heaven. The writer of the <i class="">B</i><i>ook of Hebrews</i> said that Abraham, and the <i>Old Testament</i> saints, would not receive their promise, without the church being present and it is just as true that the members of The Church will<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> not receive their inheritance without the <i>Old Testament</i> saints being present.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While writing about some <i>New Testament</i> Christians who had passed away, St. Paul did not say, "they have gone to heaven" or "they are now with Jesus" or anything of that nature. He wrote, <span style="color: red;">For this cause many ... sleep.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Cor. 11:30. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In another case, Paul wrote,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Afterward He was seen by over five hundred brothers at once, ... but also some fell asleep. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">1 Cor. 15:6.</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, there is nothing here about any saints going to heaven when they die!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more on this topic, I suggest: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #edf4ff; color: #888888; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2015/02/54-you-are-not-going-to-heaven-when-you.html</span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-9763055172802690692016-10-01T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-10T12:37:03.597-04:00142 - No Pretribulation Rapture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Two-Pronged Prophecy</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel was referring to Antiochus, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a leader in the Syrian army, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">who was working havoc in the near east. However, that this prophecy is also about the Antichrist is proven by Christ's words, as we will see later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But news out of the east </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(in a modern setting perhaps Iraq or Iran) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and out of the north </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Turkey/Russia)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> shall trouble him </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Antiochus and/or Antichrist)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Then he will go out with great fury to destroy, and to devote many to destruction. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fearing that he has "spread his army too thin" he will call back his troops, concentrate them in Israel and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He will attack and kill many Jews. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Interestingly <span style="color: red;">Antiochus </span>means<span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: blue;">to be against </span>and</span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to possess something.</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the picture that the <i>Bible</i> also paints of Antichrist. He will be</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">against regular<span class=""></span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">citizens possessing anything, as the Communist Party did in Russia. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he shall plant his palace tents between the seas </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(believed to be The Mediterranean and the Dead Sea), </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in the glorious holy mountain </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Mount Zion, Jerusalem)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span>11:44-45.<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And at that time Michael shall stand up, </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">12:1. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">O Wow! This verse opens up a weighty bag of theological disagreements: Is Micheal Christ or isn't he?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Archangel, who has all the angels of heaven under him, and at his command, the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ; who is as God, as the name signifies, truly and really God, and equal in nature, power, and glory, to his divine Father: "he shall stand up". </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ is that great prince, for he is the prince of the kings of the earth. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Matthew Henry. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God will send his angel to deliver it, whom he here calls Michael, meaning Christ.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Geneva.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speak of conflicting teachings in the church!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We have been taught that <b>all</b> angels are created beings. We have also been told that Christ, as the second person of the Godhead, is eternal; not created, but if <b>all</b> angels are created how is it</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> possible that Christ is God and a created angel both? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since Michael is called the archangel (Jud_1:9), he is Satan’s true opposite. Satan is not the opposite of Jesus; he is the opposite of Michael, this high-ranking angel. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So according to him, Jesus is not Micheal. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Besides that, there is nothing in the <i>Bible</i> that teaches that Michael is Christ!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">An archangel, not the Lord Jesus; for he </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Micheal)</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is distinguished from “the Lord” in Jud_1:9. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, Jesus isn't Micheal, an angel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Another proof that Micheal is not Christ is found in Daniel 10:13, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Micheal is one of a group of <span style="color: red;">chief princes</span> and if Christ is God, He would be superior to that group and not belong to that group. On the other hand, if He is not God then He did not exist before His</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">miraculous conception.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ is a problem for people who believe that God is a Trinity because they don't know what to do with Jesus before He was born. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Was He an angel - or wasn't He? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Was he the wisdom of God (John 1:1) or was He God, the second person in a triune God? He can't be both! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Was He a phantom that appeared to certain people whenever it was appropriate. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How confusing this all becomes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Those Christians who do not believe that God is a Trinity, have no problem with this whole matter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Normal theology does not teach that God ever had a beginning but the <i>Bible </i>plainly says that Christ was begotten; to be "begotten" means to "have a beginning"; </b>therefore He did not exist before He was begotten and He was not present in the <i>Old Testament</i> except in prophecy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Tribulation Then The Rapture</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the great ruler </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Micheal) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">who stands for the sons of your people. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10:13. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He is the archangel whose distinct area of operation is the people of Israel. If, as the Trinitarians say, Christ is <span style="color: blue;">"God of very God", </span>why would He, Christ, stand only for the Jewish race; why not for every race, after all, He died for all the people of every race?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And there shall be a time of distress, such as has not been from the being of a nation until that time. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This also is a double prophecy according to <i>Haydock's Catholic Commentary; </i></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="background-color: white;">Antiochus Epiphanes, ... </span></span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">What is here said of this prince, is accommodated by St. Jerome and others to antichrist, of whom this Antiochus was a figure. ... He lived and died basely; as the origin and end of antichrist will be ignominious. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we learned earlier, it is estimated that Antiochus killed 100,000 Jews. It may well be that the Jews experienced </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a time of distress</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> worse than any they had ever endured since they became <span style="color: red;">a nation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The prophecy does not end there. Christ referred to Daniel's prophecy, He placed it into the future, and said, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">For there will be great affliction, such as has not happened from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mat 24:21.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does this not sound like the slaughter being carried out by the modern day terrorist groups? It is a totally new kind of warfare - and it will get worse as long as soldiers think they are pleasing their God by committing suicide while they are killing innocent bystanders.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ clearly said, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">immediately after the affliction of those days ... </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mat. 24:29-30</span>. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where, then, did some Bible scholars get the idea that the rapture of the Church would happen before the "great tribulation"? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can tell you where the problem may have come from. It probably came from those who used the Scofield, or any other, "chain reference" Bible. Following that kind of a chain can lead a person way off topic which inevitably leads to wrong theology.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ also said, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Jehovah) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Mat.24:31. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">His elect</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (the Church) will be gathered </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">after </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the affliction of those days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dr Findley writes </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b style="color: blue; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">The pre-tribulation rapture theory</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;"> is not plainly taught or directly stated in any place in Scripture, cannot be deduced from biblical teaching, contradicts the general teaching of the Bible regarding Christ’s second coming and </span><b style="background-color: white; color: blue; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.25in;">was never taught in any branch of the church prior to 1830.</b></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When Christ returns, the battle of Armageddon will soon be over and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the antichrist) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">shall come to his end.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>11:45.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more on this very exciting topic I recommend:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> http://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-return-of-christ.html </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: #edf4ff; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.com/2012/07/no-pre-trib-return-of-christ.html</span><span style="background-color: #edf4ff; color: #888888; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #edf4ff; color: #888888; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-70915447625466935062016-09-24T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-10T11:40:00.490-04:00141 - The Coming Antichrist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>The Future Is Bleak</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel standing beside the river Tigris</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">saw </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a certain man. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Daniel 10:4.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue;">The Theophany.</span> </span><i>K&D</i>. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">Theophany means, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="color: blue;">a visible manifestation of a deity. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Merriam-Webster.</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "open sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"> It is said that a</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> theophany is when Jehovah shows Himself to humans as He did many times throughout the <i>Bible</i>. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 1em; letter-spacing: 0.04em; line-height: 1.5em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bible</i> students who do not believe that Jehovah has an actual body, of course, say that these sightings were not real, just theophanies, in spite of the fact that the <i>Bible</i> speaks of Jehovah as having a visible body and the sightings of Him as being real. For example: <span style="color: red;">And they will see His face. </span></span></span>Rev 22:4. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.64px; line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.64px; line-height: 24px;">The face of God, so as he is not to be seen now; they shall see him as he is. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.64px; line-height: 24px;"><i>Gill.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or maybe the <span style="color: red;">certain man </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was not a Theophany but, s</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">ome say <span style="color: blue;">this is Jesus</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: blue;">Christ before He was born. </span></span><i>Guzik</i>.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How could Daniel see Christ before Christ even had a body? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is God, (as many preach but which is a doctrine that the <i>Bible</i> does not teach), why would He have needed Micheal's help as stated in Daniel 10:13? </span> </li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or maybe this <span style="color: red;">certain man</span> (it sounds like the archangel Micheal) was an angel above the rank of Gabriel. <span style="color: blue;">An angel of the highest order; for earlier he commands Gabriel to make Daniel to understand the vision. </span><i>Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gabriel says, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But the ruler </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(a wicked archangel) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days. But lo, Michael, one of the chief rulers, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. </span>10:13. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Daniel prayed for 21 days but this <span style="color: red;">certain man </span>could not bring Daniel the answer to the prayer because the <span style="color: red;">certain man</span> was busy pleading with the ruler of Persia. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each country has an archangel over it, as individuals have an angel.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><i>Haydock.</i><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not all archangels are good, and some want what is bad for a country. A wicked archangel, if he is not contested by a good archangel, can do a lot of damage to a country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a few examples: </span></div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Russia when the communists took over; </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Germany when the Nazis wanted to rule the world; </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The leaders of ISIS doing as much violence as possible.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eph 6:12/</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the first year of Darius the Mede, I </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the certain man) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was standing for a supporter and for a fortress for him</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Darius).</span>11:1. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">certain man</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is here continuing to explain to Daniel what will happen to the Jews in future years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I picture an evil archangel standing on the left shoulder of Darius, whispering into his ear, <span style="color: magenta;">"Don't let the Jews go, Don't let the Jews go" </span>while this </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">certain man </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is standing on his right shoulder, whispering, <span style="color: magenta;">"You were brought up to do what is right, are you going to forsake your principles now, so late in life"</span>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 11 is a repeat of the history of the Levant from the time of Darius and onward. They say "History repeats itself" but I am not history. To comment on this segment again would be repetitive and so we skip down to verse 36. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The writer had been writing about the king of the south (Egypt), the king of the north (Syria), the king from the west (Rome) but now suddenly a new force arises, his source is not specified.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Historians fit all of this into the time between Daniel until the time of Antiochus, who died in 164 B.C.E. We already know that some prophecies made for </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Old Testament </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">times also relate to the</span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> New Testament</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> era. This may be a case in point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is what the <i>Bible</i> says about Antiochus and, by inference, also about the antichrist: </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">speak monstrous things-</span>Darby<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> against the God of gods, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(that is, Jehovah).</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does this not sound like ISIS and their fellow terrorists? It is not at all difficult to believe that the antichrist will rise from the ranks of the terrorists. However, when the individual, the antichrist, will first appear he will come with a smooth tongue and speak of bringing peace. This will continue for 3.5 years (or half his allotted time) and then his true character will show and he will start his murderous rampages across the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">He will not regard the God of his fathers, </span>(some suggest that the antichrist will be of Jewish descent). Is it unbelievable that a </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jew </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">could be a</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Roman Catholic fighting for ISIS?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">nor the desire of women. </span><span style="color: red;">The following was said regarding Antiochus;</span><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He had no regard for the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">weaker </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">sex, ... killing all indiscriminately. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "times" , serif;"><i> </i></span></span><i>Haydock. </i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> The modern terrorist groups certainly fit the picture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">He will not regard any god and shall prosper until the fury is fulfilled. </span> He will move forward in his fury until Jehovah says, enough is enough.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: red;">For that which is decreed shall be done.</span> Jehovah's plan will still triumph.<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">For he shall magnify himself above all.</span> ISIS has already proven that it does that.<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">In his place he shall honor the god of forces</span>; He will honour violence and indiscriminate killings.<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">at the end-time, the king of the south</span> (Egypt?) <span style="color: red;">shall butt at him</span> (will take up arms against ISIS). <span style="color: red;">And the king of the north</span> (Turkey and/or Russia) <span style="color: red;">shall come against him like a tempest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">he shall enter into the countries</span> (worldwide, as terrorist groups are doing now) <span style="color: red;">and shall overflow and pass over. He shall also enter into the glorious land</span> (Israel), <span style="color: red;">and many shall be stumbled</span> (<span style="color: blue;">overthrown</span>, <i>Strong H3782)</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">he shall stretch out his hand on the lands. And the land of Egypt shall not escape. Watch the news and see it happen. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.</span> 11:36-43.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">To be continued in the next post.</span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-18835190705528025982016-09-17T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-09T16:47:13.289-05:00140 - 70? Weeks - A Protestant Viewpoint<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gabriel</span></u></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">yes, while I was speaking </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in prayer. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel is speaking in prayer. <span style="color: red;">S</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">peaking </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in prayer </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">may be one of the reasons Christ said, <span style="color: red;">But you, when you pray, enter into your room. And shutting your door, pray to your Father in secret; </span></span>Mat. 6:6. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So that we can pray "out loud"? </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">the man Gabriel, ... came flying. </span> Of the ten different translations I checked, six used the word <span style="color: red;">flying</span>. Those that did not use <span style="color: red;">flying</span>, have in its place the meaning of, <span style="color: blue;">touched me in my severe exhaustion.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the man Gabriel </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(if he had wings with which to fly, why is he called a man?)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, ... touched me in <i>my</i> severe exhaustion. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Very few translations include the word <i><span style="color: red;">my</span></i> in this verse and those that do use <i><span style="color: red;">my</span> </i>have it in italics, which tells us that the word actually does not belong in an accurate translation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we remove the word <i><span style="color: red;">my</span></i>, it changes from being a reference to Daniel's </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">exhaustion, but rather to Gabriel's. Some commentaries suggest that Gabriel was tired because he flew so fast. Some versions have words such as <span style="color: red;">flying swiftly</span>.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />It is important to note that Gabriel limited this prophecy to <span style="color: red;">your people</span> (the Jews) and <span style="color: red;">as to your holy city</span> (Jerusalem). Yet, scholars apply this prophecy to the end times and to the whole world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Sixty-nine Weeks</u></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">from the going out of the command </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(by Darius or any one of the three other choices) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jesus Christ)<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">,</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(a total of 69 weeks or 483 years)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span> The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />While we were studying the books of Ezra and Nehemiah we noticed the turmoil that the neighbours of Jerusalem were creating, those were times of affliction for the Jews. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2015/07/78-ezra.html </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2015/07/79-nehemiah.html</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even after many of the Jews had returned and the walls were built, they never had any real peace in their land. Continually some foreign power would invade, capture and destroy. The books of the <i>Maccabees</i> in the <i>Apocrypha</i> provide much information as to the wars in which the Jews were involved in those days.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some explain that </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">483 years from Darius's first year in Babylon, Jesus Christ, the Messiah will be crucified. If <i>Bible </i>teachers exert enough effort and are willing to manipulate the numbers severely enough, they can come up with 483 years for that time period.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but not for Himself. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ did not die for himself; He died to pay the penalty for human's sinfulness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The last three of the six points enumerated in the previous post were all accomplished at the death and ascension of Christ. The first three we looked at in the previous post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to bring in everlasting righteousness; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to seal up the vision and prophecy; </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and to anoint the Most Holy.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most commentaries agree that </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Most Holy </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">refers to the holy of holies in the Jewish tabernacle, and not to Jesus Christ. Some insist that it refers to Christ and that He was anointed at the time He was baptised. Strong tells us that it refers to a thing. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Strong </i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>H6944. </i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So possibly it refers </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to the holy of holies</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but in any case, it does not refer to Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the people </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the army) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">of the ruler </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Titus of the Roman army) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">who shall come shall destroy the city </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Jerusalem)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and the sanctuary </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the rebuilt temple).</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And the end of it shall be with the flood, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as said earlier, not a flood of water but of blood and destruction).</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and ruins are determined, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and all this appointed and determined by the Lord, as a just punishment for their sins. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gill</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And he shall confirm a covenant with many </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(nations)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> for one week</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">seven years). This is the 490th year. If the Messiah was crucified in the 483rd year and the "Church age" is not included in the prophecy the 490th year refers to the last 7 years before Christ returns to set up His kingdom.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again we remind ourselves that the number 7 might be a symbolic representation of Jehovah's plan and not an actual number.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He did not make a covenant with the Jews;</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">this is to be interpreted of the Roman people, spoken of in the latter part of the preceding verse; who, in order to accomplish their design to destroy the city and temple of Jerusalem, made peace with many nations, entered into covenant and alliance with them. </span><i>Gill.</i></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or the opposite point of view: </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word many here is a specific reference to Israel. ...</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With this covenant Israel will embrace the Antichrist as a political messiah, if not the literal Messiah. Jesus predicted this in Joh_5:43: I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Taking the description of what would be accomplished in the 70 Weeks from Dan_9:24, we know that the 70 Weeks are not yet complete. Yet the events promised in the first 69 weeks are fulfilled, indicated that there is a lengthy “pause” in the 70 Weeks, between the 69th week and the 70th week. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The "pause he mentions is "the Church age". Jewish prophets did not see this period of time because they prophesied to Israel, not to the world at large.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The middle of the week and the end of sacrifice had not yet happened in 90 A.D. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore, that incident can be postponed to the last week (490th year).</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">9:21-27.</span> <span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the daily sacrifice of the Jews, ... towards the close of the latter half of it, when the city of Jerusalem, being closely besieged by Titus, what through the closeness of the siege, the divisions of the people, and the want both of time and men, and beasts to offer, the daily sacrifice ceased; nor have the Jews, ever since the destruction of their city and temple, offered any sacrifice, esteeming it unlawful so to do in a strange land. </span><i>Gill.<span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That seems so fitting since the sacrifice Christ made replaces the need for any other sacrifices.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He said, "Sacrifice and offering, and burnt offerings and offering for sin You did not desire, neither did You have pleasure in them" ... </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He takes away the first so that He may establish the second. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By this ... we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Heb. 10:8-10.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all that, I end with this quote: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">There is not even an initial agreement-or even the data as to an agreement-whether the "years" to be counted are solar years of three hundred and forty-three days, or lunar years, or "mystic" years, or Sabbath years of forty-nine years, or "indefinite" years; or where they are to begin and end or in what fashion they are to be divided. All is chaos in the existing commentaries.</span> <i>Expositors Bible Commentary.</i></span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-32733478944586694642016-09-10T07:00:00.000-04:002019-03-09T16:57:47.876-05:00139 - 70? Weeks - A Hebrew View Point <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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To lay a basis for the next few posts I quote, <span style="color: blue;">I am fully of opinion, that no interpretation as yet published will stand the test of thorough grammatico-historical criticism; </span><i>Professor Stuart in Barnes Commentary. </i> Or, in other words, whatever one writes about this vision is bound to be successfully refuted by others.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This section of Daniel is very significant to Bible study and so convoluted, with so many different schools of thought explaining it, that in this blog, we will, only briefly scan over a few of the basic facts. Since the Hebrew interpretation, because they do not accept Christ as the Messiah, and the Christian viewpoint are radically different we will take a quick look at both, starting with the Jewish commentary by Rashi.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Seventy weeks</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Concerning Biblical prophecy this is very important: </span><br />
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<b><u style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each day represents one year and one week represents seven years so that seventy weeks represents 490 years</u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">). </span></b><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Babylonian exile was seventy </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[years] </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the Second Temple stood four hundred and twenty</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> [years] (the total </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 490 years.) </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rashi.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people</span> (the Jews who were taken captive to Babylon) <span style="color: red;">and as to your holy city</span>, (<span style="color: blue;">Jerusalem - from the day of the first destruction in the days of</span> King <span style="color: blue;">Zedekiah until it will be [destroyed] the second time (will be 490 years, the second destruction was by Titus of Rome).</span> <i>Rashi.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;">h</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Gabriel) ... </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">said, ... I have come to explain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Seventy weeks are decreed.</span> The following list of things is to be accomplished in those 490 years. </span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> to finish the transgression; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> to make an end of sins; </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> to make atonement for iniquity; </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">9:24.</span></li>
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As the prophets had foretold, Israel would pay for their ungodly lifestyle and they must make atonement for iniquity by<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> being banished from their country and </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">later by turmoil in their own country. </span></li>
<li>This payment, for sins committed, would last <span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">from the days of</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> King </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Zedekiah until the time when Titus, In 70 A.D. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(70_CE)">besieged and captured Jerusalem</a>, and destroyed the city and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Temple">Second Temple</a>.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wikipedia.</i></li>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Cyrus is only one of the rulers who gave the Jews permission to return home after 70 years of captivity. There are actually four different events in history from which </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bible</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> students can choose a starting day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">to Messiah the Prince </span>(<span style="color: blue;">Cyrus, king of Persia, about whom the Holy One ... called him His anointed</span> (translate <span style="color: blue;">anointed</span> as <span style="color: blue;">Messiah</span>) <span style="color: blue;">and His king, as it says</span> (</span><a href="http://www.chabad.org/15976#v1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isa. 45:1)</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">: <span style="color: blue;">“So said the Lord to His anointed one, to Cyrus.”</span>) <i>Rashi.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is understandable that Rashi would quote that verse of Scripture because the Jewish religion has never accepted Christ as </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Messiah </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the anointed one</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">). According to Isaiah </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cyrus was the Messiah; His</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (Jehovah's) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">anointed and His king. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems that here again, we have a situation where a prophecy fits both <i>Old Testament</i> and <i>New Testament</i> history. In our studies, several times already, we have run into this interesting type of prophetic expansion. See:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2014/08/29-mighty-god-is-born-oh- </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2016/08/137-epimanes-madman.html</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">to Messiah, the Prince shall be seven weeks</span> (49 years), <span style="color: red;">and sixty-two weeks</span> (483 years) or sixty-nine weeks altogether, which is 532 years). 9:25.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">First, Rashi spoke of the invasion during Zedekiah's reign (in 606 BC) until Cyrus gave the Jews permission to return home (in 536 BC); this was 70 years. However, the prophecy speaks of 7 weeks (49 years). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The invasion during King Zedekiah's reign does not meet the criteria of 7 weeks (49 years) until Darius gave the Jews permission to return to Judea, so Rashi changed the date at which to start counting from the invasion during Zedekiah's reign to the total destruction of Jerusalem which happened 20 years later than 606 B.C. to 586 BC. He ends up with 7 weeks (49 years). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And after sixty-two weeks</span> (434 years from the time Darius gave the Jews permission to return home) <span style="color: red;">Messiah shall be cut off.</span> <span style="color: blue;">This Messiah is Agrippa, the king of Judea,</span> who was ruling at the time of the destruction, <span style="color: blue;">will be slain.</span> <span style="color: blue;">This is purely an expression of a prince and a dignitary</span>. <i>Rashi. </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Notice that earlier he used the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bible</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to prove that Cyrus was the Messiah, now he says that Agrippa is the Messiah (the anointed one). Obviously, in his opinion there is no problem in having more than one person who has been chosen, to a certain task, by Jehovah; the word "Messiah" does not have the same import to him as it has to Christians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As to King Agrippa being the Messiah note:<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">nor is King Agrippa intended, ... who, they say, was the last king of the Jews, and was slain by Vespasian at the destruction of Jerusalem; which is not true; </span></div>
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he was not properly king of the Jews, having only Galilee for his jurisdiction; </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was not slain by Vespasian; </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was a confederate of the Romans, </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">lived some years after the destruction of the city, and at last died in peace. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Gill</i></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">but not for Himself</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <i>Brenton's</i> translation has: </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and there is no judgment in him:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And the people </span>(the army) <span style="color: red;">of the ruler </span>(Titus) <span style="color: red;">who shall come shall destroy the city </span>(Jerusalem) <span style="color: red;">and the sanctuary</span> (the second temple, the one in which Christ worshipped). <span style="color: blue;">[The monarch who will come] upon them. That is Titus and his armies.</span> <span style="color: red;">And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined.</span> That is a flood of blood and destruction, not a flood of water.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Concerning the destruction of the temple <span style="color: blue;">Josephus described the scene:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">A</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">s the legions charged in, neither persuasion nor threat could check their impetuosity: passion alone was in command. Crowded together around the entrances many were trampled by their friends, many fell among the still hot and smoking ruins of the colonnades and died as miserably as the defeated. As they neared the Sanctuary they pretended not even to hear Caesar's commands and urged the men in front to throw in more firebrands. The partisans were no longer in a position to help; everywhere was slaughter and flight. Most of the victims were peaceful citizens, weak and unarmed, butchered wherever they were caught. Round the Altar the heaps of corpses grew higher and higher, while down the Sanctuary steps poured a river of blood and the bodies of those killed at the top slithered to the bottom. </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wikipedia, Siege of Jerusalem</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And he will strengthen a covenant for the princes for one week,</span> (for seven years) <span style="color: red;">and half the week</span> (3.5 years) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">after that </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">he will abolish sacrifice and meal-offering, and on high, among abominations, will be the dumb one, on a high place, among abominations and disgusting things, he will place the dumb one, the pagan deity, which is dumb like a silent stone. </span><i>Rashi.</i> <span style="color: red;">until destruction and extermination befall the dumb one.</span> 9:26-27. Total destruction will descend upon the image of the pagan deity and upon its worshipers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">We will touch on points 4, 5 and 6 in the next post. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to bring in everlasting righteousness; </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> to seal up the vision and prophecy; </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and to anoint the Most Holy.</span></span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-4257009248465491642016-09-03T16:30:00.000-04:002019-03-07T23:46:35.226-05:00138 - Sackcloth, Ashes and Prayer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">In the first year of Darius ...</span> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel, understood the number of the years by books, which came of the Word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. </span>Daniel <span style="font-family: inherit;">9:2. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, in the latter part of Daniel's life, by reading the books of Jeremiah, he finally understood that Jerusalem would sit in its demolished state for seventy years. Jeremiah had written: <span style="color: red;">And it shall be, when seventy years are fulfilled I will punish the king of Babylon. </span>Jer. 25:12.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I set my face toward the Lord God, to seek by prayer and holy desires,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with fasting, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and sackcloth,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and ashes. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do any of us have his kind of passion for prayer? Obviously, we would not expect ourselves to wear sackcloth, but, on the other hand, we do make sure we are comfortable. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Daniel was a man who knew what prayer was all about, but not so</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the modern church. I have heard people who, supposedly in prayer, were making jokes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">with fasting. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">When Daniel says that he was fasting, perhaps we should not think that he was going entirely without any food. Later he explains how he fasts: <span style="color: red;">I ate no food for delight, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth.</span> </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">10:3. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When we do pray, are we at least serious about it? When we give thanks for our food, do we even pay attention to the words we are saying or are they just memorised speeches used to impress Jehovah?</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and sackcloth,</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Daniel went to the discomfort of wearing that very uncomfortable sackcloth. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">How comfortable do we need to be when we pray? When I was a child, we used to kneel on a rough wooden floor </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">in the church, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">to pray; then, as times changed we would stand to pray but now we do not even bother to do that. We just sit comfortably in our cushioned pews; The preacher closes his eyes, says some words, and we sit there with our eyes closed, our hands folded and pretend to be praying! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"> and ashes</span>. As if sackcloth wasn't bad enough. Daniel sat in the ashes, or had ashes on his head, to indicate his deep sorrow for his sins and the sins of his people.<br /><br /><span style="color: red;">A</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">nd I prayed to Jehovah my God</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">said, O Lord, the great and awesome God,</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> 9:3-4. Daniel started his prayer with worship. In the prayer that Christ taught us, he also started with worship, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Matthew 6:7. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We most likely start our prayers something like this, <span style="color: magenta;">Dear Father in heaven, I need a new ________.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel continued his prayer with a confession of sins; his own sins and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the sins of his people;</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">we have sinned and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Your commandments and from Your judgments.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">9:5.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Christ also included that element in "The Lord's Prayer"; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mat 6:12. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Here is the reason for our countries' calamities;</b> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">evil has come on us. </span><span style="color: red;">Yet we did not make our prayer before Jehovah our God. </span>Corruption </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">at all levels of business dealings; d</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eath to drug dealers and also at the hands of drug dealers; gun violence; injustice among judges; moral degradation among the senators of our nations, and the list goes on indefinitely. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Here are the cure and the only hope for our nations;</b> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Your truth.</span> 9:13. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> A life of real prayer will certainly cause us to turn from our life of iniquity to a life where we will be honest and morally upright. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If every Christian of the Christian faith and every devout North American </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Muslim would pray for the welfare of our countries it could be that Jehovah would spare our nations from the imminent destruction that is looming over our heads. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> My people, who are called by My name, shall 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 will heal their land.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">2 Chron. 7:14 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After all that I have written about prayer, I need to also mention the obverse of my statements. There is distinctly a place in prayer for proper decorum; for some people that will include ritual. However, we must be careful that form and ritual do not become more important than our communication with our Father. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About fifteen years ago I made it a deliberate choice to delete all non-vital ritual from my life. That decision has helped set me free from a lot of redundancy. I am not sure I would recommend this for everyone, but for me, it was a big step toward spiritual freedom.</span></div>
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Of course, there <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">are</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> emergency prayers when there is no time for worship, thanksgiving or confession of sins. When you make a 911 call you do not talk about the weather, about the stock market or the presidential election; you get right to the point. About emergency prayers our loving Father says, <span style="color: red;">And it will be, before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Isaiah 65:24. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, emergency prayers should not be the bulk of our praying! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">O my God, bow down Your ear and hear. ...</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> For we do not present our prayers before You on account of our righteousnesses, but because of Your great mercies.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9:18.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him. </span>It is not because we are so wonderful that </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Lord our God </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">forgives us. He forgives us because it is His nature to forgive.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God, to walk in His Laws which He set before us by His servants the prophets.</span></span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Most of those people who do not believe that the Bible is inspired by Jehovah, still, usually, admit that the moral laws and teachings of the Bible are a benefit to </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">society. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since this is true, why do so many intelligent educators insist on removing the Bible from the country's classrooms? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why do our national judges bend over backwards to pass laws which so distinctly go against the teachings of the Bible? </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness; ... </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Woe to those wise in their own eyes, and bright in their own sight! </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Woe to those ... </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! </span></span>Isaiah 5:20-23. Y<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ou cheat the innocent out of a fair trial.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Contemporary English Version.</i></span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-26454485558064828522016-08-27T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-07T16:52:38.676-05:00137 - "Epimanes” the “madman"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this vision, Daniel saw<span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a ram ... having two horns, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(we recall that the word, horn, can refer to a king or a kingdom) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They were two kingdoms fighting as one; the Medes and the Persians. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is also interesting to note that the symbol of Persia was a ram; as the beaver is the symbol of Canada. <span style="color: blue;">T</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he ram was the royal ensign of the Persians; whose kings used to wear for a diadem something made of gold, in the shape of a ram's head, set with little stones. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Medes and Persians came from the East and "butted" in every other direction. <span style="color: red;">N</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">o beasts could stand before him, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all kingdoms fell to this army.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Nor </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">were there </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">any that could deliver out of his hand. But he did according to his will, and became great. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Daniel 8:3-4.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Alexander's Rise </u></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a he-goat came from the west, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the Grecian army) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">over the face of all </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">earth, and did not touch the ground </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(he moved swiftly). <span style="color: red;">T</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he he-goat had an outstanding horn between his eyes </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Alexander the great)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he came to the ram </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">that had two horns, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Medes and Persians,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> ...</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and struck the ram and shattered his two horns. And there was no power in the ram to stand before him. But he </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Alexander's army)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> threw him down to the ground and stamped on him. And none could deliver the ram out of his hand. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then the he-goat became very great. And when he was strong, the great horn </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Alexander) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">was broken. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alexander in B.C. 323, after a reign of twelve years and eight months, died as a fool dieth, of a fever brought on by fatigue, exposure, drunkenness, and debauchery. He was only thirty-two years old.</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Easton's Bible Dictionary.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In its place came up four outstanding ones towards the four winds of the heavens. When Alexander died his kingdom split into four lesser kingdoms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Antiochus's Blasphemy </u></span></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And out of one of them came forth a little horn, </span><br />
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<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Antiochus Epiphanes, who sprung from ... Seleucus king of Syria, one of the four horns ...: this is that sinful root said to come out from thence, in the Apocrypha: </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"And there came out of them a wicked root Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes, .'' (1 Maccabees 1:10) </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i> </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Jews turned it into “Epimanes” meaning, “madman.” </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik</i>. </span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By some estimates he is responsible for the murder of more than 100,000 Jews. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik</i></span></li>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Antiochus</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> became very great, toward the south </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Egypt) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and toward the east </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t</span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he countries beyond the Euphrates) </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and toward the bountiful land </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Israel)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span>8:5-9.<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the horn, Antiochus Epiphanes) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">became great, even to the host of heaven</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(angels)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. And it made fall some of the host </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the Jews) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and of the stars </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(their priests) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to the ground, and trampled them. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He made war on the holy army of God - the priests and worshippers of Jehovah. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Barnes.</i> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yea, he magnified himself, even to the ruler of the host, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Antiochus Epiphanes blasphemed God and commanded idolatrous worship directed towards himself. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The daily sacrifice was taken away by him, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He destroyed the Jewish sacrificial system, and</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the place of his sanctuary was cast down. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He offered swine flesh on a Jewish altar. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> It </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the horn) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">cast the truth to the ground. And it worked and succeeded. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> We are still asking, "Why do the wicked prosper"?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While we were studying the <i>Book of Isaiah</i> we learned that sometimes when the prophet made a statement that referred to his own time, the <i>New Testament</i> writers took that phrase and applied it to a situation they were writing about. For example, Isaiah prophesied the birth of his son; after all, his wife was already pregnant. In the <i>New Testament,</i> that same prophecy is applied to the birth of Christ. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems that we have a similar situation here</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Daniel was writing about </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Antiochus, but John, who made a very similar prophecy in <i>The Revelation,</i> was referring to the antichrist, because, by the time John wrote, the prophecy about Antiochus was no longer relevant; he was history.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Also through his understanding, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Antiochus was known as a deep thinker and a smooth talker),</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> he shall cause deceit to succeed in his hand, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he was good at lying. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This reminds one of another ruler of a well-known English speaking country.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by promising false </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">peace shall destroy many. He also shall stand up against the Ruler of rulers</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Jehovah)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But he shall be broken without a hand. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">8:10-13. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He did not die in war or at the hand of a traitor;</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">But the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, smote him with an incurable and invisible plague: or as soon as he had spoken these words, a pain of the bowels that was remediless came upon him, and sore torments of the inner parts;'' (2 Maccabees 9:5). </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span></span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-43319940604254552032016-08-20T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-07T15:24:36.417-05:00136 - Jehovah Sits in Judgement<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>A Question of Prophecy</u></span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When studying the prophecies of the Bible it is vital to keep the time frame in mind. Without going into anything technical here, it will suffice to say that Daniel had this vision </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar; </span></span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Which some say</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> was the last year of his reign;</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gill</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was a</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">bout two years</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">after</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel had his vision of the four beasts. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even if common sense could have inspired Daniel to predict the fall of Babylon to Medo-Persia, what would have caused him to predict that Greece, a non-power, at that time, would overthrow Persia? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, how could he have foreseen that, when Alexander died, his kingdom would divide into four kingdoms, and that out of one of them a ruler would arise who would work havoc among the Jews. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">People who do not believe that Jehovah had anything to do with the writing of the Bible, have to work hard to explain away events that were foretold hundreds of years before they happened. Failing that approach it is surmised that the prophecies were actually written after the history happened. This approach does not always work because there are still unfilled prophesies in the <i>Bible.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another important fact to remember is that when Daniel, or any other prophet, speaks as though he saw something in the present tense he might still have been writing about something in the future tense. Even though he was writing about the future history of the Jews till almost the time of Christ, many of his words were also prophetic to events which are still future for us. This we can see because </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">when Christ was preaching about the end times He</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">quotes Daniel as seeing something even future to Christ's time on earth</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the last two posts, we learned about four beasts. The first three beasts could be compared to animals we know, but the fourth beast was so different that it could not be compared to any known animal. The difference was that the first three were kingdoms that simply wished to extend their territory. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Early in the history of the Christian church, the Roman government was still in the process of extending its borders. However, ever since Constantine pretended to become a Christian, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the fourth beast has used religion as a front, rather than war, to gain more subjects, by preaching condemnation and instilling fear; if that does not work, war is resorted to. It is a totally different kind of a beast than the first three were.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more intriguing Biblical facts about these beasts check out <i>The Revelation</i> ch.13+17.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After he had written about the four beasts he said, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After </span>this<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I looked in the night visions. </span> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In his vision, Daniel</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> watched until the thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days sat.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> ... </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">whose robe was white as snow, and the hair of His head like the pure wool.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">7:7+9.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Here Daniel gives us a description of Jehovah. He says <span style="color: magenta;">I saw God sitting; He was wearing a white robe and He has hair. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Daniel does not say, <span style="color: magenta;">"I saw that God is only a spirit"</span>.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Contrary to what we have been taught, Daniel says that Jehovah is a physical being. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Interestingly, John, in <i>The Revelation</i> gives us almost the same description, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">behold, a throne was set in Heaven, and One sat upon the throne.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rev 4:2.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red;">I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it. </span></span></span>Rev. 20:11.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">If you are interested in reading more about what the Bible says about a physical, visible God, I suggest: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2013/08/c-a-humanoid-god.html</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">and </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2013/08/c-d-spiritual-non-physical-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">In Daniel's vision, after the courtroom is prepared, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">Jehovah takes His place on the throne from where He will judge the fourth beast; </span><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I watched until the beast was slain, and his body was destroyed and given to the burning flame. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:11.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is worth noting that </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in many translations, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I watched until the thrones were set in place, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is translated as,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">I beheld till the thrones were cast down, </span>in the KJV and some others. If this translation is chosen, the thrones which </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">were cast down </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">would be where the kings of the preceding kingdoms had sat; as we see in these words, <span style="color: red;">And the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:12. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">I saw ... One like the Son of man </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(who) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they </span>(probably the angels) <span style="color: red;">brought Him</span> (ushered Christ) <span style="color: red;">near before Him </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Jehovah)</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. A physical Christ is brought into the presence of a physical, supreme God whom Daniel could see with his eyes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And dominion and glory was given Him,</span> (Christ) <span style="color: red;">and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages, should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:13-14.</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.</span> 7:18.<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Christ will be the supreme king over a one kingdom world, and the ones whom Jehovah calls saints will become vice-regents with Him.</span><br />
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-64397833328534899472016-08-13T13:00:00.000-04:002019-03-06T16:32:33.998-05:00135 - The Fourth Beast<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We now continue where we left off in the last post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Historical Beast </span></h3>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They were a lion with its strength and dignity; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bear with its strength and desire to kill; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a leopard, known for its swiftness, as the Grecian army was. </span></li>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">After this I looked in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast. </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> Daniel does not specify what kind of an animal this was, it was just too different to fit into the animal kingdom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">It was frightening and terrifying, and very strong.</span> Most Bible commentaries agree that this was the Roman empire. Where ever it went, with its masses of soldiers, it conquered; even the speed of the Grecian leopard was not sufficient to "out-war" Rome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is interesting to note that the <i>Expositors Bible Commentary</i> separates the Median and the Persian kingdom into two (the sec</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ond and the third beast) and so the fourth kingdom is the Grecian kingdom and not the Roman kingdom. It seems that this is done because they do not believe that Daniel could have seen far enough into the future to predict the coming of the Roman empire. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it had great iron teeth; </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as we recall, in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (ch. 2), iron (in the feet) was also used as the symbol of strength. <span style="color: red;">I</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">t devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the rest with its feet. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The nations before this one, could be symbolised by normal mammals but this one</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> was different </span>(<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">it was altogether different</span><span style="color: blue;">-</span><i>Brenton</i>)<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some suggest that the ten horns were actually two five-pointed antlers, rather than ten separate horns. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This might represent the Eastern and Western world powers</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">horn</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is representative of power, kings or kingdoms; this beast was so pervasive it had ten horns. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Others make this fourth beast to be the kingdom of Syria, ... which was very cruel and oppressive to the people of the Jews. ... And herein that empire was diverse from those which went before, that none of the preceding powers compelled the Jews to renounce their religion, but the kings of Syria did, and used them barbarously. Their armies and commanders were the great iron teeth with which they devoured and broke in pieces the people of God, and they trampled upon the residue of them. </span></span><i>Matthew Henry.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Modern history might suggest another theory. The Muslim religion has been and continues to be, the fastest-growing religion in the world. To date, there are more Christians in the world than there are Muslims, however, it has been calculated that by 2050 there will be about twice as many Muslims as Christians. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am not a prophet. I sometimes change my viewpoint, but, for the time being, I'll paint the picture this way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The fourth beast is a mixture of Roman Catholicism and the Muslim religion (remember the two legs of Nebuchadnezzar's dream). Like Christianity, the Muslim religion grew out of the Roman empire. Throughout their history, they have both </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">devoured and broke</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(n)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> in pieces </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">many peoples and countries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The beast <span style="color: red;">had ten horns</span>. According to Phillip Goodman, the ten kingdoms are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <u><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n the West</span></span></u><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Britain</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">France</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spain</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Italy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Germany, these five are offspring of the Roman hierarchy.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>In the East</u>, Rome retained its identity ... through the Byzantine Empire. They are:<br />Greece<br />Turkey <br />Syria <br />Egypt <br />Iraq<br />Iran</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>The Little Horn</u></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />E</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ven a casual look will show that this list has eleven kingdoms, not the ten that one would expect. However, it is important to remember that another, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the little horn,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> springs up later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That eleventh horn will be the Antichrist. According to the newscasts, one hears these days, this man might refer to the leader of the final terrorist group!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For a lengthy, convoluted but good, interpretation of the </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ten horns, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I suggest: <span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;">http://focusonjerusalem.com/theidentityofthe7.html</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Three of the ten </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">horns were uprooted</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, possibly these could be Iraq, Syria and Turkey </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and behold, there came up among them another little horn. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Each of the terrorist groups </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">started as a little, seemingly insignificant power. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <span style="color: red;">little horn</span> has </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">eyes like the eyes of man</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> (portraying intelligence, strategy)<span style="color: red;">, and a m</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">outh speaking great things. </span>7:7-8.<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They boast of their accomplishments; they are bent on killing Jews, Muslims and Christians. L</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ater on</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, the slaughter of Jews becomes a major point in the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Book of Daniel.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And he </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the little horn) </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span>7:25.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They (the terrorist groups) take pride in what they are doing in spite of the fact that Allah, whose teachings they claim to follow, has commanded the exact opposite. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They will </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">plot to change times.</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All religions have special times of celebration but those special times will be abrogated by the <span style="color: red;">little horn</span>. It will become illegal to celebrate those religious holidays. Where the terrorist groups have the power they have already made such changes.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They will </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">plot to change </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">laws. </span></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Those laws that befit a democracy will not be tolerated anymore. Perhaps this change is a lot closer than we think it is. </b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A Christian university in Canada, who, true to their religious beliefs, does not support the LGBTQ movement, was fined for drawing a distinction between LGBTQ's and regular people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or, consider what happened in North Carolina. At the state level, they took a stand against the LGBTQ movement, and the business world boycotted the state's businesses. Whatever happened to freedom of religion in North America? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can Christians not stand up for what they believe the <i>Bible</i> teaches and get the same national respect that the LGBTQ community demands. <b> No! the <span style="color: red;">times and laws</span> are changing and Christians and Jews are in for a very rough ride ahead. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And they shall be given into his </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the little horn) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">hand until a time and times and one-half time </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(this is usually interpreted to mean three and a half years)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps we should not be too attached to a precise period of time; maybe it refers to only half of the perfect number, seven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We must be careful not to crowd the <span style="color: red;">ten horns </span>into only the early part of the modern era, because, later when Daniel explains the dream, he says, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">I watched, and that horn </span>(the little horn) <span style="color: red;">made war with the saints and overcame them </span></span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">until the Ancient of Days came.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span>7:21-22.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So we see that the fourth beast and the <span style="color: red;">little horn</span> (The Roman and/or a Muslim government in its religious guise) will be the dominating force, democracy is fading worldwide and will continue to fade until Jehovah sets up His kingdom on earth.</span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-57660850922833925072016-08-05T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-06T12:41:05.437-05:00134 - Three of the Four Beasts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<u style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Daniel's Prophecy Starts</u></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The last chapter ended with Darius the king of Babylon rejoicing that Daniel had not been eaten by the lions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This chapter takes us back to the reign of Belshazzar (from chapter five) who was the last king of Babylon before Darius' army defeated Babylon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why this step backwards? Because the historical part of the </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Book of Daniel</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> ended in chapter 6, with Daniel's dramatic deliverance from the lions, and the prophetic part begins in chapter 7 about Belshazzar (from Chapter 5) in a dream Daniel had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed. 7:1. This is the introduction to chapters 7-12.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Daniel spoke and said, In my vision by night I was looking: and in my vision by night ... the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the Great Sea.</span> 7:2. In the Bible, the Mediterranean Sea is often referred to as the Great Sea. <span style="color: blue;">Here may be meant the whole world, and the kingdoms and nations of it, because of its largeness, inconstancy, instability, and disquietude.</span> Gill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Armies on the move or masses of agitated people are spoken of as large bodies of troubled waters. </span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note: </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">therefore, behold, the Lord brings on them the waters of the River, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory </span>(his army). Isaiah 8:7. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The waters which you saw ... are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. </span>Rev. 17:15. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>We can surely see that these days the people of the world are agitated, stirred up, ready to rebel at the smallest irritation. </b></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>This is one of the predicted signs of the last days before the return of Christ.</b> <span style="color: red;">Upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roar of the sea and rolling waves</span> (hordes of people in distress). Luke 21:25.</span></li>
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<u style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A Repeat of a Dream</u></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though the picture is different, there is a strong resemblance to Nebuchadnezzar's dream (ch. 2) and Daniels dream (chapter 7). For a review of the king's dream in ch. 2 see: </span><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2016/07/130-kings-historic-dream.htm</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The thought occurs to me that Daniel had this dream because a number of years earlier he had explained the meaning of the king's dream to the king, and it had such a strong influence on Daniel that he could not put it out of his mind. So his mind replayed the dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In dreams anything is possible, and having a lion with wings is not at all unthinkable, especially considering that <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamassu">Shedu</a> (a male lion with wings) in Sumerian, Akkadian, Persian, and Iranian tribes mythology was depicted as a winged lion. </span><i>Wikipedia</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here is Daniels dream:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Four great beasts</span> (four kingdoms) <span style="color: red;">came up from the sea</span> (a multitude of people), <span style="color: red;">different from one another. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Babylon - the golden head in chapter 2. <span style="color: red;">The first was like a lion and had eagle's wings.</span><span style="color: blue;"> this is said to be like a "lion" for its strength and power, for its greatness, dignity, and majesty; the same with the head of gold in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. </span><i>Gill.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I watched until its wings were plucked, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">after Nebuchadnezzar's reign the kings became much less aggressive; the kingdom of Babylon quit expanding.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The lion could no longer fly like an eagle; its wings were plucked. <i>The Concordant Version of the Old Testament</i> uses the word</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">vulture</span> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in place of </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="" style="color: red;">eagle</span>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on its feet like a man. And a man's heart was given to it.</span> Babylon's kings were no longer "the king of beasts" but much more human-like. Notice, again, the humanness of Belshazzar in chapter five.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Medo-Persia - the chest and arms in chapter 2. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">behold another beast, a second, like a bear. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear on account of their cruelty and thirst after blood, a bear being a most voracious and cruel animal. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Clarke.</i></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i> </i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And it raised itself up on one side.</span> <span style="color: blue;">This may refer to one side of the bear (the Median contingent), raising himself</span> (namely Cyrus) <span style="color: blue;">up on one side.</span> (He became the predominate army general). </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Gill.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth.</span> <span style="color: blue;">It is best ... to understand by them Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt; which countries were ground and oppressed by the Medes and Persians, as the ribs of any creature are ground in the mouth of a bear:</span> <i>Gill.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And they</span> (perhaps Darius and his adviser's, rulers over Cyrus), <span style="color: red;">said this to it</span> (Cyrus - the bear): <span style="color: red;">Arise, eat up much flesh</span> (go and destroy many other nations).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. The Grecian army - the belly and thighs </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in chapter</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> 2. <span style="color: red;">After </span></span><span style="color: red;">this</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> I saw, and lo, another, like a leopard,</span> (<span style="color: blue;">known for its swiftness)</span> <span style="color: red;">which had four wings of a bird on its back</span> <span style="color: blue;">(even faster than the lion with two wings).</span> <i>Guzik. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The beast also had four heads; </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Signifying the empire after the death of Alexander, divided between his four generals. Cassander reigning over Macedon and Greece; Lysimachus, over Thrace and Bithynia; Ptolemy, over Egypt; and Seleucus, over Syria. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;"><i>Clarke.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and rulership was given to it </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the leopard; the Grecian empire)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">How could Daniel know that the next world empire would be like a leopard in its rise and prominence, and that it would be divided into four parts? This shows a plain principle: God knows the future, and reveals certain details of the future through His prophets. ... The proof of fulfilled prophecy is exceptionally persuasive; no wonder Peter says "we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).</span> <i>Guzik.</i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or, on the other hand, one can also surmise that the</span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Book of Daniel</i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was written after Rome had defeated Greece.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> This post will be too long if I don't take a break now, but the plan is that we will continue with this dream in the next post. </span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-44449476483234959732016-07-30T15:00:00.000-04:002019-03-05T22:34:05.488-05:00133 - Flattery Is An Evil Tool<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Daniel Is Promoted</u></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The night the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon, Belshazzar was killed and Darius, king of the Medes, took the throne in Babylon. As was the custom with the Medes and Persians, they also divided the Babylonian kingdom into provinces, in order to keep control of the kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Darius placed one governor, <span style="color: red;">satrap</span>, over each of the 120 provinces. Later on, in history, there were 127 provinces. <span style="color: red;">Over the governors were three presidents (Daniel was one of them), so that these satraps might give account to them, and the king should have no loss. </span>Daniel 6:2. Each governor was responsible to one of the presidents regarding the welfare of the province and also to forward the taxes to the king's treasury so that the king should have no (financial) loss.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Soon the king promoted Daniel to be head of the three presidents <span style="color: red;">because an excellent spirit was in him.</span> The three presidents (the original two plus Daniel's replacement) and their cohorts were thinking, <span style="color: magenta;">just how much humiliation to we have to put up with? This Daniel guy is nothing more than a foreigner, brought here as a slave, and to make matters worse he is just a Jew! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then they heard that <span style="color: red;">the king was planning to set him </span>(Daniel) <span style="color: red;">over all the kingdom.</span></span> 6:3. <span style="color: magenta; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, that is just going too far, so</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"> the presidents and rulers sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom. But they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. Neither was there any error or fault found in him.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan 6:4. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This does not mean that Daniel was a perfect man; it only means that he did his job as well as could be expected.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plan "A" did not work so a new plan was needed and the presidents cooked up a plot. Flattery is such a wicked device and the king fell for it, like a child, without even thinking of the consequences. <span style="color: red;">All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, and the officials and governors, </span>said to the king, we <span style="color: red;">have planned together to establish a royal law, and to make a strong ban that whoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except from you, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the king is thinking,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red;"> </span><span style="color: magenta;">these men really think the world of me</span>)<span style="color: magenta;">,</span><span style="color: magenta;"> </span><span style="color: red;">O king, he shall be thrown into the den of lions. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beware of Flatterers</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please pardon a personal example. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many years ago, when I was in my early 20's, I was working at an industrial site which was right beside a railroad track. Freight trains would roll by and always blew the horn to make sure no one was on the track. One day the train did not blow the horn, and as fate would have it, a transport truck was just beginning to cross the track and the train engine broadsided it and killed the truck driver.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Investigators, from the train company, came, and all those who had seen the accident needed to make a written and a verbal report to them. I distinctly told them that the train had not blown the horn. This oversight, on the part of the engineer, could have been very expensive for the train company. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quick as a flash one of the company men complimented me on my good handwriting. Which, in fact, has always been awful. But the flattery did its trick. I forgot about the sounding of the horn and later I noticed that the shrewd businessman had not included my statement about the horn not sounding in his report. I am still bothered by the fact that I fell for that flattery.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, O king, establish the ban and sign the writing, so that it may not be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians which cannot be changed. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Therefore King Darius signed the writing and the ban.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: left;">Dan 6:7-9</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel continued his prayer life as always, of course, the spies were watching and they could honestly report to the king that Daniel had broken the king's law. </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then the king, when he heard the word, was very much displeased with himself. And he set his heart on Daniel to deliver him. And he labored until sundown to deliver him. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan. 6:15. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">According to eastern </span><span style="color: blue;">custom t</span><span style="color: blue;">he execution was carried out on the evening of the day that the accusation was made and found valid.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Guzik.</i></span></span><i><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All his authority, arguing and begging could not persuade the presidents and their friends to let Daniel go. </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then these men met before the king and said to the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is that no ban nor law which the king establishes may be changed</span>. </span>Dan 6:14. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">The king could not revoke the law and had no recourse but to have Daniel thrown to the lions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">That night the king could not sleep and in the morning, he hurried to the lion's cage and asked Daniel if he was alright. Daniel assured him that God had sent an angel which shut the lions' mouth. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of hurt was found on him, because he trusted in his God. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">6:23.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And the king commanded, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they threw them into the lions' den; them, their sons, and their wives. </span> This sounds like unnecessarily cruel and unjust punishment to the innocent family members; however, it was not unheard of in those days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">And the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan 6:24. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think in this case we mustn't take the words of the author literally because the facts seem almost impossible. If <span style="color: red;">a</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ll the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, and the officials and governors, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">were indicted and their wives and all their children were guilty by "association" the crowd of people would have been much too huge for the lions to break </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all their bones in pieces before they came to the bottom of the den </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">fell all the way down)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It seems that the author is painting a picture in contrasts and the actual facts as stated are not of importance. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">The point is: Daniel was saved because of his faith and his upright lifestyle and Daniel's enemies did not survive because they plotted evil against one of Jehovah's chosen saints. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;">Of course, it does not always work out this way but the moral of the story seems to fit that idea. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">In the book, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Jesus and His Times</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> published by </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">the Readers Digest</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> is this illuminating statement; </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">the recording of history with literal exactness of detail is a fairly modern development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the time</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> when the Bible was written</span><em style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;">,</em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">precise fact was far less important than the spiritual message of the stories shared. </span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-45903934459870599042016-07-23T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-05T15:00:46.778-05:00132 - The Writing is On The Wall<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>The Drunk King</u></span></span></h3>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This chapter starts off by telling us that Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar's son has taken his father's place on the throne.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is no agreement as to whose son he was. </span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This king was not the immediate successor of Nebuchadnezzar, ... t</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he truth is, that he was the son of Evilmerodach, and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar</span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span> </span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Gill.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span class="co_RashiTitle" style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18px;">Belshazzar </span><span class="co_RashiText" style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18px;">... reigned after Evil-merodach, who reigned instead of Nebuchadnezzar, and (he</span><span class="co_RashiText" style="font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18px;">, Belshazzar</span><span class="co_RashiText" style="color: blue; font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18px;">) too was the son of Nebuchadnezzar.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: inherit;"><i> </i></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Rashi.</i></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The word "son" can be <span style="color: blue;">Used also for descendant.</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Fausset's Dictionary.</i></span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Bible </i>commentaries say that that day Belshazzar and his army won a battle against the armies of the Medes and the Persians. To celebrate the victory <span style="color: red;">Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.</span> Dan. 5:1. Big mistake; that same night while the king and his lords were stone drunk the Medes and the Persians attacked the city and captured it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is also interesting that the phrase, <span style="color: red;">Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand,</span> the meaning of which is, he was drinking with his buddies. In the <i>Jewish Bible</i> it reads like this, <span style="color: red;">King Belshazzar made a great feast for his one thousand dignitaries, and he drank as much wine as the thousand.</span> I have trouble believing that, unless his war buddies </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">were all </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">teetotalers, and I have </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">even more </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">trouble believing that. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At that moment fingers of a man's hand</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">came out and wrote on the plaster of the wall. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then the king's face was changed, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(he turned pale) <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and his thoughts troubled him, </span></span>(he was "scared out of his wits") </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so that, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">so much so that) </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the joints of his loins were loosened, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(in plain English this means that he "soiled his pants"), </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and his knees knocked against one another </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">bumped and knocked). </span></span></span><i>Rashi. 5:4-6</i>.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Then all the king's wise men came in. But they could not read the writing. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan 5:8.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There is much-convoluted discussion as to why the wise men could not read the writing on the wall. Adam Clake keeps the answer simple; </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Because it was in the pure Hebrew, not the Chaldean character. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This answer seems a bit too simple. Since the Jews had been captive in Babylon for almost seventy years it is astonishing that none of the wise men would have bothered to learn Hebrew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">The queen came into the banquet house because of the king's words.</span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:10. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The king had been drinking with his wives and concubines, but the queen, it seems, was above that type of debauchery and did not come to the party until ordered to by the king. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is believed, by some, that she was the widow of Nebuchadnezzar in which case it is probable that she was not invited.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Pride - That slithery Serpent</u></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">speaking </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">about Nebuchadnezzar, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">to Belshazzar, said, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was put down from the throne of his kingdom, and they took his glory from him </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">... until he knew that the </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most High </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">God rules in the kingdom of men, and that He appoints over</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> it whomever He</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> will. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:20-22</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Solomon had accurately said, </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Proverbs 16:18.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why is it that younger people cannot learn from the bad experiences of those who have walked the same road ahead of them. </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Young people take up smoking, seemingly because they believe that they are immune to lung cancer. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Young people refuse to wear seat belts because they believe they are younger and consequently sharper and have a quicker response time. They may be and they may have but what good does that do while the car is rolling down the walls of the ravine. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Young people take up "drugs" completely disregarding the fact that it will, in some way, lead to an early grave, or, at best, to a wasted life.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The young man, Belshazzar, should have known better but death was the price he paid for his pride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And this is the writing that was written, A MINA, A MINA, A SHEKEL, AND HALF-MINAS. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is the meaning of the thing: A MINA, God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A SHEKEL, You are weighed in the balances and found wanting. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">HALF-MINAS, Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 5:25-28.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet and a golden chain around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:29.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, big deal, the kingdom came to an end that night. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was killed. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">5:30. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">For a totally different viewpoint on this chapter, I suggest:</span></span></div>
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<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2013/09/eo-cast-daniel-prognosticator.html</span></span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-85809203973105430212016-07-16T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-05T12:28:45.650-05:00131 - A Furnace and A Tree<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>The Fiery Furnace.</u> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The stories in the book of Daniel are so familiar to most of us that I want to mention only a few, out of the way, thoughts in each of the stories.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits, and its breadth six cubits.</span><span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The height to width ratio is ridiculous.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: red;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">If its thickness was only six [cubits], how could it stand at a height of sixty cubits? Said Rav Bibi: They would set it up and it would fall, until they brought all the gold of Jerusalem and poured a base around its feet. </span></span></span></span><i>Rashi's Commentary. </i><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since there is so great a disproportion between the height and breadth, some have thought that the height includes the pedestal on which it stood.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><i>Gill.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then a herald cried aloud, ... </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">at the time you hear the sound of ... all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the golden image.</span> </span>3:1-5. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The three Jewish men around whom this story revolves did not obey the king's command and they were brought before the king to make their defence. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The king asked,<span style="color: red;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do you not serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the Jewish Bible, it reads like this, </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Are my decrees void and desolate and an empty thing in your eyes?<i> </i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><i>Rashi's Commentary. </i> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">But if you do not worship, in that moment you shall be thrown into the middle of a burning fiery furnace. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">3:15. </span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">immediately, without any delay; no reprieve will be granted, and much less a pardon:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <i>Gill</i>. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: magenta;">Even your God can't deliver you from that furnace.</span> Has this king got a short memory, or what? In the previous chapter, he had said to Daniel, </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">It is true that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though they were given a chance to recant and worship the image, the three heroes refused, so the king </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">spoke and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is good to remember that in Jewish thinking "seven" represents the ultimate. Things pertaining to "holiness" or "God" are numbered "7", so are some scheduled events which are said to be directly in God's hands. With that in mind, it is easy to see that this could simply mean that the furnace was made as hot as possible, maybe not exactly 7 times as hot.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After this ordeal, </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red;">the king made Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prosper in the province of Babylon.</span></span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> 3:30.</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Gigantic Tree</span></u></h3>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I saw a dream and it terrified me. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan 4:5. </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But at last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">4:8. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Finally, Daniel came to the king to explain the dream to the king. Here is an interesting note on Daniel's heathen name: </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">The deity of Babylon was named Bel. Teshazzar is the name of an expression of wisdom in Aramaic.</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Rashi's Commentary. </i> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From this, of course, we get </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Belteshazzar. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">One could read this as if the Babylonians called Daniel, "a wise god".</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then Daniel ... was stunned for one hour.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dan 4:19.</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">It is not possible to designate the exact time denoted by the word “hour”. According to Gesenius (“Lex.”), it means moment of time; properly, a look, a glance, a wink of the eye”. In Arabic the word means both a moment and an hour. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><i>Barnes; see also Strong H1860.</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The tree that you saw, which became great and strong, whose height reached to the heaven, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">into the sky, <i>according to Strong, H8064,</i> <span style="color: blue;">this is where the birds fly.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and the sight of it to all the earth.</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> 4:20. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In dreams, the weirdest things can happen. </span> </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cut the tree down and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: inherit;"> L</span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">et his portion</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him.</span> </span><span style="text-align: center;">4:23. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">King Nebuchadnezzar will be cut down, lose his sanity for 7 years, live with the animals and after 7 years return to the stump that was left of his kingdom. Again the 7 might simply be a reference to the time appointed by God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">seven periods shall pass over you:</span> <span style="color: blue;">We may say that this is the recompense for the Temple </span>(Solomon's temple in Jerusalem), <span style="color: blue;">which he destroyed, which was built in seven years. </span><i>Rashi's Commentary.</i> People who use that kind of reasoning may say that. I happen to be a strong believer in coincidence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Even after this message of hopelessness, Daniel tells the king that there is a chance to repent and make things right with Jehovah by helping the needy. <span style="color: red;">Therefore, O king, let my advice be pleasing to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Perhaps he can prolong his sovereignty, maybe </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">there will be duration to your prosperity.</span> </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4:27. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One can surmise that he did not pay attention to that advice for the <i>Bible</i> tells us that the king's insanity actually happened and that he was not restored until after he finally learned true humility.</span></span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1427739990392964732.post-39911545607537992642016-07-08T17:00:00.000-04:002019-03-05T12:30:46.429-05:00130 - The King's Historic Dream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Book of Daniel</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is the fifth, the last, book on the shelf called </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Major Prophets</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. The Jewish scriptures do not include Daniel among the prophets. In most Protestant <i>Bibles</i> the book has only twelve chapters but in </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Apocrypha</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> and in the Roman Catholic <i>Bible</i> it has fourteen. The first 12 chapters are basically the same. in all <i>Bibles.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daniel was one of the captives taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar's army. He soon found favour with the royal court and was promoted to be prime minister.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the <i>Bibles</i> that have 14 chapters, Chapter 13 is about Susanna, a virtuous Jewish wife, who, because of what happened to her is condemned to death. Daniel, a shrewd lawyer, proved her to be innocent and so saved her life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chapter 14 is about the Babylonian god named "Bel" and how Daniel proved to the king that Bel was not a real God. The end of chapter 14 makes a feeble, and unconvincing attempt at explaining why it was that the lions did not eat Daniel while he was in the lion's den.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In chapter two is the story of the dream that the king had and he threatened death to his wise men if they could not tell him what he had dreamed and the meaning of the dream. Daniel was included in that group of men. Some of the wise men argued that such a thing was not possible. Daniel requested the king for some extra time. That night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Dan. 2:19.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Daniel tells the dream to the king. <span style="color: red;">This image's head was of fine gold; his breast and his arms were of silver; his belly and his thighs were of bronze; his legs were of iron; his feet were part of iron and part of clay. You watched until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image upon its feet which were of iron and clay, and broke them to pieces.</span> <br /><br /><span style="color: red;">Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken to pieces together. And they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.</span> 2:32-35.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The following is not the only interpretation of the dream but it seems to be the most prevalent. Daniel explains the dream to the king:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">You are this head of gold.</span> Nebuchadnezzar represents the kingdom of Babylon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">after you shall arise another kingdom lower than you.</span> The chest with two arms represented the split kingdom of the Medes and the Persians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">another third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth;</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the Grecian kingdom led by Phillip and Alexander. It is not at all uncommon for </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bible</i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> writers to speak of the then known world as being all the earth. </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alexander did have dominion over all the earth, at least in his own opinion; who thought he had conquered the whole world, and wept because there was not another to conquer.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gill.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. <span style="color: red;">t</span><span style="color: red;">he fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron.</span> The two legs represented the Roman kingdom which was founded by Romulus and his twin brother Remus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5.<span style="color: red;"> as to that which you saw: the feet and toes, part of potters' clay and part of iron;</span> <span style="color: blue;">The reference, therefore, seems to be to the blending of the Christianized Roman empire with the pagan nations, a deterioration being the result. </span><i>Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or, in other words, the church of Rome allowed pagan and Greek myths to infiltrate the church's creed. For example, the doctrine of the Trinity. This stemmed from the Greek's idea that there were many gods.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">the kingdom shall be divided. </span>After the kingdom has been made weak by mixing the truths of Christ with the myths of the Greeks, the kingdom </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">shall be divided </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">between the Western Roman Catholic world and the Eastern Muslim countries. It has been said that if Christianity would not have preached the pagan doctrine of the Trinity, Mohammid might not have left the Christian church at all. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But there shall be in it the strength of the iron, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the Roman church and the Muslim religion certainly have strength. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They both claim to follow Christ's teaching but they have both often wielded their strength in very unchristlike ways.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="color: red;">because you saw</span> <span style="color: red;">the iron mixed with miry clay. ... they shall be mingled with the seed of men: </span> The common interpretation says, <span style="color: blue;">This may either refer to the attempts to bring about unity by marriages among different races, or to other vain efforts to the same end. but they shall not cleave together, as the iron does not mix itself with earthenware. To obliterate nationalities has always been the conquering despot’s effort, ... and it always fails.</span> <i>MacLaren</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am inclined to believe that the phrase,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">the seed of men, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">refers to the non-Christian theological teachings of the Roman Catholic church and the false teachings of the Muslims. However, iron does not mix with clay and when such a combination is attempted the mixture loses its strength and the statue crumbles. <b> All manmade dominions will crumble when Jehovah comes to set up His kingdom.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">in the days of these kings, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(the rulers of various countries, t</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he man appointed rulers of the earthly church, and the leaders of the Muslim community)<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> the God of Heaven shall set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.</span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: blue;">The kingdom of the Holy One, blessed be He, which will never be destroyed, is the kingdom of the Messiah</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Rashi's Commentary</i>.</span><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In our studies of the </span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Major Prophets</i>, we have repeatedly come across this teaching: there will be an unconquerable earthly kingdom set up by Jehovah and administered by Christ.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">the kingdom shall not be left to other peoples. </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">as the Babylonian monarchy to the Medes and Persians; the Persian monarchy to the Greeks; and the Grecian monarchy to the Romans; but this shall not be left to a strange people, but shall be given to the saints of the most High;<i> </i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gill.</i></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the kingdom and rulership, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(those whom Jehovah sees as saints, not necessarily</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">all </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">those, and not only those, who have been canonized by the Roman Church)</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:27.</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">but it, </span>the new kingdom, <span style="color: red;">shall crush and destroy all these previous kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Because you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain</span> (</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">some say, <span style="color: blue;">Mt. </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Zion</span>) <span style="color: red;">without hands,</span> not like all former kingdoms and religious denominations, which were man-made. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The man-made, aspect of the Christian church will be pulverised together with all other kingdoms of the earth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">and that it crushes the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold.</span> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-align: left;">And they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">7:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">39-45.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> At Christ's return, all former political devices and all other forms of government will be blown away like chaff on a very windy day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: red; text-align: left;">the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. </span><span style="text-align: left;"><b>After Christ's return, there will be only one government and only one system of belief and that government will not be a democracy.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is fascinating that the <i>Church of the Latter Day Saints</i> claims that they are <span style="color: red;">the stone cut out of the mountain</span> and that their system of belief will, in the end, destroy all other kingdoms and systems of belief. Such egotism!</span></div>
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Ike Fehrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09992132511882090438noreply@blogger.com0