Friday, October 17, 2008

"Sacred Secret of God..Brought To A Finish"

Who has heard of a thing like this? Who has seen things like these? Will a land be brought forth with labor pains in one day? Or will a nation be born at one time? For Zion has come into labor pains as well as given birth to her sons. "As for me, shall I cause the breaking through and not cause the giving birth?" says Jehovah. "Or am I causing a giving birth and do I actually cause a shutting up?" your God has said. Isaiah 66:8,9
John 1:1-3: The 144,000 << Link
In the Revelation the apostle John was transported by inspiration to the Lord’s day not only to witness but also to directly participate in a dramatic prophetic vision with Christ, similar to his transfiguration experience. In the 10th chapter of Revelation, John witnessed a powerful angel coming down from heaven and standing astride the earth and the sea. The angel that John envisioned can be none other than the glorified Lord Jesus Christ; as he comes down from heaven to lay claim to his inheritance – the earth – in order to make it subject to himself in accord with the mandate given him by Jehovah, as Paul explained in the 2nd chapter of his letter to the Hebrews. That the angel is Christ is evident from the symbolism employed.

Revelation 10:1-3 states: “And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet were as fiery pillars, and he had in his hand a little scroll opened. And he set his right foot upon the sea, but his left one upon the earth, and he cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices.

”The prophecy of Daniel referred to Jesus as the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven. Jesus personally applied that prophecy to himself when on trial before the Sanhedrin. And upon his ascension back to heaven Jesus was taken up into the clouds. It is appropriate, then, that Bible symbolism should depict the returning Christ cloaked with the clouds of heaven. (The attending angels at the ascension informed Christ’s awestruck disciples that Jesus would return in the “same manner” as they had beheld him going into the sky. Only Jesus’ loyal disciples witnessed his ascension.

Jesus’ returning in the “same manner” would seem to indicate that only his anointed disciples will see him after his descent from heaven.) Furthermore, in the vision of Revelation John reports that “his face was as the sun.”

No doubt the apostles immediately recognized the descending angel to be Christ Jesus, since in the transfiguration vision that John had witnessed some 60 years earlier Jesus’ face also shone like the sun. And the fact that the angel “cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars” ought to call to mind that Jesus is called “the lion of the tribe of Judah.

”With his feet firmly planted on the sea and earth the angel then “raised his right hand to heaven, and by the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it, he swore:

‘There will be no delay any longer; but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret of God according to the good news which he declared to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish.’”

“The sacred secret of God” pertains to the so-called seed of the woman, which is Christ in company with Jehovah’s hand-picked 144,000.

Naturally, “the mystery of God,” as some translations have worded it, will not be finished until all the chosen ones have been approved and sealed and Christ manifests himself to them – as is portrayed by the interaction of John with the descending angel in the Revelation vision.

That John participated in the vision as an awestruck observer of Christ’s descent to earth and that Jesus spoke to him and handed him the little scroll, thereby re-commissioning him to “prophesy again with regard to peoples and nations and tongues and many kings,” portends the manifestation of Christ to the remaining anointed ones on earth and their final assignment to give witness to Jesus’ presence in glory. Of course, the aged apostle was not personally re-commissioned by Christ to go on some sort of missionary tour of the Mediterranean region.

John was a very old man and a prisoner on the remote island of Patmos at the time. His earthly ministry was nearly over. The apostle merely represented in the vision those anointed servants of God who will be on earth when Christ actually comes down to finish the mystery of God. The fact that John was commissioned to “prophesy again” immediately after the strong angel had declared the sacred secret of God to have been accomplished is significant. It indicates that there will be a final witness given to the world after the calling and choosing of the sons of the kingdom has come to a finish.

As the last surviving apostle John typifies the surviving sons of the kingdom who will be on earth after the first resurrection begins. In harmony with the fact that the two witnesses come on the scene after the sealing has been accomplished, the 11th chapter of Revelation concludes with a vision of the curtain in God’s heavenly sanctuary being drawn back to reveal the ark of the covenant. Of course, it is not the literal Ark of the Covenant that used to sit in the Most Holy compartment of the tabernacle and temple, and which housed the actual stone tablets of the Law covenant.

That ark disappeared after the Babylonians sacked Jehovah’s temple long before the Common Era began. No, the Ark of the Covenant in Revelation must symbolize an ark of the new covenant, which is between Jehovah and those whom he adopts as spirit sons and daughters. The significance of John seeing the ark in its proper place in heaven’s sanctuary would seem to confirm what John had previously been told regarding the sacred secret of God coming to a finish. With the resurrection of God’s two witnesses to heaven the new covenant will have accomplished its primary purpose.

It means that the kingdom is complete and the covenant comes to a successful conclusion.

“AND I WILL CAUSE MY TWO WITNESSES TO PROPHECY” The designation of “two witnesses” signifies that they will have visibly witnessed the very presence of Christ, just as Peter, James and John visibly witnessed the transfiguration and John also witnessed Christ in the vision of Revelation. The two witnesses of Revelation are symbolized by Moses and Elijah not only because Moses and Elijah both appeared in the transfiguration vision, but because Moses and Elijah had personal encounters with Jehovah when they were alive.


Significantly, Moses and Elijah both were forced to flee into the wilderness and it was in the wilderness that Jehovah spoke to them. Moses spoke to Jehovah at the burning bush and also talked to Jehovah face-to-face upon Mount Sinai. (In reality it was the manifestation of an angel) Elijah lived in the wilderness for the duration of a three and one half year drought that came about at his order, during which time Jehovah miraculously fed the prophet by means of ravens that brought meat and bread twice a day.


This puts us in mind of the description of the two witnesses, who prophesy for 42 months and have authority to shut up the heavens so that it should not rain during the period of their prophesying. Prayers will not be heard! Later Elijah encountered Jehovah’s awe-inspiring manifestation when he was holed up in a cave in the wilderness. Moses and Elijah have another experience in common: They were both taken by Jehovah. Moses was ordered by God to ascend Mount Nebo in order to view the Promised Land. But he would not descend. Moses was to die for acting “undutifully” towards God on one occasion. The account says that even though he was 120 years old at the time Moses’ strength had not diminished and his eyesight had not grown dim. In other words, he did not die of old age. God simply took him and neither his body nor his grave was ever found.

Elijah was also symbolically taken when Jehovah’s fiery war chariot swooped down from the sky and whisked the prophet heavenward. The departure of Moses and Elijah stands as two prophetic dramas – enactments of future events. After their mysterious departures, it is as though Moses and Elijah showed up together centuries later in the transfiguration. Their symbolic departures earlier and their sudden re-appearance in the transfiguration of Christ, and afterwards their depiction as the two witnesses in Revelation, is intended to convey how Jehovah will take the remaining holy ones off the earth after they finish their witnessing and are subsequently killed by the resurrected wild beast. “THE REVEALING OF THE SONS OF GOD”

According to the writings of Paul the revelation of Christ is accompanied by another phenomenon – the revelation of the sons of God. Paul worded it this way at Romans 8:18-19: “Consequently I reckon that the sufferings of the present season do not amount to anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in us. For the eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.”For a certainty, Jesus and his fellow sons of God making up the new creation will be the most glorious beings in the entire universe.

The question is, though, does the “revealing of the sons of God” take place from heaven after all the chosen ones have been raised to Christ’s side, or “is the glory that is going to be revealed in us” an earthly manifestation that occurs prior to the departure of “the remaining ones”? The historical account of Moses’ own glorification and his portentous place in the transfiguration and Revelation indicates that the sons of God are destined to be glorified before they are harvested from the earth. The concluding portion of the 34th chapter of Exodus reads: “Now it came about when Moses came down from Mount Sinai that the two tablets of the Testimony were in the hand of Moses when he came down from the mountain, and Moses did not know that the skin of his face emitted rays because of his having spoken with him. When Aaron and all the sons of Israel got to see Moses, why, look! the skin of his face emitted rays and they grew afraid of coming near to him. And Moses proceeded to call them. So Aaron and all the chieftains among the assembly came back to him, and Moses began to speak to them. First after that all the sons of Israel came near to him, and he began commanding them all that Jehovah had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses would finish speaking with them, he would put a veil over his face. But when Moses would go in before Jehovah to speak with him, he would take away the veil until his going out. And he went out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he would be commanded. And the sons of Israel saw Moses’ face, that the skin of Moses’ face emitted rays; and Moses put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with him.”

The significance of Moses’ transfiguration is explained by Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians, where he said that the glory that is to be conferred upon those in the new covenant surpasses the glory that Moses possessed as the mediator of the old covenant. Paul wrote: “Moreover, if the code which administers death and which was engraved in letters in stones came about in a glory, so that the sons of Israel could not gaze intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, a glory that was to be done away with, why should not the administering of the spirit be much more with glory? For if the code administering condemnation was glorious, much more does the administering of righteousness abound with glory. In fact, even that which has once been made glorious has been stripped of glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels it. For if that which was to be done away with was brought in with glory, much more would that which remains be with glory. Therefore, as we have such a hope, we are using great freeness of speech, and not doing as when Moses would put a veil upon his face, that the sons of Israel might not gaze intently at the end of that which was to be done away with.” 2 Corinthians 3:7-13

Paul went on to explain that anointed Christians reflect Jehovah’s glory in their own faces and that the unbelievers are perishing as a result of the god of this age having placed a veil over their powers of perception – spiritually blinding them to the glorious good news. Of course, Paul was not saying that Christians literally emitted rays from their faces, as did Moses. Paul was speaking very generally. But considering that the judgment had not begun in the first century, and it has always been Jehovah’s purpose to resurrect both the righteous and the unrighteous, why did Paul say that those who had been blinded by the Devil were “perishing”? After all, the apostles perished too. And no doubt those who were blinded by the Devil so as to not comprehend the message of the first century Christians will receive an earthly resurrection. Apparently Paul’s words are intended to apply to the actual judgment period during the time of the end.

That is when God’s judgment is executed against those who prefer the darkness of the Devil’s world to the glorious illumination of Christ. Christ himself foretold that during the conclusion of the age the angels will permanently remove from Jehovah’s kingdom all those weed-like persons who are doing lawlessness and heave them into the fiery furnace – causing them to perish. It is at that time when the sons of God “will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” The sons of God shining like the sun in the kingdom of Jehovah means that they will have been fully accepted into the then-established kingdom; and not only that, but they will have conferred upon them the very glory of Christ – a glory that they will then reflect to illuminate others – those who have not allowed themselves to have become blinded by Satan.

In a miraculous manifestation reminiscent of Moses, the anointed will then be transfigured so as to radiate Jehovah’s glory in their own faces and in that way the sons of God will be revealed before creation as an earthly reflection of the glorious revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The teaching that only 144,000 go to heaven is biblical, but many see it as only Jews which is incorrect. I for one, though, believe that it is well supported by scripture. For the most part people reject the teaching because they are ignorant of Jehovah’s purpose to restore mankind and the earth to Edenic perfection. People have been falsely taught by Babylon’s clergy that heaven and hell are mankind’s destiny.
Even those who profess they have the truth have been duped, by leaders of the churches.

But as those who worship Jehovah in spirit and truth should know, it was never God’s purpose to perpetually harvest the imaginary departed souls of the dead to populate the heavens – much less does God delight in roasting hapless sinners in hellfire. God has always intended for humans to live forever in peace and happiness on earth and that purpose will be accomplished by two means – one, by resurrecting the dead back to life on earth; and secondly, by preserving a great crowd through the world-ending great tribulation, to establish what the prophecies call the new earth.


However, it has also pleased Jehovah to create what is called the new heavens. The new heaven is a group composed of Christ and those who are chosen to share with him in his kingdom a number to include the 144,000 caught away from the earth. The reason God purposed to create a new heavens, as well as a new earthly society, is because the rebellion against God originated in the heavens, with Satan the Devil and the angels who became demons. Satan accused God of selfishly holding back knowledge from his creation because they couldn’t be trusted. The Devil also slandered God; impugning his character by implying that God has to bribe his creatures to be loyal to him and that if tested with hardship no one would ever be willing to suffer for God. And conversely, Satan also suggested that all intelligent creation is incapable of offering God complete loyalty and unselfish devotion.

So, in order to conclusively prove Satan to be a liar God proposed to create a new creation composed of a limited number of indestructible spirits who are chosen from among mankind the final sealing, and basically given the keys to the universe. But first they must prove their loyalty unto death before Jehovah grants them their reward. By doing so God demonstrates that he will not withhold anything from those whom he loves and who love him.

Because Jehovah’s magnanimity is displayed to such a superlative degree in his proposed new creation, it is a complete humiliation for the Devil. But, because he is a liar and the father of all lies, as Jesus called him, Satan is intent on belittling, discrediting and opposing anything having to do with the new creation. One method he has used to belittle Jehovah’s incredible gift is by making it seem ordinary to most people. This he has done through the commonly accepted lies of Christianity that have deluded masses of people into believing that everyone goes to heaven, or at least all “Christians” supposedly do, as if it were their God-given birthright. But the Scriptures indicate otherwise. Only a representative number are chosen to be part of the new creation. The very designation of “chosen ones” indicates that it is an exclusive group of a limited number. Jesus also indicated as much when he addressed his fellow kingdom heirs as a “little flock.”


In examining the context of Jesus’ remarks in the 12th chapter of Luke, it becomes apparent that the little flock extends all the way down to those who would be living when Christ commences his parousia. That is apparent because immediately after assuring the little flock that his Father had approved of giving them the kingdom, Jesus went on to say: “Let your loins be girded and your lamps be burning, and you yourselves be like men waiting for their master when he returns from the marriage, so that at his arriving and knocking they may at once open to him. Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to you, He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them. And if he arrives in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them thus, happy are they! But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have kept watching and not have let his house be broken into. You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely the Son of man is coming.”

Since Jesus was directly addressing those whom he called a little flock when he said the above it is evident that the little flock of kingdom heirs will be on earth when the Son of man arrives. It is therefore evident that all the anointed kingdom heirs make up what Jesus called the little flock. Those who insist otherwise are perpetuating a lie. We know the dead in Christ rise first. As recorded at John 17:2, which was his last public prayer before his sacrificial death, Jesus referred to the “whole number” of believers, whom his Father had given him.

Revelation reveals the “whole number” amounts to 144,000. How do we know that number applies to the little flock? For one thing, the 7th chapter of Revelation says that the 144,000 are sealed, 12,000 out of the 12 tribes of Israel. Of course, it is not in reference to the literal 12 tribes of Israel, which no longer even existed when Revelation was written. The letter of James is addressed to the 'twelve tribes scattered about,' which is in reference to those anointed in Christ that had sprung from the 12 founding apostles.

On the matter of the sealing: only anointed Christians are said to be sealed with God’s spirit. As 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 says: “But he who guarantees that you and we belong to Christ and he who has anointed us is God. He has also put his seal upon us and has given us the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit, in our hearts.”

Furthermore, Revelation 14:1-3 reveals other vital clues as to the identity of the 144,000. Those verses read: “And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps. And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.”

The fact that the 144,000 have the name of Jehovah and Jesus written upon their foreheads indicates that they have been especially chosen, bought from the earth, as verse three says. The great crowd are not said to have been bought from the earth, nor are they depicted as having the name of God and Christ written on their foreheads. The 144,000 are Jehovah’s very special possession, unlike any other creation. Mount Zion, where the 144,000 are standing with Christ, is a symbol for the very kingdom of God in heaven. That’s because literal Mount Zion in Jerusalem was the place of Jehovah’s typical throne and temple. Jesus standing upon Mount Zion with 144,000 can only be depicting Christ and his little flock in the kingdom; the very ones whom Jesus assured would be given the kingdom.


It is significant too that it says that the 144,000 are singing to Jehovah a new song and “no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.” The exclusivity of the 144,000 grouping is underscored by the fact that no one can master the new song except the 144,000. A new song is a fitting symbol to distinguish the special worship rendered to Jehovah by those who are taken into a new covenant, to be a new creation in the new heavens and a new Jerusalem.


It is interesting, however, that in the 11th chapter of Romans Paul alluded to the days of the prophet Elijah when Jehovah preserved 7,000 who had not bent their knee in worship of Baal. Paul then applied that number to what he called the “remnant” of God’s choosing then living. That is not to say that Paul was implying that there were literally only 7,000 Christians in the first century, but in order for his comparison to have any meaning back then there must have been a comparable number. (The real significance of the 7,000 is sealed up in the sacred secret of Revelation) On down in that same chapter of Romans, Paul went on to say that “all of Israel will be saved” only when the “full number of people from the nations has come in.”


This expression not only indicates that “Israel” is composed of non-Jewish persons, hence a spiritual Israel, but that there is a pre-ordained specific number that is to be gathered. In Paul’s day the full number who would be taken from the nations to become part of “Israel” was still a mystery, but with the writing of Revelation at the close of the apostolic era the full number was revealed to amount to 144,000.When will the trampling begin? According to the context of Revelation, it commences with the coming of Christ. The oft-overlooked 10th chapter of Revelation presents to us a vision of the coming of Christ, where it says: And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet were as fiery pillars, and he had in his hand a little scroll opened. And he set his right foot upon the sea, but his left one upon the earth, and he cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices. Now when the seven thunders spoke, I was at the point of writing; but I heard a voice out of heaven say: “Seal up the things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them down.” And the angel that I saw standing on the sea and on the earth raised his right hand to heaven, and by the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it, he swore: “There will be no delay any longer; but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret of God according to the good news which he declared to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish.” Revelation 10:1-7



Monday, October 13, 2008

JESUS' BIRTH





Now all this has happened, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son. They shall call his name Immanuel;" which is, being interpreted, "God with us." Matthew 1:22-23. This "prophecy" comes from Matthew's reading of Isaiah 7:14, which reads: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
Peter was watching, fascinated, as Jesus bent down to wash His disciples' feet. This was unusual, even strange, to see a teacher washing His followers' feet. Peter had observed Jesus rising during supper to remove His outer garment and wrap a towel around His waist. Peter well knew this was an act customarily performed by slaves or servants. In that day, whenever guests were invited to a home, the lowliest household slave or servant washed the guests' feet. John 1:27 and Luke 7:44 refer to this custom.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. For God sent forth his Son into the world, not for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him. He that exercises faith in him is not to be judged. He that does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. John 3:16-18



Ask of me, that I may give nations as your inheritance And the ends of the earth as your own possession. You will break them with an iron scepter, As though a potter’s vessel you will dash them to pieces." And now, O kings, exercise insight; Let yourselves be corrected, O judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fearAnd be joyful with trembling. Kiss the son, that He may not become incensed And YOU may not perish [from] the way, For his anger flares up easily. Happy are all those taking refuge in him. 2:8-12


Remember, Jesus' followers recognized that he had existed as a spirit creature before his Father and God sent him to the earth. John 8:23, 58


But the birth of Jesus Christ was in this way. During the time his mother Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph, she was found to be pregnant by holy spirit before they were united. However, Joseph her husband, because he was righteous and did not want to make her a public spectacle, intended to divorce her secretly. But after he had thought these things over, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a dream, saying: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife home, for that which has been begotten in her is by holy spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you must call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this actually came about for that to be fulfilled which was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: "Look! The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will call his name Im·man´u·el," which means, when translated, "With Us Is God." Then Joseph woke up from his sleep and did as the angel of Jehovah had directed him, and he took his wife home. But he had no intercourse with her until she gave birth to a son; and he called his name Jesus. Matthew 1:18-25



Bethlehem But Mary said to the angel: "How is this to be, since I am having no intercourse with a man?" In answer the angel said to her: "Holy spirit will come upon you, from the power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son. And, look! Elizabeth your relative has also herself conceived a son, in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her, the so-called barren woman; because with God no declaration will be an impossibility." Then Mary said: "Look! Jehovah’s slave girl! May it take place with me according to your declaration." At that the angel departed from her. Luke 1:34-38

Well, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant in her womb leaped; and Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, and she called out with a loud cry and said: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! For, look! as the sound of your greeting fell upon my ears, the infant in my womb leapedwith great gladness. Happy too is she that believed, because there will be a complete performance of those things spoken to her from Jehovah's angel." And Mary said: "My soul magnifies Jehovah, and my spirit cannot keep from being overjoyed at God my Savior; Luke 1:41-47

Remember the purpose of these Biblical accounts. Of the four Gospel records, Matthew's and Luke's are the only two that tell of Jesus' birth and childhood. The word "gospel" means "good news." Both men had the same message that Jesus is the promised Messiah, or Christ; that he died for mankind's sins; and that he was resurrected to heaven. Two writers had markedly different backgrounds. Luke 1:1-3. Not surprisingly, their accounts differ. But the two do not, contradict each other. They complement each other, dove tailing nicely to form a more complete picture.


Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem


Matthew and Luke both record an inspiring miracle concerning the birth of Jesus, he was born of a virgin. Matthew shows that this miracle fulfilled a prophecy uttered centuries before by Isaiah. Isa 7:14; Mt 1:22, 23. Luke explains that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because a registration instituted by Caesar forced Joseph and Mary to travel there. That Jesus was born in Bethlehem was significant. Centuries earlier, the prophet Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be from this seemingly insignificant town near Jerusalem. Mic 5:2

The night of Jesus' birth has become famous as the basis for Nativity scenes. However, the real story is quite different from the one often depicted. Historian Luke, who tells us of the census that brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, also tells us of the shepherds' spending that important night out-of-doors with their flocks. These two circumstances have led many Bible searchers to conclude that Jesus could not have been born during December. They point out the unlikelihood of Caesar's forcing the volatile Jews to trek to their home cities during the cold and rainy season, which could further enrage a rebellious people. It's very unlikely, shepherds would have been living out-of-doors with their flocks in such inclement weather. Lu 2:8-14

Jehovah chose to announce the birth of his Son, not to the educated and religious leaders of the day, but to laborers living out-of-doors. The scribes and Pharisees had little to do with shepherds, whose irregular hours kept them from observing some details of the oral law. But God favored these humble, faithful men with a great honor a delegation of angels informed them that the Messiah, whom God's people had been awaiting for thousands of years, had just been born in Bethlehem. It was these men, and not "three kings" so often represented in Nativity scenes, who visited Mary and Joseph and beheld this innocent baby lying in a manger. Luke 2:15-20

God favors the humble who love him repent and have zeal in seeing the fulfillment of his purposes, about a month after the child's birth, Joseph and Mary present him at the temple in obedience to the Mosaic Law, they make an offering there of "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons." Lu 2:22-24..The Law actually called for a ram, but it allowed for this less expensive option in cases of poverty. Lev 12:1-8. Jehovah God, the Sovereign of the universe, chose, not a wealthy family, but a poor one as the household in which his beloved, only-begotten Son would be raised. "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from GOD to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary." Mary Jesus' mother is of the Judah lineage. Luke 1:26,27

At the temple, two other faithful, humble worshipers are favored by Jehovah. One is Anna, an 84-year-old widow who is "never missing from the temple." Luke 2:36, 37. Another is a faithful elderly man named Simeon. Both are thrilled with the privilege God has granted them before they die, laying eyes on the one who would be the promised Messiah. Simeon utters a prophecy over the child. It is a prophecy filled with hope but tinged with mourning. He foretells that this young mother, Mary, will one day be pierced with grief over her beloved son. Luke 2:25-35


Simeon's prophecy is a grim reminder that this innocent child will become an object of hatred. Even while he is still an infant, this hatred is already at work. Matthew's account details how this is so. A number of months have passed, and Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are now living in a house in Bethlehem. They receive an unexpected visitfrom a number of foreigners. Matthew does not specify how many men came, nor does he call them "wise men," much less "three kings." He uses the Greek word ma'goi, which means "astrologers." The reader given a clue, evil is at work, for astrology is an art that God's Word condemns also faithful Jews scrupulously avoided. De 18:10-12; Isa 47:13, 14

These astrologers have followed a star from the east and are bearing gifts for "the one born king of the Jews." Mt 2:2. But the star does not lead them to Bethlehem. It draws them to Jerusalem to Herod the Great. No man in the world holds such means and motive to harm young Jesus. This ambitious, murderous man killed several of his own family. Disturbed to hear of the birth of a future "king of the Jews," he tells the astrologers to find that one in Bethlehem.

As they go, something strange happens. The "star" that led them to travel to Jerusalem seems to move! Mt 2:1-9. Now, whether this was an actual light in the sky or simply a vision, we do not know. But we do know that this "star" was not from God. With sinister precision, it leads these pagan worshipers right to Jesus..a child vulnerable and helpless, protected only by a poor carpenter and his wife.

The astrologers, likely would have reported back to the vengeful monarch, leading to the child's destruction. But God intervenes through a dream and sends them back home by another route. The "star," then, was a device of God's enemy Satan, who would go to any lengths to harm the Messiah. Mt 2:9-12. Still, Satan does not give up. His pawn in the matter, King Herod, orders that all infants in Bethlehem under two years of age be killed. But Satan cannot win a battle against Jehovah. Matthew notes that God had long ago foreseen even this vicious slaughter of innocent children. Jehovah countered Satan again, warning Joseph through an angel to flee to Egypt for safety. Mt 2:13-23; 13:55, 56.

The Birth of Christ


Many are surprised to find that the accounts are actually harmonious and accurate, Despite some people's bold assertions to the contrary. They are surprised to learn that some events were foretold hundreds of years in advance. And they are surprised that some key elements in the Gospels differ markedly from portrayals in traditional Nativity and x/mas stories and crèches.

Gospel narratives: Little thought is given, for instance, to Jesus' Father, not Joseph, but Jehovah God. Imagine his feelings upon entrusting his beloved Son to Joseph and Mary for them to raise him and provide for him. Imagine the heavenly Father's agony in letting his Son grow up in a world in which a hate-filled king would plot his murder even when he was a mere child! It was profound love for mankind that moved Jehovah to make this sacrifice. Joh 3:16. The real Jesus is often lost in x/mas celebrations. Why, there is no record that he ever even told the disciples his date of birth; nor is there any indication that his followers celebrated his birthday.

It was not Jesus' birth but his death, and its history-making significance. Lu 22:19, 20. More than 60 years after his execution, Jesus revealed himself in vision to the apostle John. He treads too the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty. And upon his outer garment, even upon his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11-16

As Ruler of God's heavenly Kingdom, we should get to know Jesus for he will reign as the King foretold for 1,000 year's a future event.

And I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb [is]. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb. And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life [will]. Revelation 21:23-27

Sunday, October 12, 2008

REPENT!




"Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God." That is why I make a retraction, And I do repent in dust and ashes." Job 37:14; 42:6
"Wait for Jehovah: Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for Jehovah." Ps 27:14


The Way to His Father and God in pray. The Mediator to God is God's only begotten Son. The Truth His Father's Truth as The Word of God, The Logos is Jesus who was sent by His Father,The Life..The Life God gave to the world in His Lamb His Son Jesus. John 3:16-18. The Life Jesus was so willing to give in being a submissive Son who did His Father's Will and Will again.


"For evil-doers shall be cut off; But those that wait for Jehovah,they shall inherit the earth. For just a little while longer, and the wicked ones shall be no more: Yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and he shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The righteous shall inherit the earth, And dwell therein forever. Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to inherit the earth; When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." Ps 37:9-11,29


I have paid attention, and I kept listening. It was not right the way they kept speaking. There was not a man repenting over his badness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Each one is going back into the popular course, like a horse that is dashing into the battle. and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it. Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings. ’Now change your lives and start doing good and obey the Lord your God.



Then he will change his mind and not bring on you the disaster he has told you about. If YOU will without fail keep dwelling in this land, I will also build YOU up and I shall not tear [YOU] down, and I will plant YOU and I shall not uproot [YOU]; for I shall certainly feel regret over the calamity that I have caused to YOU. Do not be afraid because of the king of Babylon, of whom YOU are in fear.’ "‘Do not be afraid because of him,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘for I am with YOU, in order to save YOU and to deliver YOU out of his hand. Jer 8:6; 18:8,10; 26:3,13; 42:10,11


Therefore say unto the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations."‘Therefore each one according to his ways is how I shall judge YOU, O house of Israel,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to me, saying: "Son of man, here I am taking away from you the thing desirable to your eyes by a blow, and you should not beat your breast, neither should you weep nor should your tears come on. Sigh without words. For the dead ones no mourning should you make. Your headdress bind on yourself, and your sandals you should put upon your feet. And you should not cover over [the] mustache, and the bread of men you should not eat." Eze 14:6; 18:30; 24:15-17


Ezekiel had a vision where an angel gave him a tour of God’s heavenly house. After the vision he wrote that a river of the Spirit of God flows out through the entrance door into the throne room. Speaking about the angel, Ezekiel said, "Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar." Eze 47:1. We know that the "house" this verse is talking about is the heavenly temple of God because it is water that "flows from the sanctuary" v 47:12


The Father has exalted Jesus to such a great extent that He is radiating enough of the Holy Spirit to cause a river to flow down from before the throne: "Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb" Revelation 22:1

Note the volume. It is a river. It is not a small stream. It is the radiance of God that becomes the river that flows out through the doorway to the throne room. I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction? their repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Ho 13:14. Who is there knowing whether he will turn back and actually repent, feel regret and let remain after it a blessing, a grain offering and a drink offering for Jehovah YOUR God? Joe 2:14


"For this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘"Just as Ihad in mind to do what was calamitous to YOU people because of YOUR forefathers’ making me indignant," Jehovah of armies has said, "and I felt no regret,so I will again have in mind in these days to deal well with Jerusalem and with the house of Judah. Do not be afraid."’ "‘These are the things that YOU people should do: Speak truthfully with one another. With truth and the judgment of peace do YOUR judging in YOUR gates. And calamity to one another do not YOU scheme up in YOUR hearts, and do not love any false oath; for these are all things that I have hated,’ is the utterance of Jehovah." Zec 8:14-17

Jesus said : "YOU must pray, then, this way: Our Father in heaven, help us to honor your name. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place , as in heaven, also upon earth. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us for doing wrong, as we are to forgive others. Keep us from being tempted and protect us from the evil one. If you forgive others for the wrongs they do to you, your Father in heaven will forgive YOU; whereas if YOU do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will YOUR Father forgive YOUR trespasses. Matthew 6:9-15

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Ju·de´a, saying: "REPENT, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." This, in fact, isthe one spoken of through Isaiah the prophet in these words: "Listen! Someone is crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah, YOU people! Make his roads straight.’" But this very John had his clothing of camel’s hair and a leather girdle around his loins; his food too was insect locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Ju·de´a and all the country around the Jordan made their way out to him, and people were baptized by him in the Jordan River, openly confessing their sins. When he caught sight of many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to the baptism, he said to them: "YOU offspring of vipers, who has intimated to YOU to flee from the coming wrath? So then produce fruit that befits repentance; and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘As a father we have Abraham.’ For I say to YOU that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree, then, that does not produce fine fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire. I, for my part, baptize YOU with water because of YOUR repentance; but the one coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not fit to take off. That one will baptize YOU people with holy spirit and with fire.


His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will completely clean up his threshing floor, and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with fire that cannot be put out." Then Jesus came from Gal´i·lee to the Jordan to John, in order to be baptized by him. But the latter tried to prevent him, saying: "I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?" In reply Jesus said to him: "Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all thatis righteous." Then he quit preventing him. After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him. Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: "This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved." Mt 3:1-17

Then he started to reproach the cities in which most of his powerful works had taken place, because they did not repent: "Woe to you, Cho·ra´zin! Woe to you, Beth·sa´i·da! because if the powerful works had taken place in Tyre and Si´don that took place in YOU, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. Consequently I say to YOU, It will be more endurable for Tyre and Si´don on Judgment Day than for YOU. And you, Ca·per´na·um, will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to Ha´des you will come; because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Sod´om, it would have remained until this very day. Consequently I say to YOU people, It will be more endurable for the land of Sod´om on Judgment Day than for you." Mt 11:20-24

For just as Jo´nah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. Men of Nin´e·veh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; because they repented at what Jo´nah preached, but, look! something more than Jo´nah is here. The queen of the south will be raised up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Sol´o·mon, but, look! something more than Sol´o·mon is here. Mt 14:40-42

At that very season there were certain ones present that reported to him about the Gal·i·le´ans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. So in reply he said to them: "Do YOU imagine that these Gal·i·le´ans were proved worse sinners than all other Gal·i·le´ans because they have suffered these things? No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all likewise be destroyed. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Si·lo´am fell, there by killing them, do YOU imagine that they were proved greater debtors than all other men inhabiting Jerusalem? No, indeed, I tell YOU; but, unless YOU repent, YOU will all be destroyed in the same way." Lu 13:1-5

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners kept drawing near to him to hear him. Consequently both the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering, saying: "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Then he spoke this illustration to them, saying: "What man of YOU with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? And when he has found it he puts it upon hisshoulders and rejoices. And when he gets home he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’ I tell YOU that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance. Lu 15:1-7

But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’ Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’" Then he said to his disciples: "It is unavoidable that causes for stumbling should come. Nevertheless, woe to the one through whom they come! It would be of more advantage to him if a millstone were suspended from his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to stumble one of these little ones. Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother commits a sin give him a rebuke, and if he repents forgive him. Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him." Lu 16:29,30; 17:1-4

He now said to them: "These are my words which I spoke to YOU while I was yet with YOU, that all the things written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms about me must be fulfilled." Then he opened up their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures, and he said to them: "In this way it iswritten that the Christ would suffer and rise from among the dead on the third day, and on the basis of his name repentance for forgiveness of sins would be preached in all the nations—starting out from Jerusalem, YOU are to be witnesses of these things. And, look! I am sending forth upon YOU that which is promised by my Father. YOU,though, abide in the city until YOU become clothed with power from on high." Lu 24:44-49

Consequently his name, by [our] faith in his name, has made this man strong whom YOU behold and know, and the faith that is through him has given the man this complete soundness in the sight of all of YOU. And now, brothers, I know that YOU acted in ignorance, just as YOUR rulers also did. But in this way God has fulfilled the things he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer.

"Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get YOUR sins blotted out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the person of Jehovah and that he may send forth the Christ appointed for YOU, Jesus, whom heaven, indeed, must hold within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time. Ac 3:16-21

If, therefore, God gave the same free gift to them as he also did to us who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?" Now when they heard these things, they acquiesced, and they glorified God, saying: "Well, then, God hasgranted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the nations also." Ac 11:17,18

"Seeing, therefore, that we are the progeny of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and contrivance of man. True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent. Because he has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead." but both to those in Damascus first and to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Ju·de´a, and to the nations I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance. Ac 17:29-31; 26:20

Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and long-suffering, because you do not know that the kindly [quality] of God is trying to lead you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath foryourself on the day of wrath and of the revealing of God’s righteous judgment. And he will render to each one according to his works: Ro 2:4-6

Consequently let him that thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall. No temptation has taken YOU except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let YOU be tempted beyond what YOU can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make theway out in order for YOU to be able to endure it. 1 Co 10:12,13

now I rejoice, not because YOU were just saddened, but becauseYOU were saddened into repenting; for YOU were saddened in a godly way, that YOU might suffer no damage in anything due to us. For sadness in a godly way makes for repentance to salvation that is not to be regretted; but the sadness of the world produces death. For, look! this very thing, YOUR being saddened in a godly way, what a great earnestness it produced in YOU, yes, clearing of yourselves, yes, indignation, yes, fear, yes, longing, yes,zeal,yes, righting of the wrong! Inevery respect YOU demonstrated yourselves to be chaste in this matter. Certainly, althoughI wrote YOU, I did it, neither for the one who did the wrong, nor for the one who was wronged, but that YOUR earnestness for us might be made manifest among YOU in the sight of God. 2 Co 7:9-12


Perhaps, when I come again, my God might humiliate me among YOU, and I might mourn over many of those who formerly sinned but have not repented over their uncleanness and fornication and loose conduct that they have practiced. 2 Co 12:21

So, flee from the desires incidental to youth, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call upon the Lord out of a clean heart. Further, turn down foolish and ignorant questionings, knowing they produce fights. But a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach, keeping himself restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed; as perhaps God may give them repentance leading to anaccurate knowledge of truth, 2 Ti 2: 22-25

But by the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire and are being reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men. However, let this one fact not be escaping YOUR notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. 2 Pe 3:7-9

"‘Therefore remember from what you have fallen, and repent and do the former deeds. If you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Re 2:5

"‘Nevertheless, I do hold [this] against you, that you tolerate that woman Jez´e·bel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit fornication and to eat thingssacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her fornication. Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. "‘All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. Re 2:20-22; 3:19


because they poured out the blood of holy ones and of prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." And I heard the altar say: "Yes, Jehovah God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judicial decisions." And the fourth one poured out his bowl upon the sun; and to [the sun] it was granted to scorch the men with fire. And the men were scorched with great heat, but they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give glory to him. And the fifth one poured out his bowl upon the throne of thewild beast. And its kingdom became darkened, and they began to gnaw their tongues for [their] pain, but they blasphemed the God of heaven for their pains and for their ulcers, and they did not repent of their works. Re 16:6-11