QUESTION
LIST #6:
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Is 'Hell' a place of eternal torture or
is it a blotting out of a soul?
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Cloning, can man really create life?
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T
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What is Baptism?
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What about all those lies against Jesus?
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Do all religious 'paths' lead to the same
one God?
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Who are the real Egyptians and where did
they come from?
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The Biblical Lachish,
& Sennacherib, Hezekiah, and Isaiah the Prophet
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Why has God allowed
Heathen to control Jerusalem at various times in history?
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Why will we have no
'gender' in Heaven?
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list of all questions on Website |
Question #10
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Why will we have no
'gender' in Heaven?
Diane writes:
Great web site as I also [study with] Pastor (A
fine Christian Minister) [of (another Ministry on TV)].
Question:
In the third earth age, we are not male or female anymore.
WHY NOT?
also, Does GOD appoint our time of Death?
I can't believe that GOD would do that when it comes to people getting
killed in crashes, murders, etc...
WHY are innocent kids born with devastating illnesses?
--Diane
Answer:
Hello Diane:
Thank you for the word of encouragement, we hope
you will share our site with others. We shall answer your question about
'gender in Heaven' lastly. But as for your second question asking
whether God has some preset time for each of us to die. The answer
is no!, because God gives us free-will to make choices in life, some of
our choices are good some are bad, some lead to death some to life
(temporal and immortal), but God gives us free will to make our own
choices. If God controlled our every choice then He could not fairly
Judge us on Judgment day. And we know that our God is an ever so
fair God!
In regards to your last question, it could be
summed up as: "Why does God allow bad things to happen?"
Diane, that question is answered quite in depth in another area of this
site. Would you permit me to simply give you a direct link to that
answer, as it so closely parallels yours?: Page
#1; Questions answered
And now lastly, your first question was "In
the third earth age, we are not male or female anymore. WHY NOT?"
Ok, for the benefit of other readers, we will
back up a bit and explain your above correct statement and then move on to
the question raised.
The 'third earth age' that Diane is referring to
is simply called 'Heaven' by most Christians. Many are not aware
that there was an age before this one (the first earth age); the one we
live in now is the second, and Heaven will be the third. We have an
in-depth Bible study that will fully explain and document this for the
reader from the Bible: WHEN
WAS THE BEGINNING. And please
understand that this is NOT reincarnation! Reincarnation is a false
doctrine strait from satan which causes people to believe that they are
not fully accountable for their lives here on earth.
Diane understands that in Heaven we shall be "as
the Angels," having no reproductive
gender as we do today:
Mark 12:25 (Jesus
speaking)
25 For when they shall rise from the dead,
they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels
which are in heaven. (KJV)
So, we must understand that when we enter into
the Heaven Age, or more simply stated, when we resurrect from this mortal
body we are in a spiritual body which is eternal and does not age nor bear
sickness and handicap. (We shall not explain the Millennium in this
topic for sake of clarity)
In other words, when we go to Heaven we will be
in an eternal body as are the Angels now in an eternal body (meaning:
those of us and them that overcome and come out of the Great White Throne
Judgment {Rev 20:11-13} of course!). Many will perish in the Lake of
Fire {Rev20:14-15}, which is the true Biblical meaning of what we commonly
refer to as "going to Hell."
You will notice that whenever an Angel is
described in the Bible, it (he) is always described as a young male,
always in the masculine gender. The idea of female angels or
heavenly hosts is purely a Pagan perversion of the truth. All Pagan
'religions' worship or adore a female supernatural entity, i.e., Isis
in Egypt, Isi in India (to this very day), Cybele in Asia, Fortuna
in Pagan Rome, Ceres in in Greece, Shing Moo in China, Diana
of the Ephesians {Acts 19:35}, Queen of Heaven among the Old
Testament idolatrous Israel {Jer 44:18-25}, Madonna or Our Lady
of the modern day Roman Catholic Church,....
When one understands the truth contained in our
Heavenly Father's Word, the Bible, it make 'quick work' of identifying
false doctrines and religions. But the reason that Angels in the
Bible are referred to in the masculine gender is done for our (frail
human) understanding, in reality the gender of these Angels is not as we
would understand gender today. Let me explain.
I know that Diane understands this, but for the
benefit of the reader who does not, allow me to take this all the down to
the beginning. In the first earth age (chronologically occurring
between {Gen 1:1 and 1:2}) we were all with God in spiritual bodies: "When
the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for
joy" {Job 38:7}.
Job 38:4-7 (God
speaking to Job)
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if
thou hast understanding.
5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath
stretched the line upon it?
6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner
stone thereof;
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons
of God shouted for joy? (KJV)
Satan, then called Lucifer, rebelled against God
and drew one-third of 'us' with him in an overthrow attempt against God
{Rev 12:4a (first half of verse 4)}.
God abruptly terminated that first earth age {Jer 4:23-26 & 2nd Peter
3:5-6}, and paved the way for this second earth age (our present one) {Jer
4:27 & 2nd Peter 3:7}.
In this second earth age we are all born of woman
innocent of any sin from before, and we are to decide whether to follow
God through Jesus Christ or satan through the world: "And
as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment"
{Heb 9:27}.
In {Gen 2:26-27} we see that 'mankind' were are
all created in the image of God, yet we all look different. What it
is saying in {Gen 2:26-27} is that we were created to look as God, i.e.,
our current human body as opposed to all the other life-forms God created
prior to 'man.' In {Gen 2:7} we see that Adam was Formed in the express
image of the Lord God yet still a man and not a god. Then later on,
Jesus Christ would be 'God in the flesh': "I
and my Father are one" {Jn 10:30}.
Once again we would refer the reader to: WHEN
WAS THE BEGINNING &: MANKIND;
THE TWO SEPARATE 'CREATION' EVENTS.
Now we get to Diane's last question: "In
the third earth age, we are not male or female anymore. WHY NOT?"
Well for one, it will not be necessary for
'mankind' to have a womb to be birthed through, that was only necessary
for this flesh age (our present second age), in 'Heaven' all the souls
that weren't blotted out in the Lake of Fire (Hell) will be present
with the Lord {Rev 21:3}, there will be no one to birth. (For a
better understanding of just what Hell is, see: Question
#1, this page).
That is not to say that the souls of the women
alive today will not be in Heaven, God forbid! They will be in
Heaven, but they will be in their spiritual bodies just as the men alive
today will also go into their spiritual bodies. The spiritual bodies
we (males) will be in in Heaven are also different than the flesh bodies
we are in now, for in Heaven there will be no reproductive genders,
therefore only one non-gender; and our spiritual bodies are
eternal (except the ones blotted out by God in the Lake of Fire).
Only God can destroy a soul: "And
fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but
rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell"
{Matt 10:28}.
So while it is difficult for us to understand the
plan of God with our mere human minds, it all becomes clear when you look
at in a spiritual sense:
Rom 11:33-34
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his
counsellor? (KJV)
I guess maybe that one of the better reasons that
there shall be no 'gender' in Heaven is because of the strife, loyalties,
and betrayals that this whole concept of 'male and female' presents in our
day, and the confusion that would be created in Heaven, if when we got
there, we still had flesh longings and loyalties to 'family units'
and 'those special someones,' i.e., boyfriend/girlfriend,
husband/wife.... I think Jesus explains this best:
Mark 12:18-27 (Jesus
speaking to the Sadducees)
18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection;
and they asked him, saying,
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his
wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his
wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying
left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the
third likewise.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died
also.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall
she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not
therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of
God?
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in
the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye
therefore do greatly err. (KJV)
Diane, I thank you for your question, as it has
allowed us to 'cover a lot of ground' for the benefit of all! God
bless you Diane, and being a Shepard's Chapel Student you know what I mean
by: "keep cracking" in the Word! God bless.
P.S.:
Pastor (A fine Christian Minister) of the Shepherd's Chapel uses a
phrase about Bible studying, he says: "Get cracking!"
By the way, while
we do not in any way represent another Ministry on TV with
Pastor (A fine Christian Minister) , it is where we at Watchmen
Bible Study Group enjoy to study. If you would like to check it out, "The
Shepherds Chapel" is on over 250 television stations in
the United States, and can be found by that name in any TV guide.
It is also on satellite:
Galaxy 6 Trans 16. On Direct TV on channel #373
(The Word channel). Also on short wave radio: WHRI
& KWHR from Indiana (17.780 MHz @ 0500-0600Hrs, 5.745
MHz @ 0700-0800 Hrs, 13.760 MHz @
1700-1800Hrs. (All times Universal Time). They also have a website @: www.shepherdschapel.com,
but there are no Bible studies on it except for streaming video of the
live telecasts.
Introductory Offer: (another
Ministry on TV) has a free introductory package which includes the Mark
of the Beast tape which is available to all new students - from the
United States, Canada and Mexico call (800) 643-4645 or (501) 787-6026
or write to: (another Ministry on TV); P.O. Box 416, Gravette, AR 72736
USA.
Nick, WBSG.
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Question #9
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Why has God allowed Heathen to control
Jerusalem at various times in history? (including now)
Lance writes and asks:
I have yet another
question, Why did GOD and Christ allow the Sejuik Turks whom were
Islamic in religion to have control over the Holy Land in years of 1000
AD to 1300 AD, and why the Christians couldn't win, and does this
crusade refute Christ and support Mohammad?
-- Lance
Answer:
Hello again Lance:
We will be a little easier on you this time. You basically ask
why God "couldn't" keep Jerusalem in the hands of His
followers, then you seem to allude that if God "couldn't"
control Jerusalem then He or Jesus somehow are diminished in your eyes.
Is that a correct summation of your question?
You also ask that since there was Islamic control of Jerusalem does
that mean that God and/or Jesus Christ somehow failed. That would
only be true if you feel that fulfilled prophecy, written some 1400 years
ahead of the fact (483 B.C. to the year A.D. 1000 you yourself specify),
and then fulfilled as written, is a sign of God's failure.
Lance, Jerusalem was called Jebus before David conquered it and took it
from the Jebusites (Canaanites). The history of Jerusalem is
interesting indeed.
Let's start off with God's feelings about Jerusalem. Jerusalem is
God's favorite place in the universe. In the sixteenth chapter of
Ezekiel we see the story of Jerusalem. We will not include the
entire sixty-three verses of that sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel for space
concerns, but allow me to explain the parable of the chapter and then you
read the whole chapter and you shall see that God is in fact in control.
God did not leave Jerusalem, Jerusalem left God.
As you read Ezekiel chapter 16, understand that God is likening a young
girl, a virgin, to His favorite place in His universe - Jerusalem.
God speaks of Jerusalem as His first love, like a man would speak of his
first true sweetheart; He does this so that we, with all our frail human
emotions, can understand how God feels about idolatry.
Idolatry is the way we commit spiritual adultery against God. God
so hates idolatry, just as we hate when our true love commits adultery
against us. We will give a brief narrative of this parable, we will
see this virgin grow up and mature, marry, then adulterate and become
divorced, suffer punishment, and then finally remarry to her
Husband, He whom loved her first and whom will love her forever.
Lance, you must think spiritually in this chapter, equate the flesh of
this girl to the Holy City Jerusalem.
Ezek 16:1-3
1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy
birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an
Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. (KJV)
Comment on Scripture: Above we see that God is
speaking to Jerusalem, not a girl, but He will liken Jerusalem to a
girl in this prophecy.
Ezek 16:4-6
4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not
cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not
salted at all, nor swaddled at all.
5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion
upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of
thy person, in the day that thou wast born.
6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I
said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee
when thou wast in thy blood, Live. (KJV)
Comment on Scripture: This is Jerusalem's
unclean birth (you will remember that Jerusalem was first a Canaanite
city called Jebus before David conquered it and renamed it Jerusalem).
Ezek 16:7-8
7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast
increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments: thy
breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked
and bare.
8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was
the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy
nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with
thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine. KJV)
Comment on Scripture: Here we see the young
girl mature into a woman, we see God then marry Jerusalem (spiritually
of course!). "I spread my skirt
over thee" means to marry, see {Ruth 3:9}.
Ruth 3:9
9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine
handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou
art a near kinsman. (KJV)
Lance, I won't go any further here into the
Scripture, but you should have a good foundation to understanding the
whole chapter, and in doing so, understanding why the history of Jerusalem
had to come about as it did because it was prophesied to happen just that
way.
Lance, the above prophecy on Jerusalem is just
one of numerous prophesies in the Old Testament regarding the Holy City
Jerusalem. I am writing this in August of the year 2000, and as we
look upon the global political/religious situation, Jerusalem is the key.
God is very much in control of Jerusalem, sometimes Jerusalem was treated
kindly, sometimes harshly, but never forsaken by God. God will
cleanse Jerusalem on that final day and then it shall be said that:
The name of the Holy City will then be 'Jehovah Shammah':
"TheLord is there" {Ezek 48:35}.
Ezek 48:35
35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the
city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.
(KJV)
Lance, may I close with the words of E.W.
Bullinger who put together the highly recommended Companion
Bible. Below is his commentary on
that last verse of the book of Ezekiel {Ezekiel 48:35}:
"The
Lord [is] there (In Hebrew = Jehovah Shammah): Denoting the
fact that Jehovah has gone thither and rests there, with all the
blessing, peace, security, and glory of His abiding presence.
Those who read this book, and believe what God has here written for our
learning, will not be troubled with all the puerile guesses and trifling
comments of the natural man, but understand something of the grand
revelations which can be only spiritually discerned {1st Cor
2:14}."
--E.W. Bullinger; Companion
Bible, pg. 1178
And Lance, I'm not pushing books, but, for the
types of questions you seem to have, The
Companion Bible is
invaluable in answering them to the enth degree! If you
can afford but one Bible, the Companion Bible is for you (It has the text
of the trusted King James Bible).
God bless you my friend!
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Question #8
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The Biblical Lachish, & Sennacherib,
Hezekiah, and Isaiah the Prophet
Lance writes and asks:
RE: Sennacherib, with Hezekiah, and Isaiah the
Prophet:
Is there any inscriptions from Hezekiah king of Judah,
of which he states or talks about Isaiah the Prophet. And
Secondly, are we sure that Sennacherib didn't conquer Hezekiah's
kingdom? Furthermore I was reading about that article where it
said that they found 2 thousand skeletons at Lachish, but shouldn't they
have found more like 185,000?
-- Lance
Answer:
[WBSG
NOTE: (please include
the full script of any articles and such items you may send us at WBSG,
and also supply the date and source of same please, as we are reluctant
to post any 'anonymous' or unsubstantiated articles on our Website.
Thank-you).
But one must also understand that
often times in the 'profane' history (i.e., non-Biblical) and the media
venues that report it, there is a disinformation campaign afoot to 'leak
out' falsities in an attempt by 'some' to discredit the Bible.
But we do know and are confident that 'the spade' (shovel) of the
sincere Archeologist confirms the Bible account on all fronts.
See: Archaeology
Confirms The Biblical Account ].
Hello Lance:
I referred your question to a friend of ours who has a Christian
Website as well. He, Dave from "Word Alpha Omega", is
respected by us in his historical knowledge of Biblical matters etc. He
has a great website and it is the only website we currently endorse.
You might want to "check it out," it's at: http://members.tnns.net/wordweb/home.htm
Below is his reply to your question and we are in agreement with it:
Hello Watchmen Bible Study Group:
I'll try to help if I can. Your questioner is
referring to the king of Assyria failing to
conquer Jerusalem during Hezekiah's reign, and also the time
of Isaiah the prophet, who gave Hezekiah counsel from God; see 2 Kings
18 through 19. The 185,000 of the king of Assyria's army
which the Angel of the LORD smote is in 2 Kings
19:35.
There might be some 'doubt' as to Biblical accounts by
your questioner [Lance].
I hope the Isaiah question is not to try and
'disprove' that prophet's existence.
The smiting God did of Sennacherib's army also seems
to be doubted by your questioner. The person may
be honest, and had read some false account of Lachish.
2 Kings 19:8 is the 'key' to the 185,000 smote by our
Father:
II Kings 19:8
So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria
warring against Libnah: for he
had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
(KJV)
This is the last verse which reveals where
Sennacherib's main army was just before God smote
the 185,000; Sennacherib was at Libnah, a city of the Levites,
not at Lachish. Sennacherib sent messages to Hezekiah in Jerusalem
from there after he left Lachish. More than likely the
185,000 dead smitten by our Father, happened at
Jerusalem or Libnah, not at Lachish.
The Book of 2 Kings 18:17 says a great host came up
against Jerusalem. So the 1500 bones found in a
'pit' in the Lachish remains, are irrelevant to the
miracle God performed on the king of Assyria and his army. Since Nebuchadnezzar
did take Lachish about 100 years later, those bones could have
easily belonged to that time.
The 'Taylor Prism' is an existing record ordered to be
kept by Sennacherib. It is in the British
Museum, and contains an account of his (supposed) victory
over the Kingdom of Judah. It has been dated around 691 to 701 B.C.
Sennacherib boasts of Hezekiah, calling him "Like a
caged bird... shut up in Jerusalem, his royal
city." (Capt's 'Assyrian Tablets') [Dr.
E. Raymond Capt, premiere Biblical Archeologist. We carry many of
his booklets in our Study-Aids Page, section: Books
by E. Raymond Capt; Biblical Archaeologist
]. The prism also describes
Sennacherib capturing 46 strong walled cities and taking much plunder
and spoil. About 100 years later, Lachish was taken by Nebuchadnezzar
and destroyed around 589 B.C. That's where the 'Lachish Letters'
came from.
No doubt Sennacherib, and later Nebuchadnezzar did
take many cities of Judah, but I refuse to believe
Sennacherib's personal account written on the
Taylor Prism about Lachish in particular. Here's one reason why:
Jer 34:6-7
6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king
of Judah
in Jerusalem,
7 When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and
against all
the cities of Judah that were left, against LACHISH, and against
Azekah: for these defenced
cities remained of the cities of Judah. (KJV)
If Sennacherib took Lachish, then when did Judah
retake it back before the king of Babylon came 100
years later in 598 B.C.? Where is the account by Sennacherib's
successor written of its control, and of Judah winning it back,
before Nebuchadnezzar's time? The 'Lachish Letters' are Judah's account
of Nebuchadnezzars destruction and captivity of Judea 100 years later.
As soon as Sennacherib heard Tirhakah's advance on
him, and suffered the 185,000 casualties, he
withdrew his army from Judea. Two of his sons slew him
when he got back to Assyria. God turned his claim that Hezekiah was
boasting of our Father's protection through Isaiah, back
on him by his sons acts. In my opinion,
Sennacherib ordered the accounts of his success against Judah
very quickly, for he no doubt knew his time was up. He found out the
hard way Who is LORD. And as far as I'm concerned,
Sennacherib's accounts on the Taylor Prism, and on
the walls of his palace in Nineveh, were of a 'marked'
and desperate man. Esarhaddon, another son of Sennacherib who inherited
his throne, gave the account of his father's murder by Esarhaddon's
other two brothers. This is written in 2 Kings 19 also. So God's
Word is backed up by Assyrian records on that.
Proof for Hezekiah mentioning Isaiah? I don't know of
any archaeological proof in stone. No doubt the
scribes may have some other written records.
Here's Fausset's again [
Fausset's Bible Dictionary, out of print but available on: Biblesoft
PC Study bible Complete Reference Library 3.0 ],
which I'm beginning to really like his scholarship (Fausset
taught the first earth age [See
WBSG Bible study: When
was Thee beginning?,
for an account of the first earth age], and really
understood Isaiah (minus the Lost Tribe Messages
in Isaiah), and he tells many things 'like it is'. Note
Fausset alluding to the 'private' teachings to God's elect :
ISAIAH (Excerpted
from Fausset's Bible Dictionary)
His ministry [Isaiah's]
was exercised at Jerusalem.
"The valley of vision" (Isa 22:1)
may imply that it was in
"the lower city" he resided and saw visions,
though "valley" may
refer to Jerusalem generally, surrounded by hills higher
than Zion and Moriah. The
Talmud, from an old genealogical roll found in
Jerusalem, and from the
Palestinian Targum on 2 Kings 21:16, states that
king Manasseh "sawed Isaiah
asunder" with a wooden saw, to which the
allusion may be in Heb 11:37.
Isa 1:1 shows that none of the collection of
prophecies of which that is the
heading were written under Manasseh. They
were collected by Isaiah himself
in the close of Hezekiah's reign. Then at
the beginning of Manasseh's
reign Isaiah fell a victim to the persecuting
idolatry which superseded
Jehovah's worship. The pretext was that Isaiah
had said he had seen Jehovah (Isa
6), in opposition to Ex 33:20. This agrees
with 2 Kings 21:16, "Manasseh shed innocent blood very
much." That Isaiah
served Hezekiah appears implied in 2 Chron 32:32.
The chronological arrangement favors
the view that Isaiah himself collected his
prophecies into one volume. Excepting a few of similar contents
grouped together,
the several portions are placed according to their dates. The
former part ending with the
historical section was more for the public in
general; the latter part is his
prophetic legacy to the faithful few, analogous
to Moses' last speech and our Lord's closing discourses to His
chosen disciples.
The Messianic hopes in Isaiah are so
vivid that Jerome (Ad Paulinum) calls his
book not a prophecy but the "Gospel," "he is not so
much a prophet as an
evangelist." The "Shiloh" ("tranquilizer") of
Gen 49:10 appears in Isaiah
as "the Prince of peace" (Isa 9:6). He is represented as
"King" in Ps
2; 45; 72; 110. Isaiah develops most His priestly and prophetic
offices; Ps
110. His royal priesthood, Isaiah His suffering priesthood; this last,
especially in the latter
portion, addressed to the faithful elect, whereas
in the former part, addressed to
the whole people, he dwells on Messiah's glory,
the antidote to the fears of the people and the pledge to assure
them that the kingdom of God,
represented by Judah, would not be overwhelmed
by Syria, Israel, and Assyria; so that they should trust wholly
in Him and not in Egypt.
His style is simple and sublime,
intermediate between the lowly tenderness
of Jeremiah and the bold
exuberance of Ezekiel. The variation of style in
the latter portion proves, not
its spuriousness, but Isaiah's power to vary
his style with his subject. In
it he is tender, and abounds in repetitions
such as suit comforting
exhortations. The many epithets attached to God's
name are designed as so many
stays whereon faith may rest and repel despair.
Peculiarities which are characteristic of Isaiah occur in the
latter portion as in the former,
e.g. "to be called," i.e. to be; instead
of synonyms the same words
repeated in the parallel members of verses;
hymns interspersed; "the
remnant of olive trees," etc., for the remnant of
people who escape judgments.
Compare also Isa 65:25 with Isa 11:6; 51:11
with Isa 35:10. The form is
Hebrew poetical parallelism, varied however
according to the subject. Judah
and Jerusalem, not the more apostate and doomed
Israel, are the people addressed. No prophet is quoted so frequently
by our Lord and His apostles.
(from Fausset's Bible
Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998 by Biblesoft)
Here's an account by Josephus of Cyrus' reading of
Isaiah the prophet:
"This was known to Cyrus by his
reading the book which Isaiah left behind
him of his prophecies; for this
prophet said that God had spoken thus to him
in a secret vision:- "My will is, that Cyrus, whom I have
appointed to be
king over many and great nations, send back my people to their own
land, and
build my temple." (6) This was foretold by Isaiah one hundred and
forty years
before the temple was demolished. Accordingly, when Cyrus read this,
and admired the divine power, an
earnest desire and ambition seized upon him
to fulfill what was so written; so he called for the most eminent Jews
that were in Babylon, and said
to them, that he gave them leave to go back
to their own country, and to
rebuild their city Jerusalem, and the temple
of God, (7) for that he would be
their assistant, and that he would write to
the rulers and governors that were in the neighborhood of their
country of
Judea, that they should contribute to them gold and silver for the
building of the temple, and,
beside that, beasts for their sacrifices."
(The Antiquities of the Jews,
Book 11, Chapter 1, by Flavius Josephus; translation by William
Whiston.)
Nick, I hope this helps your reader. Peace be
with you Christ,
Dave:
"Word Alpha Omega" Website; Home Page: http://members.tnns.net/wordweb/home.htm
Thanks Dave; And I hope this answers your questions Lance.
We at WBSG are trying to locate other competent Christian Websites to
fellowship with and to share with our readers. There is soooo much
false teaching on the internet, one must be extremely careful what one
gleans from the WWW, the above Christian Website is currently the only
other Website that we can endorse at this time.
God bless you all:
Nick; Watchmen Bible Study Group Editor.
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Question #7
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Who are the real Egyptians and where did
they come from?
Derrick asks:
The Bible states that Egypt will be the lowest of kingdoms
until/throughout the endtimes. It also states that they will be in
Pathros, the country of their nativity. Where is this place and who are
the real Egyptians? Coptics and Arabs do not match the Bible or
history's identification of the Biblical/historical Egyptians.
Answer:
Hello Derrick:
I referred your question to a friend of ours who has a Christian
Website as well. He, Dave from "Word Alpha Omega", is respected
by us in his historical knowledge of Biblical matters etc. He has a great
website and it is the only website we endorse. You might want to
"check it out," it's at: http://members.tnns.net/wordweb/home.htm
Below is his reply to your question and we are in agreement with it:
"According to
Jeremiah 44:1, there was a branch of Jews [WBSGNOTE:
He is referring to Israelites when he writes Jews] who
formed a 'colony' in Pathros, turning to idol worship. It was near
Thebes and south of the Nile River Valley.
There was also a colony of Jews at 'Zoan' which is the ancient
Egyptian city of Tanis (named Avaris and Zoan by them). These latter
were the Hyksos, or Shepherd Kings which ruled ancient Egypt there. So,
more than likely, even Joseph's wife of the Priest of On, was mixed
Semitic.
Ezek. 29:14 must be what your questioner is referring to:
Ezek 29:14-16
14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them
to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation;
and they shall be there a base kingdom.
15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt
itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they
shall no more rule over the nations.
16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel,
which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look
after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. KJV
This happened historically, and is so still today. Egypt is just now
be re-aligned with the other Arab states, a breach made because of how
Anwar Sadat betrayed them with peace talks to Israel during the Carter
administration.
Below is Fausset's explanation of Zoan and that branch of Israelites,
which I regard as fairly accurate:
ZOAN
Tanis. Now San. From Hebrew root, "moved
tents," i.e. the place of departure. On the E. of the Tanitic
branch of the Nile. "Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in
Egypt" (Num 13:22), a notice implying the two had a common
founder. Zoan was probably built, or rebuilt, by the Hyksos or
shepherd kings (Salatis is named as the builder), connected with the
Palestinian Anakim, as a fortress of defense on their eastern
frontier.
Thothmes II great-grandson of Aahmes, the
original persecutor of Israel, resided at Zoan. Ps 78:12,43, speaks of
"the field of Zoan" as the scene of Jehovah's marvelous
deeds, signs, and wonders in Egypt. It was a very large city, strongly
fortified. The remains of edifices and obelisks (ten or twelve,) the
stone of which was brought from Syene, are numerous covering an area a
mile in diameter N. to S., bearing mostly the name of Rameses II.
It was the rendezvous for the armies of the Delta, and an imperial
city in the 12 th dynasty.
It answers to Avaris the capital of the
Hyksos, who gave it its Hebrew name; both Avaris (Ha-Awar, Pa-Awar,
"the house of going out") and Zoan mean
"departing." This Pharaoh had warred successfully against
the Shasous, the nomadic tribes adjoining, and so his residing in N.W.
Egypt would be important at that time. Moses' exposure must have been
in a branch of the Nile not infested by crocodiles, for neither would
the parents have exposed him nor would Thermuthis (= the great mother,
a designation of Neith the deity of Lower Egypt), Pharaoh's daughter,
have bathed in a place infested by them; therefore not at Memphis
where anciently they were common, but at Zoan on the Tanitic branch,
near the sea, where crocodiles are never found, probably the western
boundary of the district occupied by Israel. Amosis or Aahmes captured
Zoan or Avaris from the shepherd kings, their last stronghold after
ruling EGYPT (which see) for 511 years. It was well adapted as the
place from whence to carry out measures for crushing Israel (Ex 2).
Tanis was famous for flax (Pliny, 19:1), compare the mention of flax,
Ex 9:31. Anciently a rich plain, "the marshes" or
"pasture lands," stretched due E. as far as Pelusium 30
miles off, gradually narrowing toward the E. and watered by four of
the seven branches of the Nile, the Pathmitic, Mendesian, Tanitic, and
Pelusiac. Now it is in part covered by the lake Menzeleh through the
subsidence of the Mediterranean coast. Here came the ambassadors of
Hezekiah seeking alliance (Isa 30:4). On Sevechus' withdrawal from
Lower Egypt Tethos of the priestly caste became supreme, having Zoan
for his capital, 718 B.C. In his contests with the military caste
"the princes of Zoan became fools," though famed for wisdom
(19:13).
God threatens (Ezek 30:14), "I will set
fire in Zoan," etc., namely, by Nebuchadnezzar. It is now a
barren waste, the canal through it giving no fertility; the capital of
several Pharaohs, now the abode of fishermen, exposed to wild beasts
and malignant fevers. The oldest name found is Sesertesen III, of the
12 th dynasty; the latest is that of Tirhakah. The 21 st dynasty was
called Tanite from it. (from
Fausset's Bible Dictionary, Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998 by
Biblesoft).
Jeremiah 44:1 names Pathros and 3 other areas of Egypt where Israelite
colonies were. God states in Ezek.30 that He will send the king of
Babylon on them; and Ezek 29 above, speaks of their return to Pathros.
All those references for what happened to them historically, also
applies during the latter days of today, with the coming of the king of
Babylon again, i.e. Satan."
--Dave , from Word Alpha Omega website.
God bless you Derrick, your question was a good one, and I think we
all learned something from it. -- Nick, WBSG.
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Question #6
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Do all religious 'paths' lead to the
same one God?
Mrs. H. Writes:
I am spiritual but I do not believe that Jesus was anymore than
Mohammad or Buddha...they were all just messengers of the same one God.
They just each offered a different path to the one God, who ever He is.
I know, now you will pull out your precious Bible and quote to no end
where it says (supposedly) that everyone who ain't Christian is a
deviant. And if I wanted to be equally as dumb, I can pull out several
of my own and counter-quote you for all eternity. You are playing God
here, son. It's up to God (in your version of Him) to be the Ultimate
Judge. Either God loves us, or He/She does not. Let me try a parable
here...
Say that you are a daddy. Let's say you have several children. You
come home from work and plop on the couch and call your children to
come and give you a big hug. They all come running. Except for one,
who comes bouncing in on his pogo-stick, and lands on top you. Are you
going to call him a 'deviant', or punish him, because he chose a
different path to come to you?
--Mrs. H.
ANSWER:
Hello Mrs. H., we're glad to have you stop by for a study with us. Your
position and question is one that many of the deceived ask, no offence
intended, but your assumptions are flawed from the start, and when you
start out in the wrong direction in error your journey can only end in
error, loss, and ruin. Let me explain.
Satan has planted many false religions and false prophets into the
world. These are purposed in blurring the truth just enough to enter doubt
into the picture. Satan takes 95% truth and adds to that 5% lie, with that
formula he can alter any and every truth of God into a lie.
The first recorded lie in the Bible was uttered by satan as the
serpent: "Yea, hath God said...?"
[Gen 3:1-5]. Satan didn't tell Eve that God did not exist, for Eve walked
and talked with God, that lie only works on our later generations.
But satan took away the words of God from Eve by telling her that they
were not to be trusted.
Satan told Eve that she did not need God; satan basically told Eve that
God had lied to her because He (God) didn't want her to accomplish life
eternal on her own, He didn't want her to become as He, He didn't want her
to become a God: " For God doth know that in
the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as
gods..."
Gen 3:1-5
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye
shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the
trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God
hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye
die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (KJV)
Mrs. H., you claim that Jesus Christ is no
different than Mohammed (started Islam religion), Buddha (Buddhism)....
We could add many more false religions and false prophets to the list, but
suffice it to say that there is a distinct difference between Jesus Christ
(Christianity) and every other 'religion' on the planet with their
progenitors or founding figures.
Jesus Christ said that He was the Son of God [Jn
10:36...], this did not any of the others. Jesus Christ said that He
was God [Jn 10:30, Jn 1:1, Jn 14:9-11, 1st Tim 3:16...], this did not any
of the others. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of others
[Gal 1:3-4...], this the others do not claim. Jesus Christ
resurrected on the third day [Acts 10:38-41...], this no other has done
nor is it claimed that they have. No Mrs. H., the others are not the
same as Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
This brings us to the favorite 'catch phrase' of
those following their false gods. They say that there is only one
God, this is true, but here is where satan's 5% lie comes into play.
For instance, the Muslims say that Allah is one god thus he is the one
God. Many are fooled into believing that Allah is just the Muslims
name for the Lord God of Judaism and Christianity. Not so!
Allah did not have a Son named Jesus Christ, born
of a virgin, crucified for the sins of the world, resurrected on the third
day, and now seated at the right hand of God. So if their god did
not do what The God did, then who is their god? Answer: Satan in
disguise!
And the God of Judaism, is he the same God of
Christianity? Yes, but those of the Jewish faith have been
disobedient and not believed upon the Old Testament prophets of God who
foretold of the coming of the Son of God. See Jesus
Christ foretold of in Old Testament Scripture.
They (the Jewish religion) rejected the promise of God and yea, even
killed Him!
I know that you do not believe in Jesus Christ as
the Savior from God. I am not herein expecting to change your heart,
for only God can change a heart. But in as much as you did ask,
allow me to try to relate it to you.
Imagine with me for a moment, pretend for the sake of argument that
Jesus really is whom He said He was. I want you to 'what-if' with me a
moment here. Suppose Jesus did come to earth as God incarnated in the
flesh. Then He, as God manifest in the flesh, allowed evil men to torture
and murder Him simply because he said who He was - The Son of God.
Realizing that this was done for His children whom He created to give Him
good pleasure and friendly company.
But they fell, they were drawn away by His most disobedient and evil
son of all - satan. Satan caused all His other children to place
themselves in danger of the judgment. A judgment that He Himself must
carry out because He told the world that "it was not possible that He
lie" [Titus 1:2], and He said that judgment comes swiftly [Rev
22:13-21]. So He made a way for those beloved children to escape, He died
for them that they may live.
Now bearing that in mind let me propose another parable to you, likened
to yours but expanded:
Say that you are a Father. Let's say you have several children and a
lovely wife, you love them all so much, you would even die for them
rather than they die. You come home from work and plop on the couch and
call your family to come and give you a big hug. All your children who
love you with the innocent trust of a child come running to you jumping
up on your lap happy just to be with you, they had waited so long for
you to return to them.
Then comes in your wife, reeking of others, she has played the harlot
with the milk man, the mail man, the neighbor man, and any other doctrine
and religion that comes along. She walks up to you and presumptuously
says: "Hey, I'm here aren't I! So what if I chose a different path
to come to you, so what if I took a little exploratory trip through other
bedrooms and religions? I'm here now, and anyway, I'm a good person.
Didn't I fcare for the animals, take the children to school, donate time
in the community? So what if I betrayed you, I'm here now, make room on
your lap for me also, I want to be a part of your family even though I
have given and whored myself to all the others on the way to you.
There is only one you, and that's all that matters, right? All that
matters is that at the end of the long day I depart from the others and
make myself available for you, Right? Right?...???"
Matt 7:21-24 (Jesus
speaking)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from
me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them,
I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock
(KJV)
Of course that Rock is Jesus Christ. Mrs.
H., you may have noticed in the Bible the many references to adultery and
fornication, on the simplest level it does refer to acts of the flesh, but
there is so much more there Mrs. H. if you open your spiritual eyes.
When the Bible speaks of adultery it is also speaking about idolatry.
Idolatry is the way that we commit adultery against God.
EXAMPLE: "Mystery Babylon" that great harlot city [Rev 17:5
&14: 8...]; how can a city be a whore? It is figurative
speech. God needs to be able to relate to our flesh minds the revulsion
He feels when we deny Him and whore after other gods. He does this by
telling us things that we can relate to in our flesh minds. If you have
ever been cheated on by someone you love then you know how God feels
when you spiritually cheat on Him with every other wind of false
doctrine, false religions, and false prophets.
But unlike us, He will forgive the repentant and forget their sin
against Him. Heck, He even paid the price for the sin, all He expects is
that you believe He suffered for you. Is that unreasonable of Him? And
can a person who has denied Him, and even mocked and insulted Him and
His sacrifice really expect to be welcomed with open arms on that day?
Would it really be so unjust of God if He were to separate them from the
promise that they rejected themselves by their own free will?
You know, when it comes right down to it, God doesn't ask all that
much from us. Just that we believe in Him and His only begotten Son
Jesus Christ with all the sincerity that a little child believes in his
own father. Mrs. H., you may be a mature woman, and I a mature man, but
to God we are as little babes. Hold that in your mind and listen in as
the only begotten Son of the Ever living only one God teaches. i.e.:
Listen in as your Heavenly Father teaches you through the breath of
Jesus Christ:
Mark 10:13-16
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them:
and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them,
Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for
of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of
God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and
blessed them. (KJV)
Mrs. H., you are a child of God, God loves all His children, such a
shame it would be to not have you with us forever. I don't judge you, no
man has that right. I don't know if you will live in the eternity with
God or not, but I know that I shall, and that is not a boast, it is by
the grace of God that we sinners are saved through Jesus Christ.
What I mean is that I have peace and security, I know that i have
salvation 100% with all my heart and every breath, as do all Christians,
that is the promise of God and I believe Him. That's really the
point isn't it? If you do not know that you will live eternal with your
Creator, then you mustn't stop searching, you haven't found your place
yet. Let your own heart judge your condition. Take all your
Allahs, Buddhas, Mohammads, reincarnations... and throw them out.
They are nothing more than a cheap lie from the greatest liar of them
all - satan.
Don't let satan influence you to your stop journey before you reach
the destination. You'll know in your heart for sure when you've found
the truth, no man will convince you, not me or anyone other than your
Heavenly Father. But you have to meet Him half the way, he presents
Himself in the Word, yes, in the Bible, it is written of Him.
Why do you think they seek to tear it down, remove it from
schools, discredit it, make altered translations of it, misquote and
inaccurately interpret it? No other book in all the annals of time has
ever been so laboriously attacked as they have attacked the Bible. Why?
They don't attack the Koran or the Talmud, the Vedas, or the Egyptian
Book Of The Dead - nowhere to the degree that they attack the Bible.
Why? If it's just a novel full of advice on how to live a decent
moral life, written by some old sheepherders, fishermen, and various
other eccentric religious quacks, impersonators, and self appointed
Prophets and Apostles, then why do they so venomously seek to discredit
it? What's it to them if we Christians chose to believe in a fable? Oh
honey, the Bible is real alright, very real, if it wasn't, they wouldn't
hate it so, satan wouldn't hate it so, nor would they feel so threatened
by it's words. In closing, allow me to finish with the words of Jesus
Christ:
Rev 3:20-21
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
(KJV)
God bless your understanding of His Word, and may He touch your heart
as no one else can.
Nick; WBSG
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Question #5
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What about all those lies against
Jesus?
A reader asks:
Hi!
I was on the net the other day and found this web site that says it
can substantiate that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and that he
did not die on the cross and that his lineage was kept because he had
sons that were to rule as kings because the they were from the house of
Judah. Is this Satan trying me or what? Please respond because I am
confused. I am not believing this, but can you comment further?
A Reader.
Answer:
Hello Reader:
Those tactics to draw Christians away toward satan have been around for
a long time. They are lies strait from satan's camp.
In regards to just one of their blasphemous claims, they say the Jesus
Christ married Mary Magdalene. This evil lie was spawned by the
anti-Christian Research Institute in California some years ago. What they
did was they took someone's statement that Mary Magdalene was
'betrothed' to Jesus. But every Christian on the planet is 'betrothed' to
Jesus Christ:
Matt 9:15
And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as
long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the
bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. (KJV)
The true believer (Christian) is the bride of Christ. Jesus is the
bridegroom:
Rev 21:9-10
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials
full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither,
I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in
the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city,
the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God (KJV)
This of course is speaking strictly on a spiritual level, we do not
actually have a wedding ceremony with Christ as we do with a flesh husband
or wife.
These liars who spew forth such filth are ungodly men, scoffers against
God, lusting spiritually after false gods and/or the soon to come
antichrist. We are warned by God to have no part of them:
2 Pet 3:1-3
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I
stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the
holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and
Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts (KJV)
As touching on the lie that says that Jesus didn't die on the cross:
This plot was hatch as long ago as a few days after the crucifixion.
The below Scripture takes place shortly after the resurrection:
Matt 28:9-15
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them,
saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped
him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that
they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the
city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel,
they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while
we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and
secure you.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying
is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. (KJV)
Sir, anyone can say anything, satan's little spiritually corrupt
henchmen will lie to you, they can twist words and introduce bizarre
concepts to try to cause us to believe their blasphemies and call God a
liar - God forbid!
Titus 1:2
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised
before the world began; (KJV)
But we, as children of the living God, and believers upon the atoning
work done by Christ on the cross know that God will never lie to us in His
holy written Word, we believe our Heavenly Father (God), but they
serve their condemned father (satan) [John 8:44]:
John 8:42-47
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love
me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself,
but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my
word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father
ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye
not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not,
because ye are not of God. (KJV)
The Bible is the written Word of Almighty God, Jesus Christ is the
Living Word of God. We are always to trust the Word of God over the words
of spiritually dead men. The Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God,
and God told us that we can believe it:
2 Pet 1:21
21 For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost. (KJV)
2 Tim 3:13-17
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works. (KJV)
Below are just a couple more Scriptures warning us not to allow
ourselves to be deceived by satan's minions:
I Jn 2:18-25
18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been
of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out,
that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but
because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he
that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the
beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain
in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
(KJV)
Mark 13:22-23 (Jesus
speaking)
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs
and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. (KJV)
Christian beware! Satan wishes to take us away from the love of God. As
for me, I will continue to place my trust in our Lord.
God bless you!
Nick
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Question #4
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What is Baptism?
Robert writes:
I strongly believe in the baptism of water and Spirit per Acts 2:38
for salvation. I humbly ask why there is no mention of scriptural
baptism on your site. Scripture declares it to be essential.
Robert.
Answer:
Hello, we at WBSG also believe in water Baptism, as we believe in all
things in God's Word. After all, Jesus Christ set the example for all in
that He Himself was Baptized:
Matt 3:13-17
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee
to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and
comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus
it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit
of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased. (KJV)
Baptism is an act of obedience, it is a symbolic act representing the
death of our 'old' man and the resurrection of the 'new' (no gender
implied). When we are Baptized, we go down under the water, representing
Christ's dying and going into the tomb, and then when we rise up out of
the water, it represents Christ rising from the tomb into everlasting
life.
We also know that by the very definition of the word
"Baptize" that it is a full immersion under the water, as
opposed to a sprinkling of water on the head:
Baptize: Greek
word #907 baptizo (bap-tid'-zo); from a derivative of 911; to
immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e.
fully wet); used only (in the N. T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially
(technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism. (Reference:
Strong's
Exhaustive Concordance).
As well, in verse 16 above regarding Christ' Baptism, we see that Jesus
was placed under the water and then He: "went up straightway out
of the water."
There are many places in the New Testament where we are instructed to
be Baptized. However, if you read the Scriptures carefully, you will not
find it written that one cannot be "saved" without Baptism. In
fact, there was a person written of in Scripture who was promised
salvation by Christ Himself though he died without being Baptized, that
was the man on the cross next to Jesus at the crucifixion:
Luke 23:42-43
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be
with me in paradise. (KJV)
I make mention of that fact not to discourage people from being
Baptized - God forbid, but rather to offer comfort to those who may have
lost a loved one before they were Baptized. For the malefactor on the
cross next to Jesus did not have an opportunity to be Baptized after he
was saved. And he was saved by his faith alone in Jesus Christ and nothing
else, for we see that this man truly did believe that Jesus Christ was
lord:
Luke 23:42
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
(KJV)
Thus the malefactor fulfilled the requirements of John 3:16 for
salvation:
John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)
This brings us to the Scripture that you referenced [Acts 2:38]. There
are three separate things happening in that verse: 1.) Repentance. 2.)
Baptism. 3.) Receiving the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).
Acts 2:38
38 Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(KJV)
I think that maybe the Scripture you meant to quote was:
John 3:5
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (KJV)
This is a Scripture that many misunderstand. Many will point to this
Scripture as Jesus saying that you cannot be saved without being Baptized
with water. That is not what this Scripture is saying.
And I am not trying to put words in your mouth Robert, if this isn't
exactly what you meant, bear with me, as this question/answer section is
designed to answer a topic fully for the benefit of all the readers.
But in regards to the above Scripture, if you take it from a few verses
prior, to get the subject and the object of Jesus' teaching here, you will
see that the water birth is the birth in the womb and the Spirit birth is
the birth into Christ, into Christianity. We know that immediately prior
to our birth, the mother's water breaks, in other words we are borne from
water (Embryonic fluid).
John 3:1-7
1 There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know
that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can
he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (KJV)
And another thing, the Holy Spirit does not necessarily come
upon us at Baptism (although it could), for we see in the below Scripture
that those mentioned were Baptized at one time but received the Holy
Spirit at another time:
Acts 8:12-17
12 But when they believed Philip
preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs
which were done.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
(KJV)
And John the Baptist (and Elizabeth his mother) received the Holy
Spirit before they were Baptised (while John was yet in the womb [Luke
1:39-44]).
This brings us to another 'debate' about Baptism. There seems to be
some debate over whether we are to be Baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ, or in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).
But in reality it is the same thing. Let me explain.
When you say 'Jesus Christ' you are actually referring to the whole
Godhead (Holy Trinity) because the very name Jesus Christ includes all
three aspects of the Triune Godhead. The word 'Jesus' is the Greek word
for the Hebrew 'Jehoshua' which means Jehovah Savior, or,
Salvation of Jehovah, in other words: "God Savior." And wherever
the Father and Son is (ie: God and Savior) then there also is the
Holy Spirit. The second part of the name is 'Christ,' which means 'The
Anointed One.' Anointed with what? Anointed with the Holy Spirit Before
conception:
Matt 1:20
20 But while he thought on these
things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. (KJV)
So when you say 'Jesus Christ' you speak of the fullness of the
Godhead, you speak of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Also,
remember what descended upon Jesus again when He was Baptized:
Matt 3:16
16 And Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens
were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove, and lighting upon him (KJV)
I hope that more fully explains Baptism, and yes, we are
to be Baptized. God bless!
Nick
WBSG
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Question #3
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Question #2
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Cloning, can man really create life?
Victoria writes:
I am starting to wonder about this empty soul teaching that seems to
be coming public more and more. Do you have a wild guess as to why Satan
is promoting this empty soul belief. (With genetics/cloning, and the new
age doctrine (apparently Karma can't work unless there are a lot of
people with empty souls or something like that) but the teaching seems
to be becoming more public. Is there a Biblical Parallel to that.
Obviously it is a counterfeit. But counterfeit to what?
Victoria
Answer:
Hello Victoria:
I agree with you that the new Age doctrines are strait out of satan's
camp. For they teach that we can become 'as God,' thus circumventing our
Messiah Jesus Christ (so they think!).
May I give you my thoughts on 'cloning'? I do not believe that they
are being totally honest with us. I do not believe that they are creating
a true clone, for they use the egg from a second party.
Nevertheless, even if they do create a true clone, God still must
install the soul into it. We see from Scripture that ALL souls belong to
God.
Ezek 18:3-4
3 As I live, saith the
Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this
proverb in Israel.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the
father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it
shall die. (KJV)
Even satan's soul belongs to God, God created satan, but satan has
forfeited his eternal soul [Ezek 28:18].
Ezek 28:15 (speaking of satan as a created
being)
15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou
wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (KJV)
One more reason that I do not believe that man will ever be able to
'create life' (cloning is copying life, not making it from new) is that
God made everything that was made, and the created being can not become
the creator. Only God creates.
John 1:2-4
2 The same was in the beginning
with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (KJV)
Even with test tube babies, we aren't creating anything, we are simply
putting sperm with an egg and God causes the life (soul) to enter therein.
Below we see God installing a soul into Adam. The 'breath of life' caused
Adam to become a 'living soul.' The word is 'nephesh' in the Hebrew
language, and it means "soul, life." God did this with Adam when
he was formed as a grown man, but with us nowadays, God does this at
conception. Below we see that Adam was fully formed, but it was not until
God breathed the breath of life into him that he became a living soul:
Gen 2:7
7 And the LORD God formed man of
the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and man became a living soul.
(KJV)
God bless you Victoria!
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Question #1
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Is 'Hell' a place of eternal torture or
is it a blotting out of a soul?
Clay writes:
Could you please give verse(s)where the Apostle
Paul, in writing to persons or churches, warns of a place of eternal
torment for the wicked and impenitent?
-Clay
Answer:
Hello Clay:
Paul does not. For there is no eternal torment in the sense of an
eternal 'torture chamber.' This is a widely misunderstood concept. Let me
explain.
Hell is not a place of eternal torture, God did not create His children
to torment some of them for ever! The term "for ever and ever"
is an idiom meaning that no longer shall they be for ever. The torment is
in being blotted out and not partaking of Heaven with God for an eternity.
So complete will this blotting out of a soul be that nobody else will ever
know that they had even existed. This is the SECOND death.
And it truly shall be a torment to those whom, having just stood before
God Himself on Judgment Day, they will have just spoke face to face with
God and can see the Glory of Heaven, then they must march into the Lake of
Fire never to be anymore. Below we see some Scriptures that document that
'hell' is an eternal perishment, not torture.
2 Pet 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance. (KJV)
1 Cor 1:18
18 For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which
are saved it is the power of God. (KJV)
At this present time there is only one soul that has been condemned (by
name) to 'hell' (eternal perishing), and that is satan. Below we see it
said of satan "never shalt thou be any more."
It does not say that satan will roast and suffer in the fires of hell or
in some eternal Nazi-type torture chamber of God - God forbid!:
Ezek 28:18-19
18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine
iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I
bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I
will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all
them that behold thee.
19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee:
thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.
(KJV)
Below you see a veiled reference to the complete blotting out of a soul
till there is nothing left. The below Scripture is speaking about those
involved in the occult and what happens to them on Judgment day. They are
cast into the flame (the lake of fire) [Rev 20:14]. And then there is
nothing left of them, no remains glowing warm, nothing left to burn. This
of course goes against the common perception that man has of a
"Hell" as a place of eternal burning and suffering. I hope you
can see it in the Scripture, like I said, it veiled or somewhat hidden:
Isa 47:11-15
11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence
it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to
put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou
shalt not know.
12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy
sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou
shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the
astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and
save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.
14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn
them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame:
there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy
merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter;
none shall save thee. (KJV)
Below we see one of satan's many names "the son of perdition"
which means "the son who is judged to PERISH." Some people may
tell you that the son of perdition was Judas Iscariot whom betrayed
Christ, but in verse 4 below we see what this 'son of perdition' will be
doing. Judas never claimed to be God! The son of perdition is satan by
another name, and antichrist by yet another. But it is the same one
entity:
II Th 2:3-4
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,
shewing himself that he is God. (KJV)
And even furthermore, below we see the place that those judged to
'hell' go. It is the lake of Fire, not 'hell' as we often conceive it to
be. In fact, the word 'hell' in the Bible is actually translated from a
Hebrew word that means 'the grave' and also the garbage dump outside of
Jerusalem. In the lake of Fire souls perish, they are not tormented day
after day for ever and ever.
Rev 20:12-15
12 And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those
things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the lake of fire. (KJV)
Below we see the Lake of Fire being dried up and the evil ones are
never anymore. That my friend is the SECOND death and that is true hell to
those who perish!
Rev 21:1-8
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there
was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle
of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his
people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.
And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the
water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall
have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which
is the second death. (KJV)
I hope that helps, Clay, God bless.
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