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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sun Sep 18, 2016 9:33 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 264A]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4 – 5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This is made clear in Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) directions to His people in ancient times as given at Isaiah 52:10 - 11, [AV] “The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” We are warned not to indulge in unrighteous things at 2 Corinthians 6:17, [AV] “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” but to come out of false religions and have no further partaking in their unclean practices. As 1 Timothy 5:24, [AV] “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Matico (Piper aduncum) is a flowering plant in the family Piperaceae. Like many species in the family, the Matico tree has a peppery odor.
The fruits are used as a condiment and for flavoring cocoa.[3] It is sometimes used as a substitute for long pepper.
Traditional medicine
In the Amazon Rainforest, many of the native tribes use matico leaves as an antiseptic. In Peru, it was used for stopping hemorrhages and treating ulcers, and in European practice in the treatment of diseases of the genitals and urinary organs, such as those for which cubeb was often prescribed.[4]
Characteristics
Matico is a tropical, evergreen, shrubby tree that grows to the height of 6 to 7 meter (20 to 23 ft) with lance-shaped leaves that are 12 to 20 centimeter (5 to 8 in) long. It is native to Southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and much of tropical South America. It is grown in tropical Asia, Polynesia, and Melanesia and can even be found in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. In some countries Matico is considered as an invasive weed.[2] In parts of New Guinea, although Matico is notorious for drying out the soil in the areas where it is invasive, the wood of this plant is nonetheless used by local residents for a myriad of uses such as for fuel and fence posts.[5]
Etymology
According to legends, the plant was discovered by a wounded Spanish soldier named Matico.[2] He learned, presumably from the local tribes, that applying the leaves to his wounds stopped bleeding, and it began to be called "Matico" or "soldier's herb". It was introduced into the profession of medicine in the United States and Europe by a Liverpool physician in 1839 as a styptic and astringent for wounds.[2]
Notes
1. ^ Barlow, Prof. Snow (2003). "Sorting Piper names". University of Melbourne. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Dr. Leslie (2006). "Technical Data Report for Matico (Piper aduncum, angustifolium)" (PDF). Raintree Nutrition, Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
3. ^ Seidemann, Johannes (2005). World Spice Plants: Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p. 289. ISBN 3-540-22279-0.
4. ^ Remington, Joseph P. (Ed); Horatio C. Wood (1918). "The Dispensatory of the United States of America". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
5. ^ Siges, T.; A.E. Hartemink, P. Hebinck & B.J. Allen (2005). "The invasive shrub Piper aduncum and rural livelihoods in the Finschhafen area of Papua New Guinea". Human Ecology 33 (6): 875–893. doi:10.1007/s10745-005-8214-7. Retrieved 2007-04-16. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_aduncum on 3/25/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Pictures of this plant and its fruit can be viewed at, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Piper+aduncum+Matico&qpvt=Piper+aduncum+Matico&FORM=IGRE
Now to know the truth, go to:
1) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 264A]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4 – 5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This is made clear in Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) directions to His people in ancient times as given at Isaiah 52:10 - 11, [AV] “The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” We are warned not to indulge in unrighteous things at 2 Corinthians 6:17, [AV] “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” but to come out of false religions and have no further partaking in their unclean practices. As 1 Timothy 5:24, [AV] “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Matico (Piper aduncum) is a flowering plant in the family Piperaceae. Like many species in the family, the Matico tree has a peppery odor.
The fruits are used as a condiment and for flavoring cocoa.[3] It is sometimes used as a substitute for long pepper.
Traditional medicine
In the Amazon Rainforest, many of the native tribes use matico leaves as an antiseptic. In Peru, it was used for stopping hemorrhages and treating ulcers, and in European practice in the treatment of diseases of the genitals and urinary organs, such as those for which cubeb was often prescribed.[4]
Characteristics
Matico is a tropical, evergreen, shrubby tree that grows to the height of 6 to 7 meter (20 to 23 ft) with lance-shaped leaves that are 12 to 20 centimeter (5 to 8 in) long. It is native to Southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and much of tropical South America. It is grown in tropical Asia, Polynesia, and Melanesia and can even be found in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. In some countries Matico is considered as an invasive weed.[2] In parts of New Guinea, although Matico is notorious for drying out the soil in the areas where it is invasive, the wood of this plant is nonetheless used by local residents for a myriad of uses such as for fuel and fence posts.[5]
Etymology
According to legends, the plant was discovered by a wounded Spanish soldier named Matico.[2] He learned, presumably from the local tribes, that applying the leaves to his wounds stopped bleeding, and it began to be called "Matico" or "soldier's herb". It was introduced into the profession of medicine in the United States and Europe by a Liverpool physician in 1839 as a styptic and astringent for wounds.[2]
Notes
1. ^ Barlow, Prof. Snow (2003). "Sorting Piper names". University of Melbourne. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Dr. Leslie (2006). "Technical Data Report for Matico (Piper aduncum, angustifolium)" (PDF). Raintree Nutrition, Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
3. ^ Seidemann, Johannes (2005). World Spice Plants: Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p. 289. ISBN 3-540-22279-0.
4. ^ Remington, Joseph P. (Ed); Horatio C. Wood (1918). "The Dispensatory of the United States of America". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
5. ^ Siges, T.; A.E. Hartemink, P. Hebinck & B.J. Allen (2005). "The invasive shrub Piper aduncum and rural livelihoods in the Finschhafen area of Papua New Guinea". Human Ecology 33 (6): 875–893. doi:10.1007/s10745-005-8214-7. Retrieved 2007-04-16. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_aduncum on 3/25/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Pictures of this plant and its fruit can be viewed at, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Piper+aduncum+Matico&qpvt=Piper+aduncum+Matico&FORM=IGRE
Now to know the truth, go to:
1) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
Admin- Admin
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Join date : 2012-11-14 -
Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:59 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 265A]
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) said of these whose love had grown cold for righteousness at Matthew 7:23, [AV] “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many in the end times will be as shown at 2 Timothy 3:2, [AV] “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.
CLEARLY EVERYWHERE SOCIETY IS BREAKING DOWN, WESTERN SOCIETY IS NO
EXCEPTION, BUT ISLAMIC SOCIETY IS FAR AHEAD OF IT WITH RESPECT MORAL
BREAKDOWN.
INTRODUCTION:
Should we be surprised by this breakdown of morals everywhere? No! The Bible foretold this over 1,900 years ago as follows: “Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times. 2 Timothy 3:1
(Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible: DRCB)
It is good to note that Paul introduced the prophecy about the last days with the expression, ‘know…this.’ Those words guarantee that what follows is certain to occur. There is no doubt that ungodly society will continue to advance from bad to worse until Almighty God (YHWH) steps in to end it. Historians have documented that here or There some society or nation experienced a steep moral decline and then collapsed. Never before in history, though, has the overall morality of the entire world deteriorated to the extent that is has now. Many people may ignore the implications, but this unique development since 1914 should clearly demonstrate to us that we can trust that Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) Kingdom will soon take decisive action.
YES THE MORALS IN THE U.K., USA, RUSSIA ARE GETTING WORSE, BUT THE MORALS OF MANY MUSLIMS ARE EVEN WORSE:
Many members of Islam point to the breakdown of morals in the west, but conveniently ignore that their own society’s morals broke down starting with the founding of Islam in the 7 th. Century, and the fact, that their founder, the false prophet, Muhammad, was a pedophile and rabid sexual pervert, and also a very vicious person. For details, go to, Appendix 1 and 2. In fact, a Muslim political active Muslim women, Salwa al-Mutairi, even testified to the fact of the unconscionable wrong sex drive of many Muslim men, when she said,
(quote) ‘“that extra "virile" men—Western synonyms include "sex-crazed," "lecherous," "perverted"—would do well to purchase sex-slaves to sate their appetites without sinning.” (quote) For more details on this, go to Appendix 3.
This shows a moral breakdown in the Muslim world worse than anything in the western world which some members of Islam are always criticizing. Worse yet, many in Islam sexually mutilate little girls and practice honour killings. For details, go to Appendix 4.
APPENDIX 1, MUHAMMAD WAS A SEX PERVERT – SEE THE PROOF
Muhammad was a violent sexual pervert, who formed a false religion
that has 1.4 billion followers today. Muslims who practice Islam have
been prepared and are held in reserve at this hour to serve as God’s
servants, instruments of war from His armory, to punish a disobedient
world, and in particular, rebellious stiff-necked apostate Jews.
Pervert Muhammad married eleven or thirteen women. Historians
sanitize this filth by jabbering about things like “needs of the
tribe,” politics, compassion and “affairs of the heart.”
When he was 25, Muhammad married his wealthy employer, a 40-year-old
merchant named (1) Khadijah. He was her gigolo; he used her wealth to
dally in dreams and pretend he had been told things by God. When he
was 40 he claimed to have been visited by the angel Gabriel who
revealed to him a verse from the Qur’an, after which he claimed to be
a prophet. He spent long hours “meditating” and “speculating” about
the creation. He claimed a series of visions occurred while he was
hanging out in caves and in the hills and ravines near Mecca.
After Khadijah died, Muhammad married (2) Sawda bint Zam’a, (3)Aisha
and (4)Umm Salam. Aisha was six when she was betrothed to Muhammed;
the marriage was consummated when she was nine or ten. In later years
she slipped off to look for an allegedly “lost” wedding necklace,
giving rise to claims she was up to mischief with some man. Not to
worry; Muhammed got some verses written and out into the public
mainstream bespeaking her innocence and condemning anyone who said
otherwise as slanderers.
After killing her husband, during the Muslim war with Mecca, Muhammad
married (5)Hafsa bint Umar when she was 20 (he was 56). Similarly,
after she was widowed at the battle of Badr, Muhammed married
(6)Zaynab bint Khuzayma.
When Abu Salamah died in battle, Muhammad married his widow, (7)Umm
Salama Hin bitn Abi Umayya. In 626 (8)Raihanah bint Zaid was among
those enslaved after the defeat of the Banu Quarayza tribe, and she
became Muhammad’s concubine or wife.
Later, Muhammad married his cousin, (9)Zaynab bint Jahsh, after a lot
of conflict related to her marriage and divorce with another man.
Muhammad decided in favor of this marriage to break the taboo against
incestuous marriages, by informing everyone the Qur’an indicated this
marriage was a duty imposed on him by God.
After he took captives from a skirmish with the Banu Mustaliq, he
married one named (10)Juwayriya bint al-Harith, which led to his new
kinsmen being released from enslavement. Then he signed a peace
treaty with his Meccan enemies, the Quraysh, and soon thereafter
married the daughter of their leader, (11)Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, all for
reconciling with his opponents of course.
Muhammad sent a proposal for marriage to (12)Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan
when he learned her husband had died. Then in 629, after the Battle
of Khaybar, Muhammad freed (13)Safiyya bint Huyayy, a noblewoman of
the defeated Jewish tribe Banu Nadir, and proposed marriage. She
accepted, so he married her as part of reconciliation with the Jewish
tribe and a gesture of goodwill.
If these women got into a cat fight about how Muhammad was treating
them – in particular how much time or attention each received from him
– he made up new rules that he claimed were revelations from God, to
keep them in line. When he died, he left word behind that no one
could marry them according to God. He kept these women in little
apartments adjacent to the mosque at Medina, and visited them in
rounds day and night.
This was in between his warmongering, whereby he built an estate and
army, which put in motion military expeditions that have influence
still today. The only thing that made Muhammad a “prophet” was his
military successes. In a single decade he fought eight major battles,
led 18 raids, and planned 38 military operations. He revolutionized
Arabian warfare and mobilized an army motivated by an ideology of holy
war (jihad) and martyrdom (shahada). This transmitted to the West
during the wars between Muslims and Christians in Spain and France,
and gave the whore Roman Catholic Church an ideological justification
for the Crusades. But for his success as a military commander, Islam
would not have gained momentum leading to 1.4 billion practitioners
today, making it the second largest religion behind Christianity, and
the conquest of the Byzantine and Persian empires by Arab armies would
not have occurred. Muhammad transformed the armies of Arabia so his
successors could use them to defeat the armies of Persia and Byzantium
and establish the heartland of the empire of Islam.
Muhammad came along at a time when Muslims were in a defensive mode,
often fighting to survive, many living in poverty and oppression.
Muhammad spent thirteen years building a spiritual platform; then the
remaining ten years of his life as a leader in military mode, merging
these notions – of spirituality and warfare – to establish the false
religion known today as Islam. Supposedly when he started preaching,
Muhammad was not violent. He is said to have been persecuted for
preaching his religious ideas – known today as Islam – and denigrating
the pagan religions of the Meccans. He went to Medina after receiving
a “revelation” to fight the Meccans, which caused him to turn to
warfare. His “revelation” coalesced with a group of feuding Arabs in
Media who accepted him as their prophet, providing him with his first
army. He then began to preach that if anyone gained a victory of the
men of Jews, they should kill them. After some acts of violence where
his men killed for him, he saw that he had power, and he became a cold
blooded murderer of anyone Jewish or non-Muslim or otherwise
categorized as his enemy. This led to the brand of terrorism that has
the whole world in fear today. Millions of words have been written
about Muhammad’s violence, with one example of these details found
here: http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/terrorism.htm. Most who
claim to practice Islam today probably don’t even know these details.
Being the descendents of Ishmael, however, it’s of little relevance to
them why; they just know they have a deep enmity in their DNA against
Jews and the arrogant Americans who support them.
Muhammad was a sexual pervert, appointed by God to have military
prowess, to put in motion the Islam people. This prepared the world
stage for the Last Days, so there would be a fierce people ready to
afflict Israel, in God’s appointed time. There was nothing holy about
Muhammad; he was intelligent and charismatic – attributes given him by
God – and he had a role to prepare the Arab people for what God has
planned in the last days. Anyone who worships him is worshiping a
pedophile; Islam is a false religion, man-made, utterly unscriptural.
He was a whoremonger and warmonger, the perfect unclean raven to
prepare a people to give the Beast a barbaric vicious army for when he
becomes king of the world. [source - retrieved from
http://www.godhatesislam.com/pervertmuhammad.html on 3/10/2014]
APPENDIX 2, MUHAMMAD A BRUTAL MAN WORSE THAN ADOLPH HITLER – KNOW THE TRUTH
The Life of Muhammad:
An Inconvenient Truth
Now Includes the Myths of Muhammad
Timeline of Muhammad's Life (A.D)
570 - Born in Mecca
576 - Orphaned upon death of mother
595 - Marries Kadijah - older, wealthy widow
610 - Reports first revelations from angel at age of 40
619 - Protector uncle dies
622 - Emigrates from Mecca to Medina (the Hijra)
623 - Orders raids on Meccan caravans
624 - Battle of Badr (victory)
624 - Evicts Qaynuqa Jews from Medina
624 - Orders the assassination of Abu Afak
624 - Orders the assassination of Asma bint Marwan
624 - Orders the assassination of Ka'b al-Ashraf
625 - Battle of Uhud (defeat)
625 - Evicts Nadir Jews
627 - Battle of the Trench (victory)
627 - Massacre of the Qurayza Jews
628 - Signing of the Treaty of Hudaibiya with Mecca
628 - Destruction and subjugation of the Khaybar Jews
629 - Orders first raid into Christian lands at Muta (defeat)
630 - Conquers Mecca by surprise (along with other tribes)
631 - Leads second raid into Christian territory at Tabuk (no battle)
632 - Dies
"Muhammad is a narcissist, a pedophile, a mass murderer,
a terrorist, a misogynist, a lecher, a cult leader, a madman
a rapist, a torturer, an assassin and a looter."
Former Muslim Ali Sina offered $50,000 to anyone
who could prove otherwise based on Islamic texts.
The reward has gone unclaimed.
Introduction
What if a man you knew began telling people that God was routinely
speaking to him and only him - and that the "revelations" he claimed
to be receiving were mostly about him and his relative importance to
all other people? Say, for example, that this self-proclaimed prophet
insisted that God had declared him to be the 'perfect example' for
mankind and that others were therefore to accord him with special
privilege, unwavering obedience, wealth and earthly desires, including
all of the slaves and women that his lust could handle.
Such figures still arise from time to time. Some of the more dynamic
manage to develop a small group of followers so taken with their
leader's self assurance that they willingly offer their own children
to him for "marriage" or even kill on his behalf if requested.
Would it really validate the message of any such cult leader if his
followers did successfully kill and seize the property of anyone who
dared disagree? What if they gradually expanded their power and
numbers in such fashion that eventually they were enough to be
recognized as a major world religion? Would that make the cult
leader's claims about himself true? Would it really change the fact
that what they believe ultimately sprang from the imagination of a
narcissist?
In 610, an Arab salesman with a commanding personality attracted a
small cult of credulous fanatics by claiming to be a prophet. Though
his "revelations" were self-referential and occasionally
contradicting, he was successful in manipulating his followers with
promises of heavenly reward and threat of divine wrath. The god heard
only by him told them to lie and steal for him, to give their children
to him for sexual pleasure and, eventually, to gruesomely murder his
detractors.
There are two ways to approach a study of Muhammad. One is with
reverence and the other is with skepticism. Thinking persons choose
the latter. They are not influenced by the number of Muslim believers
in the world today or by their force of belief because these are
meaningless for determining truth. They care only about fact.
The facts presented here about the life of Muhammad and the origins of
Islam are fully supported by the works of early Muslim biographers
upon which all later historians rely.
Origins
To understand Islam, you must understand the harsh circumstances into
which the religion was born. The Arabian Peninsula at the time of
Muhammad (b.570 AD) was a barren and desolate region with scorching
sun and oppressive heat by day, and chilling cold at night. There was
little vegetative growth, and the nomadic inhabitants lived between
jagged rocks and shifting sand dunes.
While Europe and much of the Middle East was transitioning from the
Roman to the Byzantine Empire, with roads, irrigation canals,
aqueducts, and a culture that included philosophical discourse and
theater, the Arabians lived short and brutal lives in warring tribes
with little to offer the rest of the world beyond their own harsh
existence.
This partly explains Islam's inherent hostility to music and art,
which some extremists, such as the Taliban, take quite literally.
Islam does not encourage the pursuit of knowledge outside of itself.
It is, as Oriana Fallaci puts it, it is “the religion which has
produced nothing but religion."
The inhospitable climate protected the peninsula from conquest and
cultural influence. No foreign army felt that sheep and goats were
worth taking from the desert fighters, so the area was relatively
isolated, with the exception of certain trading routes. The
renaissance of knowledge that the rest of the world had been
experiencing since the Greek revival was largely missed out on by the
Arabs, whose entire energies were devoted to daily survival against
the ruthless environment and other tribes.
For these people, morality was dictated merely by necessity, and
obligations did not extend beyond one’s tribe. This is a critical
basis for the development of the Islamic attitude toward those outside
the faith, including the moral principle that the ethics of any act
are determined only by whether or not it benefits Muslims.
There were pagan religious traditions in Arabia, particularly among
those based in the trading centers such as Muhammad's birthplace of
Mecca. Some of these towns had Kaabas - cube-like structures that
would attract pilgrims during holy months. The Kaaba at Mecca housed
various idols, including the black meteorite that remains to this day.
In addition to the black rock, Muhammad's Quraish tribe worshipped a
moon god called Allah. Other gods were recognized as well. In fact,
the town of Mecca was renowned for religious tolerance, where people
of all faiths could come and pray at the Kaaba. (This would later
change once Muhammad gained the power to establish his authority by
force).
Islam was created both from these crude pagan practices and from the
basic theological elements of Christianity and Judaism as Muhammad
[often erroneously] understood them (his inaccurate interpretation of
Christianity, for example, is often attributed to an early experience
with fringe cults in the Palestinian region, then known as Syria).
Early Life at Mecca
Muhammad was born around 570 AD to a widowed mother who died just six
years later. He grew up poor and orphaned on the margins of society,
which was controlled by tribal chiefs and trading merchants. He
worked for his uncle, Abu Talib, as a camel herder. Although his
uncle had some standing in the community, Muhammad himself did not
rise above his lowly station until he was 25, when he met and married
a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was 15 years older.
His wife's trading business not only nurtured Muhammad's natural
talents of persuasion, but it also gave the successful salesman an
opportunity to travel and acquire knowledge that was not as accessible
to the local population. He would later use this to his advantage by
incorporating the stories that he had come across into his
"revelations" from Allah, particularly the tales from the earlier
religions, Judaism and Christianity.
Having attained a comfortable lifestyle and the idle time that wealth
affords, Muhammad would wander off occasionally for periods of
meditation and contemplation. It is quite likely that he was
experiencing the symptoms of a midlife crisis, including a desire for
personal accomplishment and meaning.
One day, at the age of 40, he told his wife that he had been visited
by the angel Gabriel in a dream. Thus began a series of "revelations"
which lasted almost until his death 23 years later. The Qur’an is a
collection of words that Muhammad attributed to Allah. THE HADITH IS
A COLLECTION OF NARRATIONS OF THE LIFE AND DEEDS OF MUHAMMAD. The
Sira is his recorded biography. The Sunnah is said to be Muhammad's
way of life, on which Islamic law (Sharia) is based.
With his wife’s influence and support, Muhammad proclaimed himself a
prophet in same "lineage" as that of Abraham and Jesus, and began
trying to convert those around him to his new religion. He narrated
the Quran to those who believed him, telling them that it was the word
of Allah (heard only by himself, of course).
Muhammad's Quran did not contain a single original moral value and it
contributed only one new idea to world religion - that Muhammad is
Allah's prophet. In fact, Muhammad's "Allah" seemed oddly preoccupied
with making sure Muslims knew to obey Muhammad's every earthly wish,
as this mandate is repeated at least twenty times in the narration of
the Quran.
In the beginning, Muhammad did his best to compromise his teachings
with the predominant beliefs of the community’s elders, such as
combining all 300 of their idols under the name “Allah.” His
amalgamation of Judeo-Christian theology and pagan tradition grew more
sophisticated over time. He also used his "revelations from Allah" to
repeatedly affirm his own position. Even if he did not remember the
Biblical stories correctly, for example, each one was conspicuously
modified to incorporate a common theme: "Believe in the Messenger
(Muhammad) or suffer the consequences."
Preaching and Persecution at Mecca
According to early Muslim historians, the Meccans did not mind
Muhammad practicing his religion, nor did they feel threatened by his
promotion of it. This changed only after the self-proclaimed prophet
began attacking their religion, including the customs and ancestors of
the people (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 167). This was enough to stir up the
resentment of the influential leaders of Mecca, who then mocked his
humble background against his pretentious claims. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was Persecuted for Preaching Islam)
Still, Mecca at the time was a remarkably tolerant society. Muhammad
was allowed to attack the local customs for thirteen years, even
though the town's economy depended on the annual pilgrimage attended
by visiting pagans, whose religion he actively disparaged.
At first, Muhammad was only successful with friends and family. After
thirteen years, “the street preacher” could boast of only about a
hundred determined followers, who called themselves Muslims. Outside
of his wife, his first convert was his young cousin Ali (who would
later become his son-in-law and the fourth caliph of Islam). Another
early convert was Abu Bakr, a wealthy merchant whose money and
credulous acceptance of Muhammad can be credited with the survival of
the fledgling cult. (Muhammad would later "marry" Abu Bakr's
6-year-old daughter).
Relations with the Meccans turned particularly sour after an episode
known as "the Satanic Verses" in which Muhammad agreed to recognize
the local gods in addition to Allah. This delighted the Meccans, who
generously extended their welcome. But Muhammad soon changed his mind
after his own people began to lose faith in him. He claimed that
Satan had spoken through him, and he rescinded recognition of the
Meccan gods (Tabari 1192, Quran 22:52 & 53:19-26).
The locals intensified their mockery of Muslims and made life
particularly difficult for some of them. Although Muslims today often
use the word "persecution" to describe this ordeal (justifiably, in
some cases), it is important to note that the earliest and most
reliable biographers (Ibn Ishaq and al-Tabari) record the death of
only one Muslim during this period, an older woman who died from
stress.
This fact is a source of embarrassment to modern apologists, who do
not like admitting that Muslims were the first to become violent at
Mecca (see MYTH: The Meccans Drew First Blood against Muhammad) and
that Muhammad was the first to resort to militancy... and at a later
time, when it was entirely unnecessary.
To deal with this unpleasant truth, sympathetic narratives of the
early Meccan years usually exaggerate the struggle of the Muslims with
claims that they were "under constant torture." They may also include
apocryphal accounts that are unsupported by earliest and most reliable
historians (see MYTH: Persecution of Muslims at Mecca - Many Deaths).
Modern storytellers and filmmakers (such as those behind 1976's The
Message) have even been known to invent fictional victims of Meccan
murder, either to dramatize their own tale or to provide justification
for the "revenge killings" that followed. But, in fact, the only
Muslim whose life was truly in danger was that of Muhammad - after 13
years of being allowed to mock the local religion. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was Tortured at Mecca).
The Hijra - Flight from Mecca to Medina
The death of his uncle, Abu Talib, in 619 left Muhammad without a
protector against the Meccan leadership, which was gradually losing
patience with him. The true agitator in this situation, however, is
quite clearly Muhammad himself, as even Muslim historians note.
Consider this account of what happened at Abu Talib's deathbed, as the
Meccans implored him a final time for peace with his nephew:
[Muhammad's chief adversary] Abu Sufyan, with other sundry notables,
went to Abu Talib and said: "You know the trouble that exists between
us and your nephew, so call him and let us make an agreement that he
will leave us alone and we will leave him alone; let him have his
religion and we will have ours." (Ibn Ishaq 278)
Muhammad rejected the offer of peaceful co-existence. His new
religion was obviously intended to dominate the others, not be on
equal standing with them. Meanwhile, the Muslims were beginning to
become violent with the people around them.
Muhammad's search for political alliance led him to make a treaty of
war against the Meccans with the people of Medina, another Arab town
far to the north (Ibn Ishaq 299-301). This was the last straw for the
Meccans, who finally decided to capture Muhammad and put him to death.
(see also MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims Fled Mecca because of
Persecution)
Although this sounds harsh against Western standards, it is important
to note the contrast between the Meccan reaction and that of Muhammad
when he had the opportunity to deal with perceived treachery in Medina
at a later date on the part of those who hadn't even harmed anyone.
The Meccans limited their deadly aggression to Muhammad himself. This
is quite clear from the episode in which Muhammad escapes his home by
using his son-in-law, Ali, to trick his would-be assassins into
thinking that they had him trapped (Ibn Ishaq 326). No harm was done
to Ali or his wife, both of whom subsequently remained in the city for
several days to complete the transfer of Muhammad's family business to
Medina.
Compare this to the episode of the Banu Qurayza (below), in which
Muhammad slaughtered an entire tribe of people based on their leader
having switched loyalties in a conflict in which none of them even
participated.
The year that Muhammad fled Mecca for Medina was 622, which marks the
beginning of the Muslim calendar.
Medina and the Origin of Jihad
Stinging from the rejection of his own town and tribe, Muhammad's
message quickly become more intolerant and ruthless - particularly as
he gained power. Islam's holiest book clearly reflects this contrast,
with the later parts of the Quran adding violence and earthly defeats
at the hands of Muslims to the woes of eternal damnation that the
earlier parts of the book promises those who will not believe in
Muhammad.
It was at Medina that Islam evolved from a relatively peaceful
religion borrowed from others and into a military force that was
intended to govern all aspects of society. During these last ten
years of Muhammad's life, infidels were evicted or enslaved, converted
upon point of death and even rounded up and slaughtered depending on
expediency.
To fund his quest for control, Muhammad first directed his followers
to raid Meccan caravans in the holy months, when the victims would
least expect it. This was despite the fact that the Meccans were not
bothering him in Medina (see MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims were
Persecuted by the Meccans at Medina).
Muhammad provided his people with convenient revelations "from Allah"
which allowed them to murder innocent drivers and steal their property
(Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 426). The people around him gradually developed a
lust for things that could be taken in battle, including material
comforts and captured women and children. (See also MYTH: Muhammad
Raided Caravans to Retrieve Stolen Property).
Often the people captured in battle would be brought before the
self-proclaimed prophet, where they would plead for their lives,
arguing, for example, that they would never have treated the Muslims
that way. The traditions are quite clear in portraying Muhammad as
largely unmoved by their pleas, and ordering their deaths anyway,
often by horrible means. In one case, he orders a man slain, telling
him that “Hell” will take care of the poor fellow’s orphaned daughter
(Ishaq 459). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Captives)
The raids on caravans preceded the first major battle involving a
Muslim army, the Battle of Badr. This was the spot where the Meccans
had sent their own army to protect their caravans from Muslim raiders.
Although, Muslims today like to claim that they only attack others in
self-defense, this was clearly not the case in Muhammad's time. In
fact, he had to compel his reluctant warriors with promises of
paradise and assurances that their religion was more important than
the lives of others. (See also MYTH: The Battle of Badr was
Defensive).
The Consolidation of Power
Muhammad defeated the Meccan army at Badr, which emboldened him to
begin dividing and conquering the three local Jewish tribes at Medina.
Their mistake was to accept the Muslim presence, but reject
Muhammad's claim that he was in the line of Jewish prophets. His
stories from the Torah simply did not agree with their own.
(Muhammad's recited version of Bible stories sounds more like
fragmented fairy tales with the same moral - believe in his personal
claim to be a prophet or else).
How these three tribes, the Banu Qaynuqa, the Banu Nadir, and the Banu
Quyrayza met their fate is insightful into the Muslim mindset, which
employs an inherent double standard in its relations with those
outside the faith.
First, to try and gain their favor, Muhammad briefly preached that
Christians and Jews could attain salvation through their own faith.
In fact, he changed his followers' direction for prayer from Mecca to
Jerusalem, which prompted the Jews' tolerance of him while he worked
surreptitiously for the power to evict them. These earlier
concessions and teachings were later revoked by Muhammad, since the
Jews ultimately refused his religion. The rare early verses of
tolerance in the Quran are abrogated by later verses such as 9:29.
The Jews' knowledge of the Torah naturally threatened the Muslim
leader's credibility, since it easily refuted the claims that he made
about himself as a prophet of God. They also saw through the Biblical
narrations that he had picked up from secondhand sources and knew that
these contradicted established revelation. Conveniently, Allah
stepped in to tell Muhammad that the Jews had deliberately corrupted
their own texts to hide the very evidence of his own prophethood that
he had previously insisted existed. (To this day, Muslims have never
been able to produce a copy of the "true" Torah or Gospel to which
their own Quran refers).
While the Jews remained unconvinced by such obvious gimmickry, Arab
polytheists converted to Islam in large numbers, which soon gave
Muhammad the power to make his intentions clear that Islam would be
imposed by force:
While we were in the Mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go
to the Jews" We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to
them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that
the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you
from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is
permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs
to Allah and His Apostle." Bukhari 53:392
The Jews of Mecca were the first in a very long line of unfortunate
people to be offered the opportunity to convert to Islam under obvious
duress. Forcible conversion is very much a Muslim tradition started
by Muhammad (see MYTH: Muhammad Rejected Conversions to Islam made
under Duress)
Since they chose to hold on to their religion (and their property)
Muhammad looked for reasons to go to war against the Jews at Medina.
According to some Muslims, the first tribe, the Qaynuqa, were driven
from their homes and land on the pretext that one of their own had
harassed a Muslim woman. Although the offender was killed prior to
this by a Muslim, the Muslim was also killed by Jews in retaliation
for the first murder.
After laying siege to the entire community and defeating the tribe,
Muhammad wanted to put every male member to death, but was talked out
of it by an associate - something that Allah later "rebuked" him for.
The Qaynuqa were forced into exile and the Muslims took their
possessions and property, making it their own. Muhammad personally
reserved a fifth of the ill-gotten gain for himself (a rule that he
was sure to include in the Quran).
This episode helped ingrain within Islam the immature principle of
group identity, whereby any member of a religion or social unit
outside of Islam is just as guilty as any of their peers who insult or
harm a Muslim - and just as deserving of punishment. (Muhammad's
punishments usually did not fit the crime).
Members of the second tribe, the Banu Nadir, were accused by Muhammad
of plotting to kill him. What is most intriguing about this episode
is that it occurred after the Muslims had killed several prominent
Jews on Muhammad's order, including a leader of the Banu Nadir (named
Ka'b al-Ashraf). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Murder)
When the prophet of Islam learned that he might be targeted in
retaliation (something that he claimed was "revealed" to him by
Allah), he promptly laid siege to the Banu Nadir community. After
forcing them to surrender, these original inhabitants of Medina were
then banished from their homes and land by the Muslim newcomers, who
again started to take as much as they could for themselves (Ibn Ishaq
653). (To the disappointment of his people, this time Muhammad
produced a revelation from Allah that allowed him to confiscate the
entire portion for himself).
In a critical example of how deception is sanctioned under Islam, a
surviving contingent of the Banu Nadir (under Usayr ibn Zarim) was
later tricked into leaving their fortress by promise of peace talks.
The contingent of Muslims sent by Muhammad to "escort" them, however,
easily slaughtered the victims once they let down their guard (Ibn
Ishaq 981). (See also MYTH: Muhammad always Disapproved of
Dishonesty).
SEE PART 2 OF “LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.’ IN VOL 266A.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 265A]
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) said of these whose love had grown cold for righteousness at Matthew 7:23, [AV] “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many in the end times will be as shown at 2 Timothy 3:2, [AV] “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.
CLEARLY EVERYWHERE SOCIETY IS BREAKING DOWN, WESTERN SOCIETY IS NO
EXCEPTION, BUT ISLAMIC SOCIETY IS FAR AHEAD OF IT WITH RESPECT MORAL
BREAKDOWN.
INTRODUCTION:
Should we be surprised by this breakdown of morals everywhere? No! The Bible foretold this over 1,900 years ago as follows: “Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times. 2 Timothy 3:1
(Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible: DRCB)
It is good to note that Paul introduced the prophecy about the last days with the expression, ‘know…this.’ Those words guarantee that what follows is certain to occur. There is no doubt that ungodly society will continue to advance from bad to worse until Almighty God (YHWH) steps in to end it. Historians have documented that here or There some society or nation experienced a steep moral decline and then collapsed. Never before in history, though, has the overall morality of the entire world deteriorated to the extent that is has now. Many people may ignore the implications, but this unique development since 1914 should clearly demonstrate to us that we can trust that Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) Kingdom will soon take decisive action.
YES THE MORALS IN THE U.K., USA, RUSSIA ARE GETTING WORSE, BUT THE MORALS OF MANY MUSLIMS ARE EVEN WORSE:
Many members of Islam point to the breakdown of morals in the west, but conveniently ignore that their own society’s morals broke down starting with the founding of Islam in the 7 th. Century, and the fact, that their founder, the false prophet, Muhammad, was a pedophile and rabid sexual pervert, and also a very vicious person. For details, go to, Appendix 1 and 2. In fact, a Muslim political active Muslim women, Salwa al-Mutairi, even testified to the fact of the unconscionable wrong sex drive of many Muslim men, when she said,
(quote) ‘“that extra "virile" men—Western synonyms include "sex-crazed," "lecherous," "perverted"—would do well to purchase sex-slaves to sate their appetites without sinning.” (quote) For more details on this, go to Appendix 3.
This shows a moral breakdown in the Muslim world worse than anything in the western world which some members of Islam are always criticizing. Worse yet, many in Islam sexually mutilate little girls and practice honour killings. For details, go to Appendix 4.
APPENDIX 1, MUHAMMAD WAS A SEX PERVERT – SEE THE PROOF
Muhammad was a violent sexual pervert, who formed a false religion
that has 1.4 billion followers today. Muslims who practice Islam have
been prepared and are held in reserve at this hour to serve as God’s
servants, instruments of war from His armory, to punish a disobedient
world, and in particular, rebellious stiff-necked apostate Jews.
Pervert Muhammad married eleven or thirteen women. Historians
sanitize this filth by jabbering about things like “needs of the
tribe,” politics, compassion and “affairs of the heart.”
When he was 25, Muhammad married his wealthy employer, a 40-year-old
merchant named (1) Khadijah. He was her gigolo; he used her wealth to
dally in dreams and pretend he had been told things by God. When he
was 40 he claimed to have been visited by the angel Gabriel who
revealed to him a verse from the Qur’an, after which he claimed to be
a prophet. He spent long hours “meditating” and “speculating” about
the creation. He claimed a series of visions occurred while he was
hanging out in caves and in the hills and ravines near Mecca.
After Khadijah died, Muhammad married (2) Sawda bint Zam’a, (3)Aisha
and (4)Umm Salam. Aisha was six when she was betrothed to Muhammed;
the marriage was consummated when she was nine or ten. In later years
she slipped off to look for an allegedly “lost” wedding necklace,
giving rise to claims she was up to mischief with some man. Not to
worry; Muhammed got some verses written and out into the public
mainstream bespeaking her innocence and condemning anyone who said
otherwise as slanderers.
After killing her husband, during the Muslim war with Mecca, Muhammad
married (5)Hafsa bint Umar when she was 20 (he was 56). Similarly,
after she was widowed at the battle of Badr, Muhammed married
(6)Zaynab bint Khuzayma.
When Abu Salamah died in battle, Muhammad married his widow, (7)Umm
Salama Hin bitn Abi Umayya. In 626 (8)Raihanah bint Zaid was among
those enslaved after the defeat of the Banu Quarayza tribe, and she
became Muhammad’s concubine or wife.
Later, Muhammad married his cousin, (9)Zaynab bint Jahsh, after a lot
of conflict related to her marriage and divorce with another man.
Muhammad decided in favor of this marriage to break the taboo against
incestuous marriages, by informing everyone the Qur’an indicated this
marriage was a duty imposed on him by God.
After he took captives from a skirmish with the Banu Mustaliq, he
married one named (10)Juwayriya bint al-Harith, which led to his new
kinsmen being released from enslavement. Then he signed a peace
treaty with his Meccan enemies, the Quraysh, and soon thereafter
married the daughter of their leader, (11)Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, all for
reconciling with his opponents of course.
Muhammad sent a proposal for marriage to (12)Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan
when he learned her husband had died. Then in 629, after the Battle
of Khaybar, Muhammad freed (13)Safiyya bint Huyayy, a noblewoman of
the defeated Jewish tribe Banu Nadir, and proposed marriage. She
accepted, so he married her as part of reconciliation with the Jewish
tribe and a gesture of goodwill.
If these women got into a cat fight about how Muhammad was treating
them – in particular how much time or attention each received from him
– he made up new rules that he claimed were revelations from God, to
keep them in line. When he died, he left word behind that no one
could marry them according to God. He kept these women in little
apartments adjacent to the mosque at Medina, and visited them in
rounds day and night.
This was in between his warmongering, whereby he built an estate and
army, which put in motion military expeditions that have influence
still today. The only thing that made Muhammad a “prophet” was his
military successes. In a single decade he fought eight major battles,
led 18 raids, and planned 38 military operations. He revolutionized
Arabian warfare and mobilized an army motivated by an ideology of holy
war (jihad) and martyrdom (shahada). This transmitted to the West
during the wars between Muslims and Christians in Spain and France,
and gave the whore Roman Catholic Church an ideological justification
for the Crusades. But for his success as a military commander, Islam
would not have gained momentum leading to 1.4 billion practitioners
today, making it the second largest religion behind Christianity, and
the conquest of the Byzantine and Persian empires by Arab armies would
not have occurred. Muhammad transformed the armies of Arabia so his
successors could use them to defeat the armies of Persia and Byzantium
and establish the heartland of the empire of Islam.
Muhammad came along at a time when Muslims were in a defensive mode,
often fighting to survive, many living in poverty and oppression.
Muhammad spent thirteen years building a spiritual platform; then the
remaining ten years of his life as a leader in military mode, merging
these notions – of spirituality and warfare – to establish the false
religion known today as Islam. Supposedly when he started preaching,
Muhammad was not violent. He is said to have been persecuted for
preaching his religious ideas – known today as Islam – and denigrating
the pagan religions of the Meccans. He went to Medina after receiving
a “revelation” to fight the Meccans, which caused him to turn to
warfare. His “revelation” coalesced with a group of feuding Arabs in
Media who accepted him as their prophet, providing him with his first
army. He then began to preach that if anyone gained a victory of the
men of Jews, they should kill them. After some acts of violence where
his men killed for him, he saw that he had power, and he became a cold
blooded murderer of anyone Jewish or non-Muslim or otherwise
categorized as his enemy. This led to the brand of terrorism that has
the whole world in fear today. Millions of words have been written
about Muhammad’s violence, with one example of these details found
here: http://www.answering-islam.org/Silas/terrorism.htm. Most who
claim to practice Islam today probably don’t even know these details.
Being the descendents of Ishmael, however, it’s of little relevance to
them why; they just know they have a deep enmity in their DNA against
Jews and the arrogant Americans who support them.
Muhammad was a sexual pervert, appointed by God to have military
prowess, to put in motion the Islam people. This prepared the world
stage for the Last Days, so there would be a fierce people ready to
afflict Israel, in God’s appointed time. There was nothing holy about
Muhammad; he was intelligent and charismatic – attributes given him by
God – and he had a role to prepare the Arab people for what God has
planned in the last days. Anyone who worships him is worshiping a
pedophile; Islam is a false religion, man-made, utterly unscriptural.
He was a whoremonger and warmonger, the perfect unclean raven to
prepare a people to give the Beast a barbaric vicious army for when he
becomes king of the world. [source - retrieved from
http://www.godhatesislam.com/pervertmuhammad.html on 3/10/2014]
APPENDIX 2, MUHAMMAD A BRUTAL MAN WORSE THAN ADOLPH HITLER – KNOW THE TRUTH
The Life of Muhammad:
An Inconvenient Truth
Now Includes the Myths of Muhammad
Timeline of Muhammad's Life (A.D)
570 - Born in Mecca
576 - Orphaned upon death of mother
595 - Marries Kadijah - older, wealthy widow
610 - Reports first revelations from angel at age of 40
619 - Protector uncle dies
622 - Emigrates from Mecca to Medina (the Hijra)
623 - Orders raids on Meccan caravans
624 - Battle of Badr (victory)
624 - Evicts Qaynuqa Jews from Medina
624 - Orders the assassination of Abu Afak
624 - Orders the assassination of Asma bint Marwan
624 - Orders the assassination of Ka'b al-Ashraf
625 - Battle of Uhud (defeat)
625 - Evicts Nadir Jews
627 - Battle of the Trench (victory)
627 - Massacre of the Qurayza Jews
628 - Signing of the Treaty of Hudaibiya with Mecca
628 - Destruction and subjugation of the Khaybar Jews
629 - Orders first raid into Christian lands at Muta (defeat)
630 - Conquers Mecca by surprise (along with other tribes)
631 - Leads second raid into Christian territory at Tabuk (no battle)
632 - Dies
"Muhammad is a narcissist, a pedophile, a mass murderer,
a terrorist, a misogynist, a lecher, a cult leader, a madman
a rapist, a torturer, an assassin and a looter."
Former Muslim Ali Sina offered $50,000 to anyone
who could prove otherwise based on Islamic texts.
The reward has gone unclaimed.
Introduction
What if a man you knew began telling people that God was routinely
speaking to him and only him - and that the "revelations" he claimed
to be receiving were mostly about him and his relative importance to
all other people? Say, for example, that this self-proclaimed prophet
insisted that God had declared him to be the 'perfect example' for
mankind and that others were therefore to accord him with special
privilege, unwavering obedience, wealth and earthly desires, including
all of the slaves and women that his lust could handle.
Such figures still arise from time to time. Some of the more dynamic
manage to develop a small group of followers so taken with their
leader's self assurance that they willingly offer their own children
to him for "marriage" or even kill on his behalf if requested.
Would it really validate the message of any such cult leader if his
followers did successfully kill and seize the property of anyone who
dared disagree? What if they gradually expanded their power and
numbers in such fashion that eventually they were enough to be
recognized as a major world religion? Would that make the cult
leader's claims about himself true? Would it really change the fact
that what they believe ultimately sprang from the imagination of a
narcissist?
In 610, an Arab salesman with a commanding personality attracted a
small cult of credulous fanatics by claiming to be a prophet. Though
his "revelations" were self-referential and occasionally
contradicting, he was successful in manipulating his followers with
promises of heavenly reward and threat of divine wrath. The god heard
only by him told them to lie and steal for him, to give their children
to him for sexual pleasure and, eventually, to gruesomely murder his
detractors.
There are two ways to approach a study of Muhammad. One is with
reverence and the other is with skepticism. Thinking persons choose
the latter. They are not influenced by the number of Muslim believers
in the world today or by their force of belief because these are
meaningless for determining truth. They care only about fact.
The facts presented here about the life of Muhammad and the origins of
Islam are fully supported by the works of early Muslim biographers
upon which all later historians rely.
Origins
To understand Islam, you must understand the harsh circumstances into
which the religion was born. The Arabian Peninsula at the time of
Muhammad (b.570 AD) was a barren and desolate region with scorching
sun and oppressive heat by day, and chilling cold at night. There was
little vegetative growth, and the nomadic inhabitants lived between
jagged rocks and shifting sand dunes.
While Europe and much of the Middle East was transitioning from the
Roman to the Byzantine Empire, with roads, irrigation canals,
aqueducts, and a culture that included philosophical discourse and
theater, the Arabians lived short and brutal lives in warring tribes
with little to offer the rest of the world beyond their own harsh
existence.
This partly explains Islam's inherent hostility to music and art,
which some extremists, such as the Taliban, take quite literally.
Islam does not encourage the pursuit of knowledge outside of itself.
It is, as Oriana Fallaci puts it, it is “the religion which has
produced nothing but religion."
The inhospitable climate protected the peninsula from conquest and
cultural influence. No foreign army felt that sheep and goats were
worth taking from the desert fighters, so the area was relatively
isolated, with the exception of certain trading routes. The
renaissance of knowledge that the rest of the world had been
experiencing since the Greek revival was largely missed out on by the
Arabs, whose entire energies were devoted to daily survival against
the ruthless environment and other tribes.
For these people, morality was dictated merely by necessity, and
obligations did not extend beyond one’s tribe. This is a critical
basis for the development of the Islamic attitude toward those outside
the faith, including the moral principle that the ethics of any act
are determined only by whether or not it benefits Muslims.
There were pagan religious traditions in Arabia, particularly among
those based in the trading centers such as Muhammad's birthplace of
Mecca. Some of these towns had Kaabas - cube-like structures that
would attract pilgrims during holy months. The Kaaba at Mecca housed
various idols, including the black meteorite that remains to this day.
In addition to the black rock, Muhammad's Quraish tribe worshipped a
moon god called Allah. Other gods were recognized as well. In fact,
the town of Mecca was renowned for religious tolerance, where people
of all faiths could come and pray at the Kaaba. (This would later
change once Muhammad gained the power to establish his authority by
force).
Islam was created both from these crude pagan practices and from the
basic theological elements of Christianity and Judaism as Muhammad
[often erroneously] understood them (his inaccurate interpretation of
Christianity, for example, is often attributed to an early experience
with fringe cults in the Palestinian region, then known as Syria).
Early Life at Mecca
Muhammad was born around 570 AD to a widowed mother who died just six
years later. He grew up poor and orphaned on the margins of society,
which was controlled by tribal chiefs and trading merchants. He
worked for his uncle, Abu Talib, as a camel herder. Although his
uncle had some standing in the community, Muhammad himself did not
rise above his lowly station until he was 25, when he met and married
a wealthy widow, Khadija, who was 15 years older.
His wife's trading business not only nurtured Muhammad's natural
talents of persuasion, but it also gave the successful salesman an
opportunity to travel and acquire knowledge that was not as accessible
to the local population. He would later use this to his advantage by
incorporating the stories that he had come across into his
"revelations" from Allah, particularly the tales from the earlier
religions, Judaism and Christianity.
Having attained a comfortable lifestyle and the idle time that wealth
affords, Muhammad would wander off occasionally for periods of
meditation and contemplation. It is quite likely that he was
experiencing the symptoms of a midlife crisis, including a desire for
personal accomplishment and meaning.
One day, at the age of 40, he told his wife that he had been visited
by the angel Gabriel in a dream. Thus began a series of "revelations"
which lasted almost until his death 23 years later. The Qur’an is a
collection of words that Muhammad attributed to Allah. THE HADITH IS
A COLLECTION OF NARRATIONS OF THE LIFE AND DEEDS OF MUHAMMAD. The
Sira is his recorded biography. The Sunnah is said to be Muhammad's
way of life, on which Islamic law (Sharia) is based.
With his wife’s influence and support, Muhammad proclaimed himself a
prophet in same "lineage" as that of Abraham and Jesus, and began
trying to convert those around him to his new religion. He narrated
the Quran to those who believed him, telling them that it was the word
of Allah (heard only by himself, of course).
Muhammad's Quran did not contain a single original moral value and it
contributed only one new idea to world religion - that Muhammad is
Allah's prophet. In fact, Muhammad's "Allah" seemed oddly preoccupied
with making sure Muslims knew to obey Muhammad's every earthly wish,
as this mandate is repeated at least twenty times in the narration of
the Quran.
In the beginning, Muhammad did his best to compromise his teachings
with the predominant beliefs of the community’s elders, such as
combining all 300 of their idols under the name “Allah.” His
amalgamation of Judeo-Christian theology and pagan tradition grew more
sophisticated over time. He also used his "revelations from Allah" to
repeatedly affirm his own position. Even if he did not remember the
Biblical stories correctly, for example, each one was conspicuously
modified to incorporate a common theme: "Believe in the Messenger
(Muhammad) or suffer the consequences."
Preaching and Persecution at Mecca
According to early Muslim historians, the Meccans did not mind
Muhammad practicing his religion, nor did they feel threatened by his
promotion of it. This changed only after the self-proclaimed prophet
began attacking their religion, including the customs and ancestors of
the people (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 167). This was enough to stir up the
resentment of the influential leaders of Mecca, who then mocked his
humble background against his pretentious claims. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was Persecuted for Preaching Islam)
Still, Mecca at the time was a remarkably tolerant society. Muhammad
was allowed to attack the local customs for thirteen years, even
though the town's economy depended on the annual pilgrimage attended
by visiting pagans, whose religion he actively disparaged.
At first, Muhammad was only successful with friends and family. After
thirteen years, “the street preacher” could boast of only about a
hundred determined followers, who called themselves Muslims. Outside
of his wife, his first convert was his young cousin Ali (who would
later become his son-in-law and the fourth caliph of Islam). Another
early convert was Abu Bakr, a wealthy merchant whose money and
credulous acceptance of Muhammad can be credited with the survival of
the fledgling cult. (Muhammad would later "marry" Abu Bakr's
6-year-old daughter).
Relations with the Meccans turned particularly sour after an episode
known as "the Satanic Verses" in which Muhammad agreed to recognize
the local gods in addition to Allah. This delighted the Meccans, who
generously extended their welcome. But Muhammad soon changed his mind
after his own people began to lose faith in him. He claimed that
Satan had spoken through him, and he rescinded recognition of the
Meccan gods (Tabari 1192, Quran 22:52 & 53:19-26).
The locals intensified their mockery of Muslims and made life
particularly difficult for some of them. Although Muslims today often
use the word "persecution" to describe this ordeal (justifiably, in
some cases), it is important to note that the earliest and most
reliable biographers (Ibn Ishaq and al-Tabari) record the death of
only one Muslim during this period, an older woman who died from
stress.
This fact is a source of embarrassment to modern apologists, who do
not like admitting that Muslims were the first to become violent at
Mecca (see MYTH: The Meccans Drew First Blood against Muhammad) and
that Muhammad was the first to resort to militancy... and at a later
time, when it was entirely unnecessary.
To deal with this unpleasant truth, sympathetic narratives of the
early Meccan years usually exaggerate the struggle of the Muslims with
claims that they were "under constant torture." They may also include
apocryphal accounts that are unsupported by earliest and most reliable
historians (see MYTH: Persecution of Muslims at Mecca - Many Deaths).
Modern storytellers and filmmakers (such as those behind 1976's The
Message) have even been known to invent fictional victims of Meccan
murder, either to dramatize their own tale or to provide justification
for the "revenge killings" that followed. But, in fact, the only
Muslim whose life was truly in danger was that of Muhammad - after 13
years of being allowed to mock the local religion. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was Tortured at Mecca).
The Hijra - Flight from Mecca to Medina
The death of his uncle, Abu Talib, in 619 left Muhammad without a
protector against the Meccan leadership, which was gradually losing
patience with him. The true agitator in this situation, however, is
quite clearly Muhammad himself, as even Muslim historians note.
Consider this account of what happened at Abu Talib's deathbed, as the
Meccans implored him a final time for peace with his nephew:
[Muhammad's chief adversary] Abu Sufyan, with other sundry notables,
went to Abu Talib and said: "You know the trouble that exists between
us and your nephew, so call him and let us make an agreement that he
will leave us alone and we will leave him alone; let him have his
religion and we will have ours." (Ibn Ishaq 278)
Muhammad rejected the offer of peaceful co-existence. His new
religion was obviously intended to dominate the others, not be on
equal standing with them. Meanwhile, the Muslims were beginning to
become violent with the people around them.
Muhammad's search for political alliance led him to make a treaty of
war against the Meccans with the people of Medina, another Arab town
far to the north (Ibn Ishaq 299-301). This was the last straw for the
Meccans, who finally decided to capture Muhammad and put him to death.
(see also MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims Fled Mecca because of
Persecution)
Although this sounds harsh against Western standards, it is important
to note the contrast between the Meccan reaction and that of Muhammad
when he had the opportunity to deal with perceived treachery in Medina
at a later date on the part of those who hadn't even harmed anyone.
The Meccans limited their deadly aggression to Muhammad himself. This
is quite clear from the episode in which Muhammad escapes his home by
using his son-in-law, Ali, to trick his would-be assassins into
thinking that they had him trapped (Ibn Ishaq 326). No harm was done
to Ali or his wife, both of whom subsequently remained in the city for
several days to complete the transfer of Muhammad's family business to
Medina.
Compare this to the episode of the Banu Qurayza (below), in which
Muhammad slaughtered an entire tribe of people based on their leader
having switched loyalties in a conflict in which none of them even
participated.
The year that Muhammad fled Mecca for Medina was 622, which marks the
beginning of the Muslim calendar.
Medina and the Origin of Jihad
Stinging from the rejection of his own town and tribe, Muhammad's
message quickly become more intolerant and ruthless - particularly as
he gained power. Islam's holiest book clearly reflects this contrast,
with the later parts of the Quran adding violence and earthly defeats
at the hands of Muslims to the woes of eternal damnation that the
earlier parts of the book promises those who will not believe in
Muhammad.
It was at Medina that Islam evolved from a relatively peaceful
religion borrowed from others and into a military force that was
intended to govern all aspects of society. During these last ten
years of Muhammad's life, infidels were evicted or enslaved, converted
upon point of death and even rounded up and slaughtered depending on
expediency.
To fund his quest for control, Muhammad first directed his followers
to raid Meccan caravans in the holy months, when the victims would
least expect it. This was despite the fact that the Meccans were not
bothering him in Medina (see MYTH: Muhammad and his Muslims were
Persecuted by the Meccans at Medina).
Muhammad provided his people with convenient revelations "from Allah"
which allowed them to murder innocent drivers and steal their property
(Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 426). The people around him gradually developed a
lust for things that could be taken in battle, including material
comforts and captured women and children. (See also MYTH: Muhammad
Raided Caravans to Retrieve Stolen Property).
Often the people captured in battle would be brought before the
self-proclaimed prophet, where they would plead for their lives,
arguing, for example, that they would never have treated the Muslims
that way. The traditions are quite clear in portraying Muhammad as
largely unmoved by their pleas, and ordering their deaths anyway,
often by horrible means. In one case, he orders a man slain, telling
him that “Hell” will take care of the poor fellow’s orphaned daughter
(Ishaq 459). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Killed Captives)
The raids on caravans preceded the first major battle involving a
Muslim army, the Battle of Badr. This was the spot where the Meccans
had sent their own army to protect their caravans from Muslim raiders.
Although, Muslims today like to claim that they only attack others in
self-defense, this was clearly not the case in Muhammad's time. In
fact, he had to compel his reluctant warriors with promises of
paradise and assurances that their religion was more important than
the lives of others. (See also MYTH: The Battle of Badr was
Defensive).
The Consolidation of Power
Muhammad defeated the Meccan army at Badr, which emboldened him to
begin dividing and conquering the three local Jewish tribes at Medina.
Their mistake was to accept the Muslim presence, but reject
Muhammad's claim that he was in the line of Jewish prophets. His
stories from the Torah simply did not agree with their own.
(Muhammad's recited version of Bible stories sounds more like
fragmented fairy tales with the same moral - believe in his personal
claim to be a prophet or else).
How these three tribes, the Banu Qaynuqa, the Banu Nadir, and the Banu
Quyrayza met their fate is insightful into the Muslim mindset, which
employs an inherent double standard in its relations with those
outside the faith.
First, to try and gain their favor, Muhammad briefly preached that
Christians and Jews could attain salvation through their own faith.
In fact, he changed his followers' direction for prayer from Mecca to
Jerusalem, which prompted the Jews' tolerance of him while he worked
surreptitiously for the power to evict them. These earlier
concessions and teachings were later revoked by Muhammad, since the
Jews ultimately refused his religion. The rare early verses of
tolerance in the Quran are abrogated by later verses such as 9:29.
The Jews' knowledge of the Torah naturally threatened the Muslim
leader's credibility, since it easily refuted the claims that he made
about himself as a prophet of God. They also saw through the Biblical
narrations that he had picked up from secondhand sources and knew that
these contradicted established revelation. Conveniently, Allah
stepped in to tell Muhammad that the Jews had deliberately corrupted
their own texts to hide the very evidence of his own prophethood that
he had previously insisted existed. (To this day, Muslims have never
been able to produce a copy of the "true" Torah or Gospel to which
their own Quran refers).
While the Jews remained unconvinced by such obvious gimmickry, Arab
polytheists converted to Islam in large numbers, which soon gave
Muhammad the power to make his intentions clear that Islam would be
imposed by force:
While we were in the Mosque, the Prophet came out and said, "Let us go
to the Jews" We went out till we reached Bait-ul-Midras. He said to
them, "If you embrace Islam, you will be safe. You should know that
the earth belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and I want to expel you
from this land. So, if anyone amongst you owns some property, he is
permitted to sell it, otherwise you should know that the Earth belongs
to Allah and His Apostle." Bukhari 53:392
The Jews of Mecca were the first in a very long line of unfortunate
people to be offered the opportunity to convert to Islam under obvious
duress. Forcible conversion is very much a Muslim tradition started
by Muhammad (see MYTH: Muhammad Rejected Conversions to Islam made
under Duress)
Since they chose to hold on to their religion (and their property)
Muhammad looked for reasons to go to war against the Jews at Medina.
According to some Muslims, the first tribe, the Qaynuqa, were driven
from their homes and land on the pretext that one of their own had
harassed a Muslim woman. Although the offender was killed prior to
this by a Muslim, the Muslim was also killed by Jews in retaliation
for the first murder.
After laying siege to the entire community and defeating the tribe,
Muhammad wanted to put every male member to death, but was talked out
of it by an associate - something that Allah later "rebuked" him for.
The Qaynuqa were forced into exile and the Muslims took their
possessions and property, making it their own. Muhammad personally
reserved a fifth of the ill-gotten gain for himself (a rule that he
was sure to include in the Quran).
This episode helped ingrain within Islam the immature principle of
group identity, whereby any member of a religion or social unit
outside of Islam is just as guilty as any of their peers who insult or
harm a Muslim - and just as deserving of punishment. (Muhammad's
punishments usually did not fit the crime).
Members of the second tribe, the Banu Nadir, were accused by Muhammad
of plotting to kill him. What is most intriguing about this episode
is that it occurred after the Muslims had killed several prominent
Jews on Muhammad's order, including a leader of the Banu Nadir (named
Ka'b al-Ashraf). (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Murder)
When the prophet of Islam learned that he might be targeted in
retaliation (something that he claimed was "revealed" to him by
Allah), he promptly laid siege to the Banu Nadir community. After
forcing them to surrender, these original inhabitants of Medina were
then banished from their homes and land by the Muslim newcomers, who
again started to take as much as they could for themselves (Ibn Ishaq
653). (To the disappointment of his people, this time Muhammad
produced a revelation from Allah that allowed him to confiscate the
entire portion for himself).
In a critical example of how deception is sanctioned under Islam, a
surviving contingent of the Banu Nadir (under Usayr ibn Zarim) was
later tricked into leaving their fortress by promise of peace talks.
The contingent of Muslims sent by Muhammad to "escort" them, however,
easily slaughtered the victims once they let down their guard (Ibn
Ishaq 981). (See also MYTH: Muhammad always Disapproved of
Dishonesty).
SEE PART 2 OF “LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.’ IN VOL 266A.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] PART 2, “LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.’
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 266A]
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should seek peace and pursue, and not seek vengeance per Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Vengence belongs to Almighty God (YHWH) per Hebrews 10:30, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” And as noted by Romans 1:18, [AV] “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” God’s displeasure will be directed against those not living righteous lives per Romans 2:8, [AV] “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,” If we be genuine followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), we will per Romans 8:17, [AV] “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
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[2] PART 2, “LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.
The Qurayza Massacre
By the time the Banu Qurayza met their fate, Muhammad was wealthy and
powerful from his defeat of the other two tribes.
The Jews of the Banu Qurayza tasted Muhammad's wrath after their
leader half-heartedly sided with the Meccan army during a siege of
Medina (the Battle of the Trench). By then, Muhammad had evicted the
other Jews and declared that all land at Medina belonged to him, so
the original constitution of the town was no longer in effect. It is
important to note that the Qurayza did not attack the Muslims, even
after switching loyalties (contrary to another popular myth).
Although the Qurayza surrendered peacefully to the Muslims, Muhammad
determined to have every man of the tribe executed, along with every
boy that had reached the initial stages of puberty (between the ages
of 12 and 14). He ordered a ditch dug outside of the town and had the
victims brought to him in several groups. Each person would be forced
to kneel, and their head would be cut off and then dumped along with
the body into the trench.
Between 700 and 900 men and boys were slaughtered by the Muslims after
their surrender.
The surviving children of the men became slaves of the Muslims, and
their widows became sex slaves. This included the Jewish girl,
Rayhana, who became one of Muhammad's personal concubines the very
night that her husband was killed. The prophet of Islam apparently
"enjoyed her pleasures" (ie. raped her) even as the very execution of
her people was taking place.
In some ways, women were much like any other possession taken in
battle, to be done with however their captors pleased. But Muslims
found them useful in other ways as well. In fact, one of the methods
by which Islam owed its expansion down through the centuries was
through the reproductive capabilities of captured women. In addition
to four wives, a man was allowed an unlimited number of sex slaves,
with the only rule being that any resulting children would
automatically be Muslim.
Muhammad ordered that a fifth of the women taken captive be reserved
for him. Many were absorbed into his personal stable of sex slaves
that he maintained in addition to his eleven wives. Others were doled
out like party favors to others. (See MYTH: Muhammad was an
Abolitionist)
At one point following a battle, Muhammad provided instructions on how
women should be raped after capture, telling his men not to worry
about coitus interruptus, since "Allah has written whom he is going to
create." (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Rape)
Following the battle against the Hunain, late in his life, Muhammad's
men were reluctant to rape the captured women in front of their
husbands (who were apparently still alive to witness the abomination),
but Allah came to the rescue with a handy "revelation" that allowed
the debauchery. (This is the origin of Sura 4:24 according to Abu
Dawud 2150).
The Origin of Islamic Imperialism
From Medina, Muhammad waged a campaign of terror, to which he openly
attributed his success (Bukhari 52:220). His gang of robbers launched
raids in which hapless communities were savaged, looted, murdered and
raped. The tribes around the Muslims began to convert to Islam out of
self-preservation.
The excuse for military campaign began to shrink to the point that it
hardly existed at all. Muhammad told his followers that Muslims were
meant to rule over other people. Supremacist teachings became the
driving force behind Jihad (see also MYTH: Muhammad Waged War Only in
Self-Defense) and Jihad became the driving force behind Islam.
The brutal conquest of the people of Khaybar, a peaceful farming
community that was not at war with the Muslims, is a striking example.
Muhammad marched in secret, took them by surprise and easily defeated
them. He had many of the men killed, simply for defending their town.
He enslaved women and children and had surviving men live on the land
as virtual serfs, paying Muslims an ongoing share of their crops not
to attack them again.
Muhammad suspected that the town's treasurer was holding out and had
his men barbarically torture the poor fellow by building a fire on his
chest until he revealed the location of hidden treasure. (See also
MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved Torture).
Afterwards, the prophet of Islam beheaded the man and "married" his
widow on the same day (she first had to pass through the hands of one
of his lieutenants). Given that the woman's father was also killed by
Muhammad, it isn't much of a stretch to say that true love had very
little to do with this "marriage."
A Life of Hedonism and Narcissism
Muhammad's personal life became the picture of hedonism and excess,
all justified by frequent “revelations” from an increasingly arbitrary
and capricious god In his later years, he frequently used his
influence for purely personal goals, including sex, wealth and power.
Allah's authority for him to pursue these earthly ambitions is even
immortalized in the Quran (suras 33 and 66, particularly).
The same man who earlier in his career had justified his claims as a
prophet by saying that he "asked for no reward" from others, reversed
course and began to demand a fifth or more of all booty taken from
conquered tribes. According to his biographers, he became fat from
living off this enormous share of ill-gotten gain. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was a Brave Warrior who Trusted in Allah to Protect him)
In the span of a dozen years, he married eleven women and had access
to an array of sex slaves (see MYTH: Muhammad Married Multiple Women
as a Favor to them). When he wanted a woman, even if she were the
wife of another man, his own daughter-in-law, or a child as young as
6-years-old (see MYTH: Muhammad Condemned Pedophilia), Muhammad was
able to justify his lust and inevitable consummation with an appeal to
Allah’s revealed will for his sex life - which was then preserved
forever in the Quran, to be faithfully memorized by future generations
for whom it has no possible relevance.
The first verse of Sura 66 is a good example of this. It was narrated
by Muhammad to his wives shortly after two of them pressured him into
not visiting a favorite sex slave:
O Prophet! why do you forbid (yourself) that which Allah has made
lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? (Quran 66:1)
Allah (according to Muhammad) was so upset with his prophet for
denying himself an afternoon of pleasure with the concubine that Allah
had provided for him that it was a good thing for Muhammad that Allah
was a forgiving and merciful god! (For the Muslim faithful, it must
surely be a source of embarrassment that Allah evidently had more
interest in Muhammad's personal sex life than he did about tolerance
or universal love. The god of Islam encourages sex with slaves in
several other places as well).
Muhammad used eternal paradise and damnation to solicit strict
obedience to his every command: "Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Whoever obeys
me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me will not enter it’”
(Bukhari 92.384).
Islam became centered completely around its founder. Of all the
prophets, new converts are required to affirm only the legitimacy of
Muhammad. The Muslim leader even shares the Shahada with Allah
("There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger"). To this
day, every Muslim must bow down five times a day "toward" Muhammad's
birthplace (Islam's "prophet" did not know the earth was round).
The prophet of Islam was also an extremely superstitious person,
leaving many bizarre rules for Muslims to follow, including which
direction they should defecate and how many stones they should wash
their anus with afterwards (any odd number... for anyone who's
curious). (See also MYTH: Muhammad did Away with Superstition).
Sketchy hygiene apparently left him with an annoying lice infection.
Not content with waiting for Allah to act on his behalf, Muhammad had
personal critics executed, including poets. One of these was a mother
of five children, who was stabbed to death by Muhammad's envoy after a
suckling infant was removed from her breast (see MYTH: Muhammad Never
Killed Women). Other innocent people were killed merely because they
were of a different religion, sometimes including children (see MYTH:
Muhammad Never Killed Children).
The glaring double standards of Islam were ingrained by the prophet of
Islam during his lifetime. This included commands to execute
apostates (those who wish to leave Islam) and evict people of other
religions from their homes.
An elderly woman named Umm Qirfa once ran afoul of Muhammad merely by
fighting back when her tribe was targeted by Muslim raiders.
Muhammad's adopted son tied the woman's legs separately to two camels,
then set the camels off in opposite directions, tearing the woman's
body in two. He also killed her two sons - presumably in gruesome
fashion - and made her daughter into a sex slave. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad Never Killed the Elderly).
Today's Muslims inherit this legacy of self-consumption and disregard
for those outside the faith. They may or may not agree with terrorist
attacks on non-Muslims, but they are nearly united in their belief
that the victims have no right to strike back, even if it is in
self-defense.
The Quran distinguishes Muslims from others, bestowing the highest
praise for believers while heaping the vilest condemnation on those
outside the faith. Islam is a true supremacist ideology. (See also
Is the Quran Hate Speech?)
The Taking of Mecca
Though many of the Arab and Jewish tribes were eliminated and absorbed
through military victory and forced conversion, the city of Mecca
remained.
In 628, six years after fleeing, Muhammad’s followers were allowed to
re-enter the city under an agreement whereby he set aside his title as
“Prophet of Allah.” This was a temporary ploy that enabled him to
gain a political foothold in the city through the same “fifth column”
activities that are still used today by organizations such as the
Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which use their host’s
language of religious tolerance to disguise an ulterior agenda that
includes systematic discrimination against non-Muslims.
Many of his followers were disappointed that Muhammad had made
concessions to the Meccans, not understanding how it actually fit
perfectly with his ultimate agenda of domination. It was during this
time that he led the campaign against the Khaybar, to assuage their
lust for blood, women and loot.
Technically, Muhammad was the first to break the treaty with the
Meccans when he violated the portion of it that restricted him from
accepting members of the other tribe into his camp. His own people
also staged deadly raids on Meccan caravans (see MYTH: The Meccans
were the First to Break the Treaty of Hudaibiya). Although he
evidently had no personal obligation to the treaty, the prophet of
Islam held the other party to the letter of the law, particularly
after he amassed the power to conquer in overwhelming fashion.
The excuse that Muhammad eventually used to march his armies into
Mecca was provided when a tribe allied to the Meccans conducted a raid
on a tribe allied with the Medinans. Although a true man of peace
would have heeded the fact that his enemy did not want war, and used
non-violent means to resolve the tension while respecting sovereignty,
Muhammad merely wanted power and vengeance. (See also MYTH: Muhammad
always Chose Peace over War).
In just under a decade, Muhammad had evolved from trying to sell
himself as a Judeo-Christian prophet, seeking followers, to an Arab
warlord, seeking subjects, slaves and total dominance. The early
Quran (of Mecca) tells unbelievers to 'follow the example' of Muhammad
or suffer Hell. The later Quran (of Medina) tells unbelievers to
'obey' Muhammad or suffer death.
Following Mecca's surrender, Muhammad put to death those who had
previously insulted him (see also MYTH: Muhammad was a Forgiving Man).
One of the persons sentenced was his former scribe, who had written
revelations that Muhammad said were from Allah. The scribe had
previously recommended changes to the wording that Muhammad offered
(based on some of the bad grammar and ineloquent language of "Allah")
and Muhammad agreed. This caused the scribe to apostatize, based on
his belief that real revelations should have been immutable.
Although the scribe escaped death by "converting to Islam" at the
point of a sword, others weren't so lucky. One was a slave girl who
was executed on Muhammad's order because she had written songs mocking
him.
In what would also become the model for future Muslim military
conquests, those Meccans who would not convert to Islam were required
to accept third-class status. Not surprisingly, almost the entire
city - which had previously rejected his message - immediately
"converted" to Islam once Muhammad came back with a sword in this
hand. This included has adversary, Abu Sufyan, who was bluntly
ordered to "Submit and testify that there is no God but Allah and that
Muhammad is the apostle of Allah before you lose your head."
Those who would not convert to Islam were banned from the city a few
months later - again underscoring the dual ethics of Islam. When
Muhammad was previously banned from Mecca, he described it as a
"persecution" that justified his "slaughter" of those who prevented
him from performing the Haj. Yet, when he attained power, he
immediately chased anyone who would not convert to Islam from Mecca
and prevented them from performing the Haj.
To this day, people of other religions are barred even from entering
Mecca, the city where Muhammad was free to preach in contradiction to
the established religion. Islam is far less tolerant even than the
more primitive Arab religion that it supplanted. A person preaching
the original Arab polytheism on the streets of Mecca today would be
quickly executed.
Jihad and Jizya
Tellingly, some of the most violent verses in the Quran were handed
down following Muhammad's ascension to power, when there was no threat
to the Muslim people. The 9th Sura of the Quran exhorts Muslims to
Jihad and dominance over other religions:
"Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor
do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor
follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the
Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they
are in a state of subjection." (9:29)
The verse that follows curses Christians and Jews by name and says
"May Allah destroy them" (as with other sections of the Quran, it is
unclear whether it is Allah or Muhammad speaking).
Before his death, Muhammad ordered 30,000 men to march on Christian
lands (which were Byzantine at the time). It is possible that he
believed false rumors of an army amassed against him, but there is
absolutely no evidence of such a force having been assembled.
Instead, Muhammad subjugated the local people and extorted
"protection" money from them - something that has come to be known as
the jizya (a tax that non-Muslims pay to Muslims).
Another episode from this period that offers insight into the legacy
of Muhammad is the forced conversion of the al-Harith, one of the last
Arab tribes to hold out against Muslim hegemony. Muhammad gave the
chief of the tribe three days to accept Islam before sending his army
to destroy them.
Not surprisingly, the entire people immediately embraced the Religion of Peace!
Most Arab tribes recognized Muhammad's quest for power and wisely
pledged their political allegiance without a fight. This quickly
presented a problem for his core band of followers, however, since
they had become used to living off of what could be stolen from others
via raids and battle.
Since it was against the rules to attack fellow Muslims, Muhammad
began demanding tribute from his new "converts" instead, but this
proved to be less profitable than the jizya - not to mention that it
carried the risk of internal resentment and strife.
Khaybar, the remote Jewish city that had been turned into a
sharecropper state on behalf of its Muslim masters was a more
preferable economic model for a growing Islamic empire that had become
dependent on extortion justified by religious superiority.
Years before attacking Christian and Persian lands, Muhammad wrote to
governors in each, telling them, "embrace Islam and you will be safe."
There was no mention of oppression or liberation cited as a
justification. The only threat these people faced would be from
Muslim armies. (Only six years later, 4,000 peasants in the
modern-day Palestinian region would be slaughtered for defending their
homes).
At the time, the wealth of other nations was an open source of envy
among Muhammad's followers, which he promised to rectify. The
subsequent military expansion that he set in motion may have been
sanctioned by Allah and powered by religious zealotry, but the
underlying motives of money, sex, slaves and power were no less
worldly than any other conqueror of the time.
The Legacy of Islamic Imperialism
Muhammad died of a fever in 632 at the age of 63, with his violent
religion spread over most of Arabia. His method of forcing others to
convert under duress had several negative consequences, beginning with
the civil wars that were immediately engaged in following his death.
Many tribes wanted out of Islam and had to be kept in the empire via
horrific violence.
Abu Sufyan, the Meccan leader who was literally forced to "embrace"
Islam at the point of a sword actually had the last laugh. He
skillfully worked his own family into the line of succession and his
son, Muawiya, became the heir to Muhammad's empire at the expense of
the prophet's own family. In fact, Abu Sufyan almost lived to witness
his son and grandson kill off Muhammad's own grandchildren and assume
control of the Islamic empire.
Muhammad's failure to leave a clear successor resulted in a deep
schism that quickly devolved into violence and persists to this day as
the Sunni/Shia conflict. His own family fell apart and literally went
to war with each other in the first few years. Thousands of Muslims
were killed fighting each other in a battle between Muhammad's
favorite wife, Aisha, and his adopted son, Ali.
Infidels fared no better. Through Muhammad's teachings and example,
his followers viewed worldly life as a constant physical battle
between the House of Peace (Dar al-Salaam) and the House of War (Dar
al-Harb). Muslims are instructed to invite their enemies to either
embrace Islam, pay jizya (protection money), or die.
Over the next fourteen centuries, the bloody legacy of this
extraordinary individual would be a constant challenge to those living
on the borders of the Islam’s political power. The violence that
Muslim armies would visit on people across North Africa, the Middle
East, Europe and into Asia as far as the Indian subcontinent is a
tribute to a founder who practiced and promoted subjugation, rape,
murder and forced conversion.
In Muhammad's words: "I have been ordered to fight the people till
they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they
say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we
slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we
will not interfere with them..." (Bukhari 8:387)
It is certainly the basis not just for modern day terror campaigns
against Western infidels (and Hindus and Buddhists) but also the broad
apathy that Muslims across the world have to the violence, which is an
obvious enabler.
As Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir recently put it, "If the West
wants to have peace, then they have to accept Islamic rule." [source
- retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/thegreateststoryevertoldretold/posts/424404047665539
on 4/18/2014] also [source - retrieved from
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896693/posts on
4/18/2014]
APPENDIX 3, Muslim Woman Seeks to Revive Institution of Sex-Slaver
Front Page ^ | June 6 2011 | Raymond Ibrahim
Posted on 6/10/2011 1:52:47 AM by Ethan Clive Osgoode
Last week witnessed popular Muslim preacher Abu Ishaq al-Huwaini boast
about how Islam allows Muslims to buy and sell conquered infidel
women, so that "When I want a sex-slave, I go to the market and pick
whichever female I desire and buy her."
This week's depraved anachronism comes from a Muslim woman—Salwa
al-Mutairi, a political activist and former parliamentary candidate
for Kuwait's government, no less: She, too, seeks to "revive the
institution of sex-slavery."
A brief English report appeared over the weekend in the Kuwait Times
(nothing, of course, in the MSM):
Muslim men who fear being seduced or tempted into immoral behavior by
the beauty of their female servants, or even of those servants
"casting spells" on them, would be better to purchase women from an
"enslaved maid" agency for sexual purposes. She [Mutairi] suggested
that special offices could be set up to provide concubines in the same
way as domestic staff recruitment agencies currently provide
housemaids. "We want our youth to be protected from adultery," said
al-Mutairi, suggesting that these maids could be brought as prisoners
of war in war-stricken nations like Chechnya to be sold on later to
devout merchants.
The Arabic news website, Al Arabiya, has the sordid details, including
a video of Mutairi addressing this topic. I summarize and translate
various excerpts below (note: I am not making any of this up):
The Kuwaiti female activist begins by insisting that "it's of course
true" that "the prophet of Islam legitimized sex-slavery." She
recounts how when she was in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, she asked
various sheikhs and muftis (learned, authoritative Muslims) about the
legality of sex-slavery according to Sharia: they all confirmed it to
be perfectly legal; Kuwaiti ulema further pointed out that extra
"virile" men—Western synonyms include "sex-crazed," "lecherous,"
"perverted"—would do well to purchase sex-slaves to sate their
appetites without sinning. [[What a breach of morals this is.]]
Here's a particularly interesting excerpt from her taped speech on the
rules governing sex-slaves:
A Muslim state must [first] attack a Christian state—sorry, I mean any
non-Muslim state—and they [the women, the future sex-slaves] must be
captives of the raid. Is this forbidden? Not at all; according to
Islam, sex slaves are not at all forbidden. Quite the contrary, the
rules regulating sex-slaves differ from those for free women [i.e.,
Muslim women]: the latter's body must be covered entirely, except for
her face and hands, whereas the sex-slave is kept naked from the
bellybutton on up—she is different from the free woman; the free woman
has to be married properly to her husband, but the sex-slave—he just
buys her and that's that.
She went on to offer concrete suggestions: "For example, in the
Chechnyan war, surely there are female Russian captives. So go and buy
those and sell them here in Kuwait; better that than have our men
engage in forbidden sexual relations. I don't see any problem in this,
no problem at all."
Mutairi suggests the enslaved girls be at least 15 years-old.
She further justified the institution of sex-slavery by evoking 8th
century caliph, Harun Rashid—a name some may recall from Arabian
Nights bedtime stories; a name some may be surprised to discover
politically active Muslims modeling their lives after:
"And the greatest example we have is Harun al-Rashid: when he died, he
had 2,000 sex slaves—so it's okay, nothing wrong with it."
Mutairi's rationale is ultimately guided by a sense of efficiency, a
desire for the good of society: legalizing sex-slaves helps prevent
Muslim men from transgressing Allah's laws (as we have seen,
extramarital relations with fellow Muslim women is strictly forbidden,
but not with infidel sex-slaves, since they are scarcely considered
human). Thus, the institution of sex-slavery provides a convenient,
Sharia-compliant way of satiating the libidinous urges of Muslim men.
The Kuwaiti activist's blunt approach actually has universal
parallels. For example, in the West, some seek to legalize marijuana,
arguing that, since people use it anyway, let it be made compliant
with the law. In the Muslim world, we have those who seek to legalize
sex-slavery, arguing that, since Muslim men will use women anyway, let
it be made compliant with Sharia law.
Such are the inevitable differences between the Western mindset (based
on reason and universal rights) and the Sharia mindset (based on the
life of a 7th century Arabian caravan-raider and slave-trader).
Mutairi concluded by piously supplicating Allah: "Oh I truly wish this
for Kuwait, Allah willing—Oh Lord, Lord, you are bountiful…"
While she waits, Mutairi can take solace in the fact that, if
sex-slavery is not institutionalized in Kuwait, it thrives underground
throughout the Muslim world, where non-Muslim girls—mostly
Christians—are routinely abducted, enslaved, and forced into lives of
unspeakable degradation.
After all, just because a practice is not formally institutionalized
does not mean that those who deem it their divine right are not
practicing it. [source - retrieved from
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2732655/posts on 4/28/2014]
APPENDIX 4, When a girl is taken — usually by her mother — to a free
circumcision event held each spring in Bandung, Indonesia, she is
handed over to a small group of women who, swiftly and yet with
apparent affection, cut off a small piece of her genitals. Sponsored
by the Assalaam Foundation, an Islamic educational and social-services
organization, circumcisions take place in a prayer center or an
emptied-out elementary-school classroom where desks are pushed
together and covered with sheets and a pillow to serve as makeshift
beds. The procedure takes several minutes. There is little blood
involved. Afterward, the girl’s genital area is swabbed with the
antiseptic Betadine. She is then helped back into her underwear and
returned to a waiting area, where she’s given a small, celebratory
gift — some fruit or a donated piece of clothing — and offered a cup
of milk for refreshment. She has now joined a quiet majority in
Indonesia, where, according to a 2003 study by the Population Council,
an international research group, 96 percent of families surveyed
reported that their daughters had undergone some form of circumcision
by the time they reached 14.
The Assalaam Foundation runs several schools and a mosque in Bandung,
Indonesia’s third-largest city and the capital of West Java. The
photographer Stephanie Sinclair was taken to the circumcision event by
a reproductive-health observer from Jakarta and allowed to spend
several hours there. Over the course of that Sunday morning, more than
200 girls were circumcised, many of them appearing to be under the age
of 5. Meanwhile, in a nearby building, more than 100 boys underwent a
traditional circumcision as well.
According to Lukman Hakim, the foundation’s chairman of social
services, there are three “benefits” to circumcising girls.
“One, it will stabilize her libido,” he said through an interpreter.
“Two, it will make a woman look more beautiful in the eyes of her
husband. And three, it will balance her psychology.”
Female genital cutting — commonly identified among international human
rights groups as female genital mutilation — has been outlawed in 15
African countries. Many industrialized countries also have similar
laws. Both France and the U.S. have prosecuted immigrant residents for
performing female circumcisions.
In Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, a debate
over whether to ban female circumcision is in its early stages. The
Ministry of Health has issued a decree forbidding medical personnel to
practice it, but the decree which has yet to be backed by legislation
does not affect traditional circumcisers and birth attendants, who are
thought to do most female circumcisions. Many agree that a full ban is
unlikely without strong support from the country’s religious leaders.
According to the Population Council study, many Indonesians view
circumcision for boys and girls as a religious duty.
Female circumcision in Indonesia is reported to be less extreme than
the kind practiced in other parts of the globe — Africa, particularly.
Worldwide, female genital cutting affects up to 140 million women and
girls in varying degrees of severity, according to estimates from the
World Health Organization. The most common form of female genital
cutting, representing about 80 percent of cases around the world,
includes the excision of the clitoris and the labia minora. A more
extreme version of the practice, known as Pharaonic circumcision or
infibulation, accounts for 15 percent of cases globally and involves
the removal of all external genitalia and a stitching up of the
vaginal opening.
Studies have shown that in some parts of Indonesia, female
circumcision is more ritualistic — a rite of passage meant to purify
the genitals and bestow gender identity on a female child — with a
practitioner rubbing turmeric on the genitals or pricking the clitoris
once with a needle to draw a symbolic drop of blood. In other
instances, the procedure is more invasive, involving what WHO
classifies as “Type I” female genital mutilation, defined as excision
of the clitoral hood, called the prepuce, with or without incision of
the clitoris itself. The Population Council’s 2003 study said that 82
percent of Indonesian mothers who witnessed their daughters’
circumcision reported that it involved “cutting.” The women most often
identified the clitoris as the affected body part. The amount of flesh
removed, if any, was alternately described by circumcisers as being
the size of a quarter-grain of rice, a guava seed, a bean, the tip of
a leaf, the head of a needle.
At the Assalaam Foundation, traditional circumcisers say they learn
the practice from other women during several years of apprenticing.
Siti Rukasitta, who has been a circumciser at the foundation for 20
years, said through an interpreter that they use a small pair of
sterilized scissors to cut a piece of the clitoral prepuce about the
size of a nail clipping. Population Council observers who visited the
event before the 2003 study, however, reported that they also
witnessed some cases of circumcisers cutting the clitoris itself.
Any distinction between injuring the clitoris or the clitoral hood is
irrelevant, says Laura Guarenti, an obstetrician and WHO’s medical
officer for child and maternal health in Jakarta. “The fact is there
is absolutely no medical value in circumcising girls,” she says. “It
is 100 percent the wrong thing to be doing.” The circumcision of boys,
she adds, has demonstrated health benefits, namely reduced risk of
infection and some protection against H.I.V.
Nonetheless, as Western awareness of female genital cutting has grown,
anthropologists, policy makers and health officials have warned
against blindly judging those who practice it, saying that progress is
best made by working with local leaders and opinion-makers to
gradually shift the public discussion of female circumcision from what
it’s believed to bestow upon a girl toward what it takes away. “These
mothers believe they are doing something good for their children,”
Guarenti, a native of Italy, told me. “For our culture that is not
easily understandable. To judge them harshly is to isolate them. You
cannot make change that way.” [source - retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/magazine/20circumcision-t.html?_r=0
on 5/4/2014]
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 266A]
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should seek peace and pursue, and not seek vengeance per Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Vengence belongs to Almighty God (YHWH) per Hebrews 10:30, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” And as noted by Romans 1:18, [AV] “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” God’s displeasure will be directed against those not living righteous lives per Romans 2:8, [AV] “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,” If we be genuine followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), we will per Romans 8:17, [AV] “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
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5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] PART 2, “LEARN REALITY ABOUT REGULAR AND MUSLIM SOCIETY - BOTH ARE BREAKING DOWN.
The Qurayza Massacre
By the time the Banu Qurayza met their fate, Muhammad was wealthy and
powerful from his defeat of the other two tribes.
The Jews of the Banu Qurayza tasted Muhammad's wrath after their
leader half-heartedly sided with the Meccan army during a siege of
Medina (the Battle of the Trench). By then, Muhammad had evicted the
other Jews and declared that all land at Medina belonged to him, so
the original constitution of the town was no longer in effect. It is
important to note that the Qurayza did not attack the Muslims, even
after switching loyalties (contrary to another popular myth).
Although the Qurayza surrendered peacefully to the Muslims, Muhammad
determined to have every man of the tribe executed, along with every
boy that had reached the initial stages of puberty (between the ages
of 12 and 14). He ordered a ditch dug outside of the town and had the
victims brought to him in several groups. Each person would be forced
to kneel, and their head would be cut off and then dumped along with
the body into the trench.
Between 700 and 900 men and boys were slaughtered by the Muslims after
their surrender.
The surviving children of the men became slaves of the Muslims, and
their widows became sex slaves. This included the Jewish girl,
Rayhana, who became one of Muhammad's personal concubines the very
night that her husband was killed. The prophet of Islam apparently
"enjoyed her pleasures" (ie. raped her) even as the very execution of
her people was taking place.
In some ways, women were much like any other possession taken in
battle, to be done with however their captors pleased. But Muslims
found them useful in other ways as well. In fact, one of the methods
by which Islam owed its expansion down through the centuries was
through the reproductive capabilities of captured women. In addition
to four wives, a man was allowed an unlimited number of sex slaves,
with the only rule being that any resulting children would
automatically be Muslim.
Muhammad ordered that a fifth of the women taken captive be reserved
for him. Many were absorbed into his personal stable of sex slaves
that he maintained in addition to his eleven wives. Others were doled
out like party favors to others. (See MYTH: Muhammad was an
Abolitionist)
At one point following a battle, Muhammad provided instructions on how
women should be raped after capture, telling his men not to worry
about coitus interruptus, since "Allah has written whom he is going to
create." (See also MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved of Rape)
Following the battle against the Hunain, late in his life, Muhammad's
men were reluctant to rape the captured women in front of their
husbands (who were apparently still alive to witness the abomination),
but Allah came to the rescue with a handy "revelation" that allowed
the debauchery. (This is the origin of Sura 4:24 according to Abu
Dawud 2150).
The Origin of Islamic Imperialism
From Medina, Muhammad waged a campaign of terror, to which he openly
attributed his success (Bukhari 52:220). His gang of robbers launched
raids in which hapless communities were savaged, looted, murdered and
raped. The tribes around the Muslims began to convert to Islam out of
self-preservation.
The excuse for military campaign began to shrink to the point that it
hardly existed at all. Muhammad told his followers that Muslims were
meant to rule over other people. Supremacist teachings became the
driving force behind Jihad (see also MYTH: Muhammad Waged War Only in
Self-Defense) and Jihad became the driving force behind Islam.
The brutal conquest of the people of Khaybar, a peaceful farming
community that was not at war with the Muslims, is a striking example.
Muhammad marched in secret, took them by surprise and easily defeated
them. He had many of the men killed, simply for defending their town.
He enslaved women and children and had surviving men live on the land
as virtual serfs, paying Muslims an ongoing share of their crops not
to attack them again.
Muhammad suspected that the town's treasurer was holding out and had
his men barbarically torture the poor fellow by building a fire on his
chest until he revealed the location of hidden treasure. (See also
MYTH: Muhammad Never Approved Torture).
Afterwards, the prophet of Islam beheaded the man and "married" his
widow on the same day (she first had to pass through the hands of one
of his lieutenants). Given that the woman's father was also killed by
Muhammad, it isn't much of a stretch to say that true love had very
little to do with this "marriage."
A Life of Hedonism and Narcissism
Muhammad's personal life became the picture of hedonism and excess,
all justified by frequent “revelations” from an increasingly arbitrary
and capricious god In his later years, he frequently used his
influence for purely personal goals, including sex, wealth and power.
Allah's authority for him to pursue these earthly ambitions is even
immortalized in the Quran (suras 33 and 66, particularly).
The same man who earlier in his career had justified his claims as a
prophet by saying that he "asked for no reward" from others, reversed
course and began to demand a fifth or more of all booty taken from
conquered tribes. According to his biographers, he became fat from
living off this enormous share of ill-gotten gain. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad was a Brave Warrior who Trusted in Allah to Protect him)
In the span of a dozen years, he married eleven women and had access
to an array of sex slaves (see MYTH: Muhammad Married Multiple Women
as a Favor to them). When he wanted a woman, even if she were the
wife of another man, his own daughter-in-law, or a child as young as
6-years-old (see MYTH: Muhammad Condemned Pedophilia), Muhammad was
able to justify his lust and inevitable consummation with an appeal to
Allah’s revealed will for his sex life - which was then preserved
forever in the Quran, to be faithfully memorized by future generations
for whom it has no possible relevance.
The first verse of Sura 66 is a good example of this. It was narrated
by Muhammad to his wives shortly after two of them pressured him into
not visiting a favorite sex slave:
O Prophet! why do you forbid (yourself) that which Allah has made
lawful for you, seeking to please your wives? (Quran 66:1)
Allah (according to Muhammad) was so upset with his prophet for
denying himself an afternoon of pleasure with the concubine that Allah
had provided for him that it was a good thing for Muhammad that Allah
was a forgiving and merciful god! (For the Muslim faithful, it must
surely be a source of embarrassment that Allah evidently had more
interest in Muhammad's personal sex life than he did about tolerance
or universal love. The god of Islam encourages sex with slaves in
several other places as well).
Muhammad used eternal paradise and damnation to solicit strict
obedience to his every command: "Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Whoever obeys
me will enter Paradise, and whoever disobeys me will not enter it’”
(Bukhari 92.384).
Islam became centered completely around its founder. Of all the
prophets, new converts are required to affirm only the legitimacy of
Muhammad. The Muslim leader even shares the Shahada with Allah
("There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger"). To this
day, every Muslim must bow down five times a day "toward" Muhammad's
birthplace (Islam's "prophet" did not know the earth was round).
The prophet of Islam was also an extremely superstitious person,
leaving many bizarre rules for Muslims to follow, including which
direction they should defecate and how many stones they should wash
their anus with afterwards (any odd number... for anyone who's
curious). (See also MYTH: Muhammad did Away with Superstition).
Sketchy hygiene apparently left him with an annoying lice infection.
Not content with waiting for Allah to act on his behalf, Muhammad had
personal critics executed, including poets. One of these was a mother
of five children, who was stabbed to death by Muhammad's envoy after a
suckling infant was removed from her breast (see MYTH: Muhammad Never
Killed Women). Other innocent people were killed merely because they
were of a different religion, sometimes including children (see MYTH:
Muhammad Never Killed Children).
The glaring double standards of Islam were ingrained by the prophet of
Islam during his lifetime. This included commands to execute
apostates (those who wish to leave Islam) and evict people of other
religions from their homes.
An elderly woman named Umm Qirfa once ran afoul of Muhammad merely by
fighting back when her tribe was targeted by Muslim raiders.
Muhammad's adopted son tied the woman's legs separately to two camels,
then set the camels off in opposite directions, tearing the woman's
body in two. He also killed her two sons - presumably in gruesome
fashion - and made her daughter into a sex slave. (See also MYTH:
Muhammad Never Killed the Elderly).
Today's Muslims inherit this legacy of self-consumption and disregard
for those outside the faith. They may or may not agree with terrorist
attacks on non-Muslims, but they are nearly united in their belief
that the victims have no right to strike back, even if it is in
self-defense.
The Quran distinguishes Muslims from others, bestowing the highest
praise for believers while heaping the vilest condemnation on those
outside the faith. Islam is a true supremacist ideology. (See also
Is the Quran Hate Speech?)
The Taking of Mecca
Though many of the Arab and Jewish tribes were eliminated and absorbed
through military victory and forced conversion, the city of Mecca
remained.
In 628, six years after fleeing, Muhammad’s followers were allowed to
re-enter the city under an agreement whereby he set aside his title as
“Prophet of Allah.” This was a temporary ploy that enabled him to
gain a political foothold in the city through the same “fifth column”
activities that are still used today by organizations such as the
Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which use their host’s
language of religious tolerance to disguise an ulterior agenda that
includes systematic discrimination against non-Muslims.
Many of his followers were disappointed that Muhammad had made
concessions to the Meccans, not understanding how it actually fit
perfectly with his ultimate agenda of domination. It was during this
time that he led the campaign against the Khaybar, to assuage their
lust for blood, women and loot.
Technically, Muhammad was the first to break the treaty with the
Meccans when he violated the portion of it that restricted him from
accepting members of the other tribe into his camp. His own people
also staged deadly raids on Meccan caravans (see MYTH: The Meccans
were the First to Break the Treaty of Hudaibiya). Although he
evidently had no personal obligation to the treaty, the prophet of
Islam held the other party to the letter of the law, particularly
after he amassed the power to conquer in overwhelming fashion.
The excuse that Muhammad eventually used to march his armies into
Mecca was provided when a tribe allied to the Meccans conducted a raid
on a tribe allied with the Medinans. Although a true man of peace
would have heeded the fact that his enemy did not want war, and used
non-violent means to resolve the tension while respecting sovereignty,
Muhammad merely wanted power and vengeance. (See also MYTH: Muhammad
always Chose Peace over War).
In just under a decade, Muhammad had evolved from trying to sell
himself as a Judeo-Christian prophet, seeking followers, to an Arab
warlord, seeking subjects, slaves and total dominance. The early
Quran (of Mecca) tells unbelievers to 'follow the example' of Muhammad
or suffer Hell. The later Quran (of Medina) tells unbelievers to
'obey' Muhammad or suffer death.
Following Mecca's surrender, Muhammad put to death those who had
previously insulted him (see also MYTH: Muhammad was a Forgiving Man).
One of the persons sentenced was his former scribe, who had written
revelations that Muhammad said were from Allah. The scribe had
previously recommended changes to the wording that Muhammad offered
(based on some of the bad grammar and ineloquent language of "Allah")
and Muhammad agreed. This caused the scribe to apostatize, based on
his belief that real revelations should have been immutable.
Although the scribe escaped death by "converting to Islam" at the
point of a sword, others weren't so lucky. One was a slave girl who
was executed on Muhammad's order because she had written songs mocking
him.
In what would also become the model for future Muslim military
conquests, those Meccans who would not convert to Islam were required
to accept third-class status. Not surprisingly, almost the entire
city - which had previously rejected his message - immediately
"converted" to Islam once Muhammad came back with a sword in this
hand. This included has adversary, Abu Sufyan, who was bluntly
ordered to "Submit and testify that there is no God but Allah and that
Muhammad is the apostle of Allah before you lose your head."
Those who would not convert to Islam were banned from the city a few
months later - again underscoring the dual ethics of Islam. When
Muhammad was previously banned from Mecca, he described it as a
"persecution" that justified his "slaughter" of those who prevented
him from performing the Haj. Yet, when he attained power, he
immediately chased anyone who would not convert to Islam from Mecca
and prevented them from performing the Haj.
To this day, people of other religions are barred even from entering
Mecca, the city where Muhammad was free to preach in contradiction to
the established religion. Islam is far less tolerant even than the
more primitive Arab religion that it supplanted. A person preaching
the original Arab polytheism on the streets of Mecca today would be
quickly executed.
Jihad and Jizya
Tellingly, some of the most violent verses in the Quran were handed
down following Muhammad's ascension to power, when there was no threat
to the Muslim people. The 9th Sura of the Quran exhorts Muslims to
Jihad and dominance over other religions:
"Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor
do they prohibit what Allah and His Messenger have prohibited, nor
follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the
Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they
are in a state of subjection." (9:29)
The verse that follows curses Christians and Jews by name and says
"May Allah destroy them" (as with other sections of the Quran, it is
unclear whether it is Allah or Muhammad speaking).
Before his death, Muhammad ordered 30,000 men to march on Christian
lands (which were Byzantine at the time). It is possible that he
believed false rumors of an army amassed against him, but there is
absolutely no evidence of such a force having been assembled.
Instead, Muhammad subjugated the local people and extorted
"protection" money from them - something that has come to be known as
the jizya (a tax that non-Muslims pay to Muslims).
Another episode from this period that offers insight into the legacy
of Muhammad is the forced conversion of the al-Harith, one of the last
Arab tribes to hold out against Muslim hegemony. Muhammad gave the
chief of the tribe three days to accept Islam before sending his army
to destroy them.
Not surprisingly, the entire people immediately embraced the Religion of Peace!
Most Arab tribes recognized Muhammad's quest for power and wisely
pledged their political allegiance without a fight. This quickly
presented a problem for his core band of followers, however, since
they had become used to living off of what could be stolen from others
via raids and battle.
Since it was against the rules to attack fellow Muslims, Muhammad
began demanding tribute from his new "converts" instead, but this
proved to be less profitable than the jizya - not to mention that it
carried the risk of internal resentment and strife.
Khaybar, the remote Jewish city that had been turned into a
sharecropper state on behalf of its Muslim masters was a more
preferable economic model for a growing Islamic empire that had become
dependent on extortion justified by religious superiority.
Years before attacking Christian and Persian lands, Muhammad wrote to
governors in each, telling them, "embrace Islam and you will be safe."
There was no mention of oppression or liberation cited as a
justification. The only threat these people faced would be from
Muslim armies. (Only six years later, 4,000 peasants in the
modern-day Palestinian region would be slaughtered for defending their
homes).
At the time, the wealth of other nations was an open source of envy
among Muhammad's followers, which he promised to rectify. The
subsequent military expansion that he set in motion may have been
sanctioned by Allah and powered by religious zealotry, but the
underlying motives of money, sex, slaves and power were no less
worldly than any other conqueror of the time.
The Legacy of Islamic Imperialism
Muhammad died of a fever in 632 at the age of 63, with his violent
religion spread over most of Arabia. His method of forcing others to
convert under duress had several negative consequences, beginning with
the civil wars that were immediately engaged in following his death.
Many tribes wanted out of Islam and had to be kept in the empire via
horrific violence.
Abu Sufyan, the Meccan leader who was literally forced to "embrace"
Islam at the point of a sword actually had the last laugh. He
skillfully worked his own family into the line of succession and his
son, Muawiya, became the heir to Muhammad's empire at the expense of
the prophet's own family. In fact, Abu Sufyan almost lived to witness
his son and grandson kill off Muhammad's own grandchildren and assume
control of the Islamic empire.
Muhammad's failure to leave a clear successor resulted in a deep
schism that quickly devolved into violence and persists to this day as
the Sunni/Shia conflict. His own family fell apart and literally went
to war with each other in the first few years. Thousands of Muslims
were killed fighting each other in a battle between Muhammad's
favorite wife, Aisha, and his adopted son, Ali.
Infidels fared no better. Through Muhammad's teachings and example,
his followers viewed worldly life as a constant physical battle
between the House of Peace (Dar al-Salaam) and the House of War (Dar
al-Harb). Muslims are instructed to invite their enemies to either
embrace Islam, pay jizya (protection money), or die.
Over the next fourteen centuries, the bloody legacy of this
extraordinary individual would be a constant challenge to those living
on the borders of the Islam’s political power. The violence that
Muslim armies would visit on people across North Africa, the Middle
East, Europe and into Asia as far as the Indian subcontinent is a
tribute to a founder who practiced and promoted subjugation, rape,
murder and forced conversion.
In Muhammad's words: "I have been ordered to fight the people till
they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they
say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we
slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we
will not interfere with them..." (Bukhari 8:387)
It is certainly the basis not just for modern day terror campaigns
against Western infidels (and Hindus and Buddhists) but also the broad
apathy that Muslims across the world have to the violence, which is an
obvious enabler.
As Indonesian cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir recently put it, "If the West
wants to have peace, then they have to accept Islamic rule." [source
- retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/thegreateststoryevertoldretold/posts/424404047665539
on 4/18/2014] also [source - retrieved from
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1896693/posts on
4/18/2014]
APPENDIX 3, Muslim Woman Seeks to Revive Institution of Sex-Slaver
Front Page ^ | June 6 2011 | Raymond Ibrahim
Posted on 6/10/2011 1:52:47 AM by Ethan Clive Osgoode
Last week witnessed popular Muslim preacher Abu Ishaq al-Huwaini boast
about how Islam allows Muslims to buy and sell conquered infidel
women, so that "When I want a sex-slave, I go to the market and pick
whichever female I desire and buy her."
This week's depraved anachronism comes from a Muslim woman—Salwa
al-Mutairi, a political activist and former parliamentary candidate
for Kuwait's government, no less: She, too, seeks to "revive the
institution of sex-slavery."
A brief English report appeared over the weekend in the Kuwait Times
(nothing, of course, in the MSM):
Muslim men who fear being seduced or tempted into immoral behavior by
the beauty of their female servants, or even of those servants
"casting spells" on them, would be better to purchase women from an
"enslaved maid" agency for sexual purposes. She [Mutairi] suggested
that special offices could be set up to provide concubines in the same
way as domestic staff recruitment agencies currently provide
housemaids. "We want our youth to be protected from adultery," said
al-Mutairi, suggesting that these maids could be brought as prisoners
of war in war-stricken nations like Chechnya to be sold on later to
devout merchants.
The Arabic news website, Al Arabiya, has the sordid details, including
a video of Mutairi addressing this topic. I summarize and translate
various excerpts below (note: I am not making any of this up):
The Kuwaiti female activist begins by insisting that "it's of course
true" that "the prophet of Islam legitimized sex-slavery." She
recounts how when she was in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, she asked
various sheikhs and muftis (learned, authoritative Muslims) about the
legality of sex-slavery according to Sharia: they all confirmed it to
be perfectly legal; Kuwaiti ulema further pointed out that extra
"virile" men—Western synonyms include "sex-crazed," "lecherous,"
"perverted"—would do well to purchase sex-slaves to sate their
appetites without sinning. [[What a breach of morals this is.]]
Here's a particularly interesting excerpt from her taped speech on the
rules governing sex-slaves:
A Muslim state must [first] attack a Christian state—sorry, I mean any
non-Muslim state—and they [the women, the future sex-slaves] must be
captives of the raid. Is this forbidden? Not at all; according to
Islam, sex slaves are not at all forbidden. Quite the contrary, the
rules regulating sex-slaves differ from those for free women [i.e.,
Muslim women]: the latter's body must be covered entirely, except for
her face and hands, whereas the sex-slave is kept naked from the
bellybutton on up—she is different from the free woman; the free woman
has to be married properly to her husband, but the sex-slave—he just
buys her and that's that.
She went on to offer concrete suggestions: "For example, in the
Chechnyan war, surely there are female Russian captives. So go and buy
those and sell them here in Kuwait; better that than have our men
engage in forbidden sexual relations. I don't see any problem in this,
no problem at all."
Mutairi suggests the enslaved girls be at least 15 years-old.
She further justified the institution of sex-slavery by evoking 8th
century caliph, Harun Rashid—a name some may recall from Arabian
Nights bedtime stories; a name some may be surprised to discover
politically active Muslims modeling their lives after:
"And the greatest example we have is Harun al-Rashid: when he died, he
had 2,000 sex slaves—so it's okay, nothing wrong with it."
Mutairi's rationale is ultimately guided by a sense of efficiency, a
desire for the good of society: legalizing sex-slaves helps prevent
Muslim men from transgressing Allah's laws (as we have seen,
extramarital relations with fellow Muslim women is strictly forbidden,
but not with infidel sex-slaves, since they are scarcely considered
human). Thus, the institution of sex-slavery provides a convenient,
Sharia-compliant way of satiating the libidinous urges of Muslim men.
The Kuwaiti activist's blunt approach actually has universal
parallels. For example, in the West, some seek to legalize marijuana,
arguing that, since people use it anyway, let it be made compliant
with the law. In the Muslim world, we have those who seek to legalize
sex-slavery, arguing that, since Muslim men will use women anyway, let
it be made compliant with Sharia law.
Such are the inevitable differences between the Western mindset (based
on reason and universal rights) and the Sharia mindset (based on the
life of a 7th century Arabian caravan-raider and slave-trader).
Mutairi concluded by piously supplicating Allah: "Oh I truly wish this
for Kuwait, Allah willing—Oh Lord, Lord, you are bountiful…"
While she waits, Mutairi can take solace in the fact that, if
sex-slavery is not institutionalized in Kuwait, it thrives underground
throughout the Muslim world, where non-Muslim girls—mostly
Christians—are routinely abducted, enslaved, and forced into lives of
unspeakable degradation.
After all, just because a practice is not formally institutionalized
does not mean that those who deem it their divine right are not
practicing it. [source - retrieved from
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2732655/posts on 4/28/2014]
APPENDIX 4, When a girl is taken — usually by her mother — to a free
circumcision event held each spring in Bandung, Indonesia, she is
handed over to a small group of women who, swiftly and yet with
apparent affection, cut off a small piece of her genitals. Sponsored
by the Assalaam Foundation, an Islamic educational and social-services
organization, circumcisions take place in a prayer center or an
emptied-out elementary-school classroom where desks are pushed
together and covered with sheets and a pillow to serve as makeshift
beds. The procedure takes several minutes. There is little blood
involved. Afterward, the girl’s genital area is swabbed with the
antiseptic Betadine. She is then helped back into her underwear and
returned to a waiting area, where she’s given a small, celebratory
gift — some fruit or a donated piece of clothing — and offered a cup
of milk for refreshment. She has now joined a quiet majority in
Indonesia, where, according to a 2003 study by the Population Council,
an international research group, 96 percent of families surveyed
reported that their daughters had undergone some form of circumcision
by the time they reached 14.
The Assalaam Foundation runs several schools and a mosque in Bandung,
Indonesia’s third-largest city and the capital of West Java. The
photographer Stephanie Sinclair was taken to the circumcision event by
a reproductive-health observer from Jakarta and allowed to spend
several hours there. Over the course of that Sunday morning, more than
200 girls were circumcised, many of them appearing to be under the age
of 5. Meanwhile, in a nearby building, more than 100 boys underwent a
traditional circumcision as well.
According to Lukman Hakim, the foundation’s chairman of social
services, there are three “benefits” to circumcising girls.
“One, it will stabilize her libido,” he said through an interpreter.
“Two, it will make a woman look more beautiful in the eyes of her
husband. And three, it will balance her psychology.”
Female genital cutting — commonly identified among international human
rights groups as female genital mutilation — has been outlawed in 15
African countries. Many industrialized countries also have similar
laws. Both France and the U.S. have prosecuted immigrant residents for
performing female circumcisions.
In Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, a debate
over whether to ban female circumcision is in its early stages. The
Ministry of Health has issued a decree forbidding medical personnel to
practice it, but the decree which has yet to be backed by legislation
does not affect traditional circumcisers and birth attendants, who are
thought to do most female circumcisions. Many agree that a full ban is
unlikely without strong support from the country’s religious leaders.
According to the Population Council study, many Indonesians view
circumcision for boys and girls as a religious duty.
Female circumcision in Indonesia is reported to be less extreme than
the kind practiced in other parts of the globe — Africa, particularly.
Worldwide, female genital cutting affects up to 140 million women and
girls in varying degrees of severity, according to estimates from the
World Health Organization. The most common form of female genital
cutting, representing about 80 percent of cases around the world,
includes the excision of the clitoris and the labia minora. A more
extreme version of the practice, known as Pharaonic circumcision or
infibulation, accounts for 15 percent of cases globally and involves
the removal of all external genitalia and a stitching up of the
vaginal opening.
Studies have shown that in some parts of Indonesia, female
circumcision is more ritualistic — a rite of passage meant to purify
the genitals and bestow gender identity on a female child — with a
practitioner rubbing turmeric on the genitals or pricking the clitoris
once with a needle to draw a symbolic drop of blood. In other
instances, the procedure is more invasive, involving what WHO
classifies as “Type I” female genital mutilation, defined as excision
of the clitoral hood, called the prepuce, with or without incision of
the clitoris itself. The Population Council’s 2003 study said that 82
percent of Indonesian mothers who witnessed their daughters’
circumcision reported that it involved “cutting.” The women most often
identified the clitoris as the affected body part. The amount of flesh
removed, if any, was alternately described by circumcisers as being
the size of a quarter-grain of rice, a guava seed, a bean, the tip of
a leaf, the head of a needle.
At the Assalaam Foundation, traditional circumcisers say they learn
the practice from other women during several years of apprenticing.
Siti Rukasitta, who has been a circumciser at the foundation for 20
years, said through an interpreter that they use a small pair of
sterilized scissors to cut a piece of the clitoral prepuce about the
size of a nail clipping. Population Council observers who visited the
event before the 2003 study, however, reported that they also
witnessed some cases of circumcisers cutting the clitoris itself.
Any distinction between injuring the clitoris or the clitoral hood is
irrelevant, says Laura Guarenti, an obstetrician and WHO’s medical
officer for child and maternal health in Jakarta. “The fact is there
is absolutely no medical value in circumcising girls,” she says. “It
is 100 percent the wrong thing to be doing.” The circumcision of boys,
she adds, has demonstrated health benefits, namely reduced risk of
infection and some protection against H.I.V.
Nonetheless, as Western awareness of female genital cutting has grown,
anthropologists, policy makers and health officials have warned
against blindly judging those who practice it, saying that progress is
best made by working with local leaders and opinion-makers to
gradually shift the public discussion of female circumcision from what
it’s believed to bestow upon a girl toward what it takes away. “These
mothers believe they are doing something good for their children,”
Guarenti, a native of Italy, told me. “For our culture that is not
easily understandable. To judge them harshly is to isolate them. You
cannot make change that way.” [source - retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/magazine/20circumcision-t.html?_r=0
on 5/4/2014]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 267A]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4 – 5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This is made clear in Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) directions to His people in ancient times as given at Isaiah 52:10 - 11, [AV] “The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” We are warned not to indulge in unrighteous things at 2 Corinthians 6:17, [AV] “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” but to come out of false religions and have no further partaking in their unclean practices. As 1 Timothy 5:24, [AV] “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
The Gospel of Barnabas is NOT an Inspired Writing of the Bible. Let's look at the facts with respect Aprocypha Books such as the Gospel of Barnabas.
THE APROCYPHA OR DEUTERCANONICAL BOOKS:
First, let's consider what they are as defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, by Columbia University Press. This encyclopedia defines the Apocrypha as, "(pk´rf) (KEY) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen." In reality they were nothing but uninspired writings, many purporting to be written by other than who was actually their author, or basically illegitimate and lacking credence. In fact, the real author of only one of the Apocrypha is actually known. Some religions, unfortunately, have included some of the Apocrypha in their Bibles, but even these were few in number. A list of most of the Apocrypha follows:
1 Clement, 1st Apocalypse of James, 2 Clement, 2nd Apocalypse of James, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Apollonius, Acts of Carpus, Acts of John,Acts of Paul, Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, Acts of Peter, Acts of Peter and the Twelve, Acts of Pilate, Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Thomas, Additions to the Book of Esther, Anonymous Anti-Montanist. Anti-Marcionite Prologues, Apelles, Apocalypse of John, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocryphon of John, Apollonius, Apology of Aristides, Aristo of Pella, Ascension of Isaiah, Athenagoras of Athens, Authoritative Teaching, Bardesanes, Baruch, Basilides, Eel and the Dragon, Book of Elchasai, Book of Thomas the Contender, Books of Jeu, Caius, Celsus, Christian Sibyllines, Claudius Apollinaris, Clement of Alexandria, Colossians, Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior, Diatessaron, Didache, Didascalia, Dionysius of Corinth, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, Egerton Gospel, Epiphanes On Righteousness, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Epistula Apostolorum, Excerpts of Theodotus, Fayyum Fragment, Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra, Fronto, Galen, Gospel of Barnabas, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of the Ebionite, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazoreans, Gospel of the Savior, Gospel of Thomas,Gospel of Truth, Hegesippus, Heracleon, Hippolytus of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Infancy Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Inscription of Abercius, Irenaeus of Lyons, Isidore, Judith, Julius Cassianus, Justin Martyr, Kerygmata Petrou, Letter from Vienna and Lyons, Letter of Jeremiah, Letter of Peter to Philip, Lost Sayings Gospel Q, Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar Serapion, Marcion, Marcus Aurelius, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Maximus of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, Melito of Sardis, Muratorian Canon, Naassene Fragment, Octavius of Minucius Felix, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Origen, Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel, Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel, Pantaenus, Papias, Passion Narrative, Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs , Philostratus, Pistis Sophia, Pliny the Younger, Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycrates of Ephesus, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Prayer of Manasseh, Preaching of Peter, Ptolemy, Quadratus of Athens, Rhodon, Secret Book of James, Secret Mark, Serapion of Antioch, Shepherd of Hermas, Signs Gospel, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Suetonius, Susanna, Tacitus, Tatian's Address to the Greeks, The Additions to the Book of Daniel, Tertullian, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Theophilus of Antioch, Theophilus of Caesarea, Tobit, Traditions of Matthias, Treatise on the Resurrection, Trimorphic Protennoia, Valentinus, Victor I, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.
As can be seen many of these none illegitimate books try to give themselves credence by closely mimicking the names of actual legitimate canonical books of the Bible. These books are often called the pseudepigrapha? The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription". According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters". The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired. These are NOT lost books, just NOT legitimate books of Bible cannon.
THE EXTERNAL BOOKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE:
There are many external books quoted by inspired Bible writers as references. Many are, "not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit. Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Jashar (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others. Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers. Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of the books. This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings. ...According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book. [source= Ronald G. Fanter Cutting Edge Ministries].
One of these books is still existent today, the Book of Jashar or as it is sometimes called the Book of the Just, and another, the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, is actually thought my most scholars to actually be the Book of Jashar. The Book of Jashar is quite interesting, but one must be careful in obtaining a copy as there are counterfeit books masquerading as the Book of Jashar which are not. Also, there is a counterfeit Book of the Wars of Yahweh which is of course a fake since as previously said, this book is thought to just be another name for the Book of Jashar.
THE 4 BOOKS OF MACCABEES:
This is by far the strangest case of all. The 4 Books of Maccabees are ranked by many as part of the Apocrypha; however, they should be ranked as history books of the 1 st. and 2 nd. Century roughly before the incarnation of our leader and savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Very strange is the fact that the Catholic church accepted only two of them into their Canon of Bible Books; whereas, there are four of them. The Greek Orthodox, however, accepted three of them, and only the Cathars accepted the fourth. Strange to say the least, but none should have been accepted as canonical as they are history books, and one would NOT THINK of accepting H. G. Wells, 'Outline of History," into the Bible cannon; we are getting into the absurd. However, they make excellent reading as history books that fill in the history of these two centuries.
WHAT IS AN INSPIRED BOOK?
First, The Bible is NOT the product of one committee or strongman. It has over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance putting the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.
Second, To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, etc.
APPENDIX to the Gospel of Barnabas is NOT an Inspired Book of the Bible:
[1] One scholar, Malcolmite, wrote:
Some Muslims claim that the True Gospel is the "Gospel of Barnabas." This "true Gospel" was they say, written by Barnabas, who accompanied the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4). Modern scholarship, however, has this to say about the "Gospel of Barnabas":
There was also a "Gospel of Barnabas," referred to by several ancient authors, especially in the "Decree of Galasius" (500 AD); but there is no mention of its contents or character. However, there is in existence a long Italian manuscript under this title written from the Muslim standpoint and containing a strong element of Gnosticism. It was edited in 1907 by Lonsdale and Laura (M Roberts) Ragg, who held it to be the work of an apostate from Christianity, sometime between the 13th and 16th century. Like most of the patristic and medieval apocrypha, the work is highly imaginative, a work of fiction rather than of historical tradition, but it has a strongly marked ethical emphasis. (Encyclopedia Americana 1976 edition, page 247)
Because of the suspicious nature of this book very few have taken it seriously. And I suggest that anyone with a moderate education and well versed in the Bible or the Qur'an, who is familiar with the history and geography of Palestine will realize that this book is not divine. In fact to claim that this book is of divine origin is an outright embarrassment to the cause of Islam.
The "Gospel of Barnabas" contradicts the Qur'an and the historical background of Palestine in the days of Jesus.
The Identity of the Messiah
One of the main objectives of, this work is to remove the title "Messiah" from Jesus to the prophet Muhammad. This however, is contradicted by both the internal and external evidence.
The Qur'an is very clear in attributing the title Al-Masih (the Messiah) to none other than Jesus, son of Mary. This distinct title is used nowhere in all the Qur'an for any other prophet, including the prophet Muhammad.
... Christ Jesus (Al-Masih Isa) the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. (Sura 4:171)
Behold! the angel said: 0 Mary, God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word ftoni Him; his tiame will be Christ Jesus (Al-Masih Isa), the son of Afary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter. (Sura 3:45)
Muslims agree that Jesus was of Jewish descent, from of the lineage of the prophet David, who descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, the Qur'an also identifies Jesus as "the Messiah", so the statement in the Gospel of Barnabas that the Messiah is not Jesus, and is not of the seed of David or Isaac is clearly in direct opposition to the Qur'an.
And I note also that the writer, uses the name Jesus Christ. Thereby again totally contradicting himself, for the word "Christ" comes from the Greek language, and is the same title as the Arabic word "Masih." Both of which are translated "Messiah"! So the author uses the title Christ which means Messiah, in reference to Jesus and at the same time claims that Jesus is not the Messiah!
Scriptural and Traditional Inaccuracies
chap. 3: - Claims that Mary bore Jesus without any pain. The Qur'an, however, clearly says otherwise:
So she conceived him (Jesus), and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had been a thing forgottn and out of sight!" (Sura 19:22-23)
chap. 23: - The claim is made that circumcision began with Adam. However, both Muslim tradition and the Bible say that this began with the community of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael.
chap. 35: - It is said that man's navel was made from the spittle of Satan. Yet on page 50, chap. 39, the author says that the dog was created from Satan's spittle. But neither the Qur'an or the Bible indicate that Satan had any part in the creation of man's body, including his navel. Furthermore, most Muslims would agree that the Mighty Creator God certainly did not need help in creating man.
chap. 39: - Adam and Eve were supposedly forbidden to eat of the apples and the corn. However, the Qur'an relates the following:
0 Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression. (Sura 2:35)
It is quite possible that "apples" may have been on the forbidden tree, however we all know that "corn" does not grow on trees.
chap. 44: - The idea of the Promise or Covenant being made to the seed of Isaac is refuted. However, nowhere in the Qur'an is mention made of a "covenant" with Ishmael and his descendants. References of such a "Promise" or "Covenant" are in regard to the seed of Isaac which means Israel (Jacob) and his descendants. Thus in the Qur'an we read:
0 Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your Covenant with Me as fulfill My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me. (Sura 2:40)
chap. 105: - Mention is made of "nine heavens." The Qur'an speaks of only seven:
... Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; (Sura 2:29)
chap. 106: - Hell is spoken of as a place of intolerable snow and ice. But the Qur'an speaks of hell as a place of burning flames and boiling water.
chap. 112: - Jesus is reported to have said that He would not be raised into heaven until the Day of Judgment. But the following references of the Qur'an indicate otherwise:
Behold! God said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself ..." (Sura 3:55)
Nay, God raised him up unto Himself: and God is exalted in Power, Wise. (Sura 4:158)
chap. 124: - It is stated that the Book of Psalms was given because of the corruption of the Books of Moses, and that the New Testament was given because of the subsequent corruption of the Psalms.
However, this line is nowhere to be found in the scriptures of the Qur'an. To the contrary, the Holy Books of the Bible are spoken of as light and guidance to mankind. Had the Books of the Bible been corrupted, the Qur'an would not have contained the following admonitions:
If only they had stoodfast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. (Sura 5:66)
0 ye who believe! Believe in God and His apostle, and the scripture which He hath sent to His apostle and the scripture which He sent to them before him. And who denieth God, His angels, His Books, His Apostles, and the Day of Judgment hath gone far, far astray. (Sura 4:136)
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 267A]
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Revelation 18:4 – 5, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This is made clear in Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) directions to His people in ancient times as given at Isaiah 52:10 - 11, [AV] “The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.” We are warned not to indulge in unrighteous things at 2 Corinthians 6:17, [AV] “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” but to come out of false religions and have no further partaking in their unclean practices. As 1 Timothy 5:24, [AV] “Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
The Gospel of Barnabas is NOT an Inspired Writing of the Bible. Let's look at the facts with respect Aprocypha Books such as the Gospel of Barnabas.
THE APROCYPHA OR DEUTERCANONICAL BOOKS:
First, let's consider what they are as defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, by Columbia University Press. This encyclopedia defines the Apocrypha as, "(pk´rf) (KEY) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen." In reality they were nothing but uninspired writings, many purporting to be written by other than who was actually their author, or basically illegitimate and lacking credence. In fact, the real author of only one of the Apocrypha is actually known. Some religions, unfortunately, have included some of the Apocrypha in their Bibles, but even these were few in number. A list of most of the Apocrypha follows:
1 Clement, 1st Apocalypse of James, 2 Clement, 2nd Apocalypse of James, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Apollonius, Acts of Carpus, Acts of John,Acts of Paul, Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, Acts of Peter, Acts of Peter and the Twelve, Acts of Pilate, Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Thomas, Additions to the Book of Esther, Anonymous Anti-Montanist. Anti-Marcionite Prologues, Apelles, Apocalypse of John, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocryphon of John, Apollonius, Apology of Aristides, Aristo of Pella, Ascension of Isaiah, Athenagoras of Athens, Authoritative Teaching, Bardesanes, Baruch, Basilides, Eel and the Dragon, Book of Elchasai, Book of Thomas the Contender, Books of Jeu, Caius, Celsus, Christian Sibyllines, Claudius Apollinaris, Clement of Alexandria, Colossians, Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior, Diatessaron, Didache, Didascalia, Dionysius of Corinth, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, Egerton Gospel, Epiphanes On Righteousness, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Epistula Apostolorum, Excerpts of Theodotus, Fayyum Fragment, Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra, Fronto, Galen, Gospel of Barnabas, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of the Ebionite, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazoreans, Gospel of the Savior, Gospel of Thomas,Gospel of Truth, Hegesippus, Heracleon, Hippolytus of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Infancy Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Inscription of Abercius, Irenaeus of Lyons, Isidore, Judith, Julius Cassianus, Justin Martyr, Kerygmata Petrou, Letter from Vienna and Lyons, Letter of Jeremiah, Letter of Peter to Philip, Lost Sayings Gospel Q, Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar Serapion, Marcion, Marcus Aurelius, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Maximus of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, Melito of Sardis, Muratorian Canon, Naassene Fragment, Octavius of Minucius Felix, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Origen, Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel, Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel, Pantaenus, Papias, Passion Narrative, Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs , Philostratus, Pistis Sophia, Pliny the Younger, Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycrates of Ephesus, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Prayer of Manasseh, Preaching of Peter, Ptolemy, Quadratus of Athens, Rhodon, Secret Book of James, Secret Mark, Serapion of Antioch, Shepherd of Hermas, Signs Gospel, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Suetonius, Susanna, Tacitus, Tatian's Address to the Greeks, The Additions to the Book of Daniel, Tertullian, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Theophilus of Antioch, Theophilus of Caesarea, Tobit, Traditions of Matthias, Treatise on the Resurrection, Trimorphic Protennoia, Valentinus, Victor I, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.
As can be seen many of these none illegitimate books try to give themselves credence by closely mimicking the names of actual legitimate canonical books of the Bible. These books are often called the pseudepigrapha? The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription". According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters". The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired. These are NOT lost books, just NOT legitimate books of Bible cannon.
THE EXTERNAL BOOKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE:
There are many external books quoted by inspired Bible writers as references. Many are, "not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit. Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Jashar (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others. Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers. Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of the books. This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings. ...According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book. [source= Ronald G. Fanter Cutting Edge Ministries].
One of these books is still existent today, the Book of Jashar or as it is sometimes called the Book of the Just, and another, the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, is actually thought my most scholars to actually be the Book of Jashar. The Book of Jashar is quite interesting, but one must be careful in obtaining a copy as there are counterfeit books masquerading as the Book of Jashar which are not. Also, there is a counterfeit Book of the Wars of Yahweh which is of course a fake since as previously said, this book is thought to just be another name for the Book of Jashar.
THE 4 BOOKS OF MACCABEES:
This is by far the strangest case of all. The 4 Books of Maccabees are ranked by many as part of the Apocrypha; however, they should be ranked as history books of the 1 st. and 2 nd. Century roughly before the incarnation of our leader and savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Very strange is the fact that the Catholic church accepted only two of them into their Canon of Bible Books; whereas, there are four of them. The Greek Orthodox, however, accepted three of them, and only the Cathars accepted the fourth. Strange to say the least, but none should have been accepted as canonical as they are history books, and one would NOT THINK of accepting H. G. Wells, 'Outline of History," into the Bible cannon; we are getting into the absurd. However, they make excellent reading as history books that fill in the history of these two centuries.
WHAT IS AN INSPIRED BOOK?
First, The Bible is NOT the product of one committee or strongman. It has over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance putting the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.
Second, To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, etc.
APPENDIX to the Gospel of Barnabas is NOT an Inspired Book of the Bible:
[1] One scholar, Malcolmite, wrote:
Some Muslims claim that the True Gospel is the "Gospel of Barnabas." This "true Gospel" was they say, written by Barnabas, who accompanied the apostle Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4). Modern scholarship, however, has this to say about the "Gospel of Barnabas":
There was also a "Gospel of Barnabas," referred to by several ancient authors, especially in the "Decree of Galasius" (500 AD); but there is no mention of its contents or character. However, there is in existence a long Italian manuscript under this title written from the Muslim standpoint and containing a strong element of Gnosticism. It was edited in 1907 by Lonsdale and Laura (M Roberts) Ragg, who held it to be the work of an apostate from Christianity, sometime between the 13th and 16th century. Like most of the patristic and medieval apocrypha, the work is highly imaginative, a work of fiction rather than of historical tradition, but it has a strongly marked ethical emphasis. (Encyclopedia Americana 1976 edition, page 247)
Because of the suspicious nature of this book very few have taken it seriously. And I suggest that anyone with a moderate education and well versed in the Bible or the Qur'an, who is familiar with the history and geography of Palestine will realize that this book is not divine. In fact to claim that this book is of divine origin is an outright embarrassment to the cause of Islam.
The "Gospel of Barnabas" contradicts the Qur'an and the historical background of Palestine in the days of Jesus.
The Identity of the Messiah
One of the main objectives of, this work is to remove the title "Messiah" from Jesus to the prophet Muhammad. This however, is contradicted by both the internal and external evidence.
The Qur'an is very clear in attributing the title Al-Masih (the Messiah) to none other than Jesus, son of Mary. This distinct title is used nowhere in all the Qur'an for any other prophet, including the prophet Muhammad.
... Christ Jesus (Al-Masih Isa) the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of God, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. (Sura 4:171)
Behold! the angel said: 0 Mary, God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word ftoni Him; his tiame will be Christ Jesus (Al-Masih Isa), the son of Afary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter. (Sura 3:45)
Muslims agree that Jesus was of Jewish descent, from of the lineage of the prophet David, who descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, the Qur'an also identifies Jesus as "the Messiah", so the statement in the Gospel of Barnabas that the Messiah is not Jesus, and is not of the seed of David or Isaac is clearly in direct opposition to the Qur'an.
And I note also that the writer, uses the name Jesus Christ. Thereby again totally contradicting himself, for the word "Christ" comes from the Greek language, and is the same title as the Arabic word "Masih." Both of which are translated "Messiah"! So the author uses the title Christ which means Messiah, in reference to Jesus and at the same time claims that Jesus is not the Messiah!
Scriptural and Traditional Inaccuracies
chap. 3: - Claims that Mary bore Jesus without any pain. The Qur'an, however, clearly says otherwise:
So she conceived him (Jesus), and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had been a thing forgottn and out of sight!" (Sura 19:22-23)
chap. 23: - The claim is made that circumcision began with Adam. However, both Muslim tradition and the Bible say that this began with the community of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael.
chap. 35: - It is said that man's navel was made from the spittle of Satan. Yet on page 50, chap. 39, the author says that the dog was created from Satan's spittle. But neither the Qur'an or the Bible indicate that Satan had any part in the creation of man's body, including his navel. Furthermore, most Muslims would agree that the Mighty Creator God certainly did not need help in creating man.
chap. 39: - Adam and Eve were supposedly forbidden to eat of the apples and the corn. However, the Qur'an relates the following:
0 Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression. (Sura 2:35)
It is quite possible that "apples" may have been on the forbidden tree, however we all know that "corn" does not grow on trees.
chap. 44: - The idea of the Promise or Covenant being made to the seed of Isaac is refuted. However, nowhere in the Qur'an is mention made of a "covenant" with Ishmael and his descendants. References of such a "Promise" or "Covenant" are in regard to the seed of Isaac which means Israel (Jacob) and his descendants. Thus in the Qur'an we read:
0 Children of Israel! call to mind the (special) favor which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your Covenant with Me as fulfill My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me. (Sura 2:40)
chap. 105: - Mention is made of "nine heavens." The Qur'an speaks of only seven:
... Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; (Sura 2:29)
chap. 106: - Hell is spoken of as a place of intolerable snow and ice. But the Qur'an speaks of hell as a place of burning flames and boiling water.
chap. 112: - Jesus is reported to have said that He would not be raised into heaven until the Day of Judgment. But the following references of the Qur'an indicate otherwise:
Behold! God said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise thee to Myself ..." (Sura 3:55)
Nay, God raised him up unto Himself: and God is exalted in Power, Wise. (Sura 4:158)
chap. 124: - It is stated that the Book of Psalms was given because of the corruption of the Books of Moses, and that the New Testament was given because of the subsequent corruption of the Psalms.
However, this line is nowhere to be found in the scriptures of the Qur'an. To the contrary, the Holy Books of the Bible are spoken of as light and guidance to mankind. Had the Books of the Bible been corrupted, the Qur'an would not have contained the following admonitions:
If only they had stoodfast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. (Sura 5:66)
0 ye who believe! Believe in God and His apostle, and the scripture which He hath sent to His apostle and the scripture which He sent to them before him. And who denieth God, His angels, His Books, His Apostles, and the Day of Judgment hath gone far, far astray. (Sura 4:136)
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] SOME MISUNDERSTAND THE USAGE OF FIRSTBORN - LITERAL VS. FIGURATIVE - AND PHILLIPIANS 2:6
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 268A]
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) said of these whose love had grown cold for righteousness at Matthew 7:23, [AV] “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many in the end times will be as shown at 2 Timothy 3:2, [AV] “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,”
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[2] SOME MISUNDERSTAND THE USAGE OF FIRSTBORN - LITERAL VS. FIGURATIVE - AND PHILLIPIANS 2:6
INTRODUCTION:
It appears some are having a problem differentiating the very simple; to wit, the difference between the literal usage of first born or only begotten and the figurative usage of first born. In the case of the literal usage as with respect to Jesus (Yeshua) Christ first born literally means the first of creation in keeping with Colossians 1:15, "who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" (American Standard Version; ASV); and Colossiana 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (ASV); Revelation 1:5, "and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;" (ASV); Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (ASV); Romans 8:29, "For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:" (ASV); and Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV).
LITERAL USAGE EXAMPLES:
This literal use also is shown in its usage with others, for example Hebrews 11:28, "Heb 11:28 By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them." (ASV); which refers to Exodus 12:21-27, "Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye are come to the land which Jehovah will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped." (ASV).
FIGURATIVE USAGE:
Whereas the symbolic or figurative usage refers to a special level or status as shown clearly by Exodus 4:22, "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:" (ASV) which is clearly symbolic as it is referring to a nation and NOT an individual and this is quite clear; to wit, it showed that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham regarded the Ancient Nation of Israel as something special, the number one nation among nations. And this figurative use is further shown in Exodus 4:23, "and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born." (ASV) so there is no excuse for anyone failing to see this is figurative and NOT literal usage.
Also, 2 Chronicles 21:2-3, "2 And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born." (ASV), clearly shows the figurative usage as Jehoram was NOT the literal firstborn, but the symbolic firstborn as his father considered him the most important and gave him the kingship.
PHILLIPPIANS 2:6 CLEARLY SHOW CHRIST DID NOT CONSIDER HIMSELF EQUAL TO HIS FATHER:
Some will contend otherwise on the basis of Philippians 2:6, "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped," (ASV) based on the defective Authorized King James Bible (AV) rendering of same which is misleading, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" (AV).
This fact, that God's Son, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) is a separate spirit being from his Father (YHWH) is even made much clearer if we view more than one scripture at a time:
"Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be. For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God's equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man. And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal. That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus "every knee shall bow", whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ" is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 J B PHILLIPS Translation of the NEW TESTAMENT)
The J.B. Phillips Translation of the New Testament makes clear the Son's, Jesus's (Yeshua or YHWH saves) attitude with respect to being obedient to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). It states, "Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be." Which clearly shows that all genuine followers of the Son should also be humble. Also, it clearly says, "For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God's equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man." That although he was existing as a spirit creature just like his Father (YHWH) that he gave no thought to being the equal of his Father (YHWH), but was subordinate and obedient to him in clear conformity to " But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3 AV). Clearly then, he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) can not then be a member of a co-equal trinity of beings in a Trinitarian Godhead since he is neither equal to his Father, nor did not always exist as did his Father (YHWH) " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;" (Revelation 3:14 AV) and " Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (Colossians 1:15 AV).
His subjection was made quite clear as follows, "And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal." Clearly he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) was doing the will of his Father (YHWH) . In fact, when tempted by Satan the Devil he stated " Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10 AV), " Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17 AV), "21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he." (John 4:21-26 AV).
Of course, since Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH) is Almighty God (YHWH) only begotten Son, he is also a God, but a lessor one; therefore, The First Commandment of the Ten Commandments, " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3 AV), is not violated since he is neither equal to or before his Father.
Since he has proved his obedience to his Father (YHWH), his Father (YHWH) has " That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus "every knee shall bow", whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ" is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." And his Father has subjected all things onto his Son, except himself, "17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 ¶ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:17-28 AV). Therefore, it is clear that Almighty God, the Father (YHWH) is the superior one since he has put all things under his Son, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves), except himself, and could not do so unless he was above or superior to his Son. Also, it is clear that after he accomplishes his Father's purpose, he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves), will subject himself to his father, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." This clearly shows that Trinitarian Theology and Dualism Theology are false dogma and should be clearly rejected by all Christians.
COMMENTS BY OTHER BIBLE SCHOLARS ON PHILIPPIANS 2:5 -11:
Bible Scholar, Theodore Beza, stated:
2:5 2 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(2) He sets before them a most perfect example of all modesty and sweet conduct, Christ Jesus, whom we ought to follow with all our might: who abased himself so much for our sakes, although he is above all, that he took upon himself the form of a servant, that is, our flesh, willingly subject to all weaknesses, even to the death of the cross.
2:6 Who, being in the d form of God, e thought it not robbery to be f equal with God:
(d) Such as God himself is, and therefore God, for there is no one in all parts equal to God but God himself.
(e) Christ, that glorious and everlasting God, knew that he might rightfully and lawfully not appear in the base flesh of man, but remain with majesty fit for God: yet he chose rather to debase himself.
(f) If the Son is equal with the Father, then is there of necessity an equality, which Arrius that heretic denies: and if the Son is compared to the Father, then is there a distinction of persons, which Sabellius that heretic denies.
2:7 But made himself of g no reputation, and took upon him the h form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
(g) He brought himself from all things, as it were to nothing.
(h) By taking our manhood upon him.
2:9 3 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a i name which is above every name:
(3) He shows the most glorious even of Christ's submission, to teach us that modesty is the true way to true praise and glory.
(i) Dignity and high distinction, and that which accompanies it.
2:10 That at the name of Jesus k every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
(k) All creatures will at length be subject to Christ.
2:11 And [that] l every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(l) Every nation. [Beza, Theodore. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "The 1599 Geneva Study Bible". 1600-1645.]
Bible Scholar, Matthew Henry, said:
Note, this scholars comments cover more than Philippians 2:5-11, it cover Philippians 2:1-11.
The apostle proceeds in this chapter where he left off in the last, with further exhortations to Christian duties. He presses them largely to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, in conformity to the example of the Lord Jesus, the great pattern of humility and love. Here we may observe, I. The great gospel precept passed upon us; that is, to love one another. This is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. This he represents (v. 2) by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. We are of a like mind when we have the same love. Christians should be one in affection, whether they can be one in apprehension or no. This is always in their power, and always their duty, and is the likeliest way to bring them nearer in judgment. Having the same love. Observe, The same love that we are required to express to others, others are bound to express to us. Christian love ought to be mutual love. Love, and you shall be loved. Being of one accord, and of one mind; not crossing and thwarting, or driving on separate interests, but unanimously agreeing in the great things of God and keeping the unity of the Spirit in other differences. Here observe, 1. The pathetic pressing of the duty. He is very importunate with them, knowing what an evidence it is of our sincerity, and what a means of the preservation and edification of the body of Christ. The inducements to brotherly love are these:-(1.) "If there is any consolation in Christ. Have you experienced consolation in Christ? Evidence that experience by loving one another.'' The sweetness we have found in the doctrine of Christ should sweeten our spirits. Do we expect consolation in Christ? If we would not be disappointed, we must love one another. If we have not consolation in Christ, where else can we expect it? Those who have an interest in Christ have consolation in him, strong and everlasting consolation (Heb. 6:18; 2 Th. 2:16), and therefore ought to love one another. (2.) "Comfort of love. If there is any comfort in Christian love, in God's love to you, in your love to God, or in your brethren's love to us, in consideration of all this, be you like-minded. If you have ever found that comfort, if you would find it, if you indeed believe that the grace of love is a comfortable grace, abound in it.'' (3.) "Fellowship of the Spirit. If there is such a thing as communion with God and Christ by the Spirit, such a thing as the communion of saints, by virtue of their being animated and actuated by one and the same Spirit, be you like-minded; for Christian love and like-mindedness will preserve to us our communion with God and with one another.'' (4.) "Any bowels and mercies, in God and Christ, towards you. If you expect the benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be you compassionate one to another. If there is such a thing as mercy to be found among the followers of Christ, if all who are sanctified have a disposition to holy pity, make it appear this way.'' How cogent are these arguments! One would think them enough to tame the most fierce, and mollify the hardest, heart. (5.) Another argument he insinuates is the comfort it would be to him: Fulfil you my joy. It is the joy of ministers to see people like-minded and living in love. He had been instrumental in bringing them to the grace of Christ and the love of God. "Now,'' says he, "if you have found any benefit by your participation of the gospel of Christ, if you have any comfort in it, or advantage by it, fulfil the joy of your poor minister, who preached the gospel to you.'' 2. He proposes some means to promote it. (1.) Do nothing through strife and vain glory, v. 3. There is no greater enemy to Christian love than pride and passion. If we do things in contradiction to our brethren, this is doing them through strife; if we do them through ostentation of ourselves, this is doing them through vain-glory: both are destructive of Christian love and kindle unchristian heats. Christ came to slay all enmities; therefore let there not be among Christians a spirit of opposition. Christ came to humble us, and therefore let there not be among us a spirit of pride. (2.) We must esteem others in lowliness of mind better than ourselves, be severe upon our own faults and charitable in our judgments of others, be quick in observing our own defects and infirmities, but ready to overlook and make favourable allowances for the defects of others. We must esteem the good which is in others above that which is in ourselves; for we best know our own unworthiness and imperfections. (3.) We must interest ourselves in the concerns of others, not in a way of curiosity and censoriousness, or as busy-bodies in other men's matters, but in Christian love and sympathy: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, v. 4. A selfish spirit is destructive of Christian love. We must be concerned not only for our own credit, and ease, and safety, but for those of others also; and rejoice in the prosperity of others as truly as in our own. We must love our neighbour as ourselves, and make his case our own. II. Here is a gospel pattern proposed to our imitation, and that is the example of our Lord Jesus Christ: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, v. 5. Observe, Christians must be of Christ's mind. We must bear a resemblance to his life, if we would have the benefit of his death. If we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his, Rom. 8:9. Now what was the mind of Christ? He was eminently humble, and this is what we are peculiarly to learn of him. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, Mt. 11:29. If we were lowly-minded, we should be like-minded; and, if we were like Christ, we should be lowly-minded. We must walk in the same spirit and in the same steps with the Lord Jesus, who humbled himself to sufferings and death for us; not only to satisfy God's justice, and pay the price of our redemption, but to set us an example, and that we might follow his steps. Now here we have the two natures and the two states of our Lord Jesus. It is observable that the apostle, having occasion to mention the Lord Jesus, and the mind which was in him, takes the hint to enlarge upon his person, and to give a particular description of him. It is a pleasing subject, and a gospel minister needs not think himself out of the way when he is upon it; any fit occasion should be readily taken. 1. Here are the two natures of Christ: his divine nature and his human nature. (1.) Here is his divine nature: Who being in the form of God (v. 6), partaking of the divine nature, as the eternal and only begotten Son of God. This agrees with Jn. 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God: it is of the same import with being the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), and the brightness of his glory, and express image of his person, Heb. 1:3. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God; did not think himself guilty of any invasion of what did not belong to him, or assuming another's right. He said, I and my Father are one, Jn. 10:30. It is the highest degree of robbery for any mere man or mere creature to pretend to be equal with God, or profess himself one with the Father. This is for a man to rob God, not in tithes and offerings, but of the rights of his Godhead, Mal. 3:8. Some understand being in the form of God - en morphe Theou hyparchon, of his appearance in a divine majestic glory to the patriarchs, and the Jews, under the Old Testament, which was often called the glory, and the Shechinah. The word is used in such a sense by the Septuagint and in the New Testament. He appeared to the two disciples, en hetera morphe - In another form, Mk. 16:12. Metemorphothe - he was transfigured before them, Mt. 17:2. And he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; he did not greedily catch at, nor covet and affect to appear in that glory; he laid aside the majesty of his former appearance while he was here on earth, which is supposed to be the sense of the peculiar expression, ouk harpagmon hegesato. Vid. Bishop Bull's Def. cap. 2 sect. 4 et alibi, and Whitby in loc. (2.) His human nature: He was made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man. He was really and truly man, took part of our flesh and blood, appeared in the nature and habit of man. And he voluntarily assumed human nature; it was his own act, and by his own consent. We cannot say that our participation of the human nature is so. Herein he emptied himself, divested himself of the honours and glories of the upper world, and of his former appearance, to clothe himself with the rags of human nature. He was in all things like to us, Heb. 2:17. 2. Here are his two estates, of humiliation and exaltation. (1.) His estate of humiliation. He not only took upon him the likeness and fashion of a man, but the form of a servant, that is, a man of mean estate. He was not only God's servant whom he had chosen, but he came to minister to men, and was among them as one who serveth in a mean and servile state. One would think that the Lord Jesus, if he would be a man, should have been a prince, and appeared in splendour. But quite the contrary: He took upon him the form of a servant. He was brought up meanly, probably working with his supposed father at his trade. His whole life was a life of humiliation, meanness, poverty, and disgrace; he had nowhere to lay his head, lived upon alms, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, did not appear with external pomp, or any marks of distinction from other men. This was the humiliation of his life. But the lowest step of his humiliation was his dying the death of the cross. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. He not only suffered, but was actually and voluntarily obedient; he obeyed the law which he brought himself under as Mediator, and by which he was obliged to die. I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again: this commandment have I received of my Father, Jn. 10:18. And he was made under the law, Gal. 4:4. There is an emphasis laid upon the manner of his dying, which had in it all the circumstances possible which are humbling: Even the death of the cross, a cursed, painful, and shameful death,-a death accursed by the law (Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree) -full of pain, the body nailed through the nervous parts (the hands and feet) and hanging with all its weight upon the cross,-and the death of a malefactor and a slave, not of a free-man,-exposed as a public spectacle. Such was the condescension of the blessed Jesus. (2.) His exaltation: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. His exaltation was the reward of his humiliation. Because he humbled himself, God exalted him; and he highly exalted him, hyperypsose, raised him to an exceeding height. He exalted his whole person, the human nature as well as the divine; for he is spoken of as being in the form of God as well as in the fashion of man. As it respects the divine nature, it could only be the recognizing of his rights, or the display and appearance of the glory he had with the Father before the world was (Jn. 17:5), not any new acquisition of glory; and so the Father himself is said to be exalted. But the proper exaltation was of his human nature, which alone seems to be capable of it, though in conjunction with the divine. His exaltation here is made to consist in honour and power. In honour; so he had a name above every name, a title of dignity above all the creatures, men and angels. And in power: Every knee must bow to him. The whole creation must be in subjection to him: things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the living and the dead. At the name of Jesus; not at the sound of the word, but the authority of Jesus; all should pay a solemn homage. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord -every nation and language should publicly own the universal empire of the exalted Redeemer, and that all power in heaven and earth is given to him, Mt. 28:18. Observe the vast extent of the kingdom of Christ; it reaches to heaven and earth, and to all the creatures in each, to angels as well as men, and to the dead as well as the living.- To the glory of God the Father. Observe, It is to the glory of God the Father to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; for it is his will that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father, Jn. 5:23. Whatever respect is paid to Christ redounds to the honour of the Father. He who receiveth me receiveth him who sent me, Mt. 10:40.
[Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible". 1706.]
Bible Scholar, Barton W. Johnson, stated:
5-8. Let this mind be in you. He points to Christ as the example of humility and consecration to the good of others. 6. Who, being in the form of God. He refers to the state of our Savior before he took human form. His form was divine. "He had a glory with the father before the world was." See John 1:1; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3, etc. Thought it not robbery to be equal with God. The Revision says, "Counted it not a prize." The meaning is not entirely clear, but probably is that "Having a form of glory like God, he did not count it a prize which must be clung to tenaciously, especially when he appeared upon the earth, that he should be equal with God, that is, appear in a divine form, but was willing to lay aside his glory and make himself a servant." 7. Emptied himself. Of the divine form and glory, and took the form of a servant, of our own race, a race whose duty it is to serve God. The divine glory was exchanged for human lowliness. 8. He humbled himself. Note the infinite condescension: (1) The form of God and sharing the divine glory. (2) He divests himself of this. (3) Nor does he then take the divine form, or even the form of an angel, but of lowly, sinful man. (4) But this is not all. He not only takes the form of man, but the mortality of the flesh, and dies. (5) Nay, more; he dies the most shameful and painful of all deaths, even the death of the cross.
9-11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. His wonderful humility had been shown, but it is the law of the universe that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Therefore God lifted him up from the grave to the heavens, gave all power into his hands (Matt. 28:18), and gave him a name above every name. The idea is an authority, a position, above that of all intelligences. This exaltation made the humble name, Jesus, a name above every name. 10. That at the name of Jesus. That name, by the exaltation, has become the name of the King of kings. It is supreme. Hence, every knee in all the universe bows to its majesty. Under the earth. In the under-world, hades, the abode of the dead. 11. And that every tongue should confess. All the universe is called to confess him as Lord, and thus glorify God. All will yet confess him, either in joy or shame. [Johnson, Barton W. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "People's New Testament". 1891.]
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 268A]
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Matthew 24:12, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Jesus (Yeshua) said of these whose love had grown cold for righteousness at Matthew 7:23, [AV] “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many in the end times will be as shown at 2 Timothy 3:2, [AV] “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,”
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[2] SOME MISUNDERSTAND THE USAGE OF FIRSTBORN - LITERAL VS. FIGURATIVE - AND PHILLIPIANS 2:6
INTRODUCTION:
It appears some are having a problem differentiating the very simple; to wit, the difference between the literal usage of first born or only begotten and the figurative usage of first born. In the case of the literal usage as with respect to Jesus (Yeshua) Christ first born literally means the first of creation in keeping with Colossians 1:15, "who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;" (American Standard Version; ASV); and Colossiana 1:18, "And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." (ASV); Revelation 1:5, "and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;" (ASV); Luke 2:7, "And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (ASV); Romans 8:29, "For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren:" (ASV); and Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV).
LITERAL USAGE EXAMPLES:
This literal use also is shown in its usage with others, for example Hebrews 11:28, "Heb 11:28 By faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them." (ASV); which refers to Exodus 12:21-27, "Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families, and kill the passover. 22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. 23 For Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side-posts, Jehovah will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. 24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever. 25 And it shall come to pass, when ye are come to the land which Jehovah will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service. 26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 27 that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of Jehovah's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped." (ASV).
FIGURATIVE USAGE:
Whereas the symbolic or figurative usage refers to a special level or status as shown clearly by Exodus 4:22, "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:" (ASV) which is clearly symbolic as it is referring to a nation and NOT an individual and this is quite clear; to wit, it showed that the true God (YHWH) of Abraham regarded the Ancient Nation of Israel as something special, the number one nation among nations. And this figurative use is further shown in Exodus 4:23, "and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born." (ASV) so there is no excuse for anyone failing to see this is figurative and NOT literal usage.
Also, 2 Chronicles 21:2-3, "2 And he had brethren, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the first-born." (ASV), clearly shows the figurative usage as Jehoram was NOT the literal firstborn, but the symbolic firstborn as his father considered him the most important and gave him the kingship.
PHILLIPPIANS 2:6 CLEARLY SHOW CHRIST DID NOT CONSIDER HIMSELF EQUAL TO HIS FATHER:
Some will contend otherwise on the basis of Philippians 2:6, "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped," (ASV) based on the defective Authorized King James Bible (AV) rendering of same which is misleading, "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" (AV).
This fact, that God's Son, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) is a separate spirit being from his Father (YHWH) is even made much clearer if we view more than one scripture at a time:
"Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be. For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God's equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man. And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal. That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus "every knee shall bow", whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ" is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 J B PHILLIPS Translation of the NEW TESTAMENT)
The J.B. Phillips Translation of the New Testament makes clear the Son's, Jesus's (Yeshua or YHWH saves) attitude with respect to being obedient to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH). It states, "Let Christ himself be your example as to what your attitude should be." Which clearly shows that all genuine followers of the Son should also be humble. Also, it clearly says, "For he, who had always been God by nature, did not cling to his prerogatives as God's equal, but stripped himself of all privilege by consenting to be a slave by nature and being born as mortal man." That although he was existing as a spirit creature just like his Father (YHWH) that he gave no thought to being the equal of his Father (YHWH), but was subordinate and obedient to him in clear conformity to " But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3 AV). Clearly then, he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) can not then be a member of a co-equal trinity of beings in a Trinitarian Godhead since he is neither equal to his Father, nor did not always exist as did his Father (YHWH) " And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;" (Revelation 3:14 AV) and " Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (Colossians 1:15 AV).
His subjection was made quite clear as follows, "And, having become man, he humbled himself by living a life of utter obedience, even to the extent of dying, and the death he died was the death of a common criminal." Clearly he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves) was doing the will of his Father (YHWH) . In fact, when tempted by Satan the Devil he stated " Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10 AV), " Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17 AV), "21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he." (John 4:21-26 AV).
Of course, since Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH) is Almighty God (YHWH) only begotten Son, he is also a God, but a lessor one; therefore, The First Commandment of the Ten Commandments, " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3 AV), is not violated since he is neither equal to or before his Father.
Since he has proved his obedience to his Father (YHWH), his Father (YHWH) has " That is why God has now lifted him so high, and has given him the name beyond all names, so that at the name of Jesus "every knee shall bow", whether in Heaven or earth or under the earth. And that is why, in the end, "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus Christ" is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father." And his Father has subjected all things onto his Son, except himself, "17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 ¶ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:17-28 AV). Therefore, it is clear that Almighty God, the Father (YHWH) is the superior one since he has put all things under his Son, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves), except himself, and could not do so unless he was above or superior to his Son. Also, it is clear that after he accomplishes his Father's purpose, he, Jesus (Yeshua or YHWH saves), will subject himself to his father, "And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." This clearly shows that Trinitarian Theology and Dualism Theology are false dogma and should be clearly rejected by all Christians.
COMMENTS BY OTHER BIBLE SCHOLARS ON PHILIPPIANS 2:5 -11:
Bible Scholar, Theodore Beza, stated:
2:5 2 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
(2) He sets before them a most perfect example of all modesty and sweet conduct, Christ Jesus, whom we ought to follow with all our might: who abased himself so much for our sakes, although he is above all, that he took upon himself the form of a servant, that is, our flesh, willingly subject to all weaknesses, even to the death of the cross.
2:6 Who, being in the d form of God, e thought it not robbery to be f equal with God:
(d) Such as God himself is, and therefore God, for there is no one in all parts equal to God but God himself.
(e) Christ, that glorious and everlasting God, knew that he might rightfully and lawfully not appear in the base flesh of man, but remain with majesty fit for God: yet he chose rather to debase himself.
(f) If the Son is equal with the Father, then is there of necessity an equality, which Arrius that heretic denies: and if the Son is compared to the Father, then is there a distinction of persons, which Sabellius that heretic denies.
2:7 But made himself of g no reputation, and took upon him the h form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
(g) He brought himself from all things, as it were to nothing.
(h) By taking our manhood upon him.
2:9 3 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a i name which is above every name:
(3) He shows the most glorious even of Christ's submission, to teach us that modesty is the true way to true praise and glory.
(i) Dignity and high distinction, and that which accompanies it.
2:10 That at the name of Jesus k every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;
(k) All creatures will at length be subject to Christ.
2:11 And [that] l every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(l) Every nation. [Beza, Theodore. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "The 1599 Geneva Study Bible". 1600-1645.]
Bible Scholar, Matthew Henry, said:
Note, this scholars comments cover more than Philippians 2:5-11, it cover Philippians 2:1-11.
The apostle proceeds in this chapter where he left off in the last, with further exhortations to Christian duties. He presses them largely to like-mindedness and lowly-mindedness, in conformity to the example of the Lord Jesus, the great pattern of humility and love. Here we may observe, I. The great gospel precept passed upon us; that is, to love one another. This is the law of Christ's kingdom, the lesson of his school, the livery of his family. This he represents (v. 2) by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. We are of a like mind when we have the same love. Christians should be one in affection, whether they can be one in apprehension or no. This is always in their power, and always their duty, and is the likeliest way to bring them nearer in judgment. Having the same love. Observe, The same love that we are required to express to others, others are bound to express to us. Christian love ought to be mutual love. Love, and you shall be loved. Being of one accord, and of one mind; not crossing and thwarting, or driving on separate interests, but unanimously agreeing in the great things of God and keeping the unity of the Spirit in other differences. Here observe, 1. The pathetic pressing of the duty. He is very importunate with them, knowing what an evidence it is of our sincerity, and what a means of the preservation and edification of the body of Christ. The inducements to brotherly love are these:-(1.) "If there is any consolation in Christ. Have you experienced consolation in Christ? Evidence that experience by loving one another.'' The sweetness we have found in the doctrine of Christ should sweeten our spirits. Do we expect consolation in Christ? If we would not be disappointed, we must love one another. If we have not consolation in Christ, where else can we expect it? Those who have an interest in Christ have consolation in him, strong and everlasting consolation (Heb. 6:18; 2 Th. 2:16), and therefore ought to love one another. (2.) "Comfort of love. If there is any comfort in Christian love, in God's love to you, in your love to God, or in your brethren's love to us, in consideration of all this, be you like-minded. If you have ever found that comfort, if you would find it, if you indeed believe that the grace of love is a comfortable grace, abound in it.'' (3.) "Fellowship of the Spirit. If there is such a thing as communion with God and Christ by the Spirit, such a thing as the communion of saints, by virtue of their being animated and actuated by one and the same Spirit, be you like-minded; for Christian love and like-mindedness will preserve to us our communion with God and with one another.'' (4.) "Any bowels and mercies, in God and Christ, towards you. If you expect the benefit of God's compassions to yourselves, be you compassionate one to another. If there is such a thing as mercy to be found among the followers of Christ, if all who are sanctified have a disposition to holy pity, make it appear this way.'' How cogent are these arguments! One would think them enough to tame the most fierce, and mollify the hardest, heart. (5.) Another argument he insinuates is the comfort it would be to him: Fulfil you my joy. It is the joy of ministers to see people like-minded and living in love. He had been instrumental in bringing them to the grace of Christ and the love of God. "Now,'' says he, "if you have found any benefit by your participation of the gospel of Christ, if you have any comfort in it, or advantage by it, fulfil the joy of your poor minister, who preached the gospel to you.'' 2. He proposes some means to promote it. (1.) Do nothing through strife and vain glory, v. 3. There is no greater enemy to Christian love than pride and passion. If we do things in contradiction to our brethren, this is doing them through strife; if we do them through ostentation of ourselves, this is doing them through vain-glory: both are destructive of Christian love and kindle unchristian heats. Christ came to slay all enmities; therefore let there not be among Christians a spirit of opposition. Christ came to humble us, and therefore let there not be among us a spirit of pride. (2.) We must esteem others in lowliness of mind better than ourselves, be severe upon our own faults and charitable in our judgments of others, be quick in observing our own defects and infirmities, but ready to overlook and make favourable allowances for the defects of others. We must esteem the good which is in others above that which is in ourselves; for we best know our own unworthiness and imperfections. (3.) We must interest ourselves in the concerns of others, not in a way of curiosity and censoriousness, or as busy-bodies in other men's matters, but in Christian love and sympathy: Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others, v. 4. A selfish spirit is destructive of Christian love. We must be concerned not only for our own credit, and ease, and safety, but for those of others also; and rejoice in the prosperity of others as truly as in our own. We must love our neighbour as ourselves, and make his case our own. II. Here is a gospel pattern proposed to our imitation, and that is the example of our Lord Jesus Christ: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, v. 5. Observe, Christians must be of Christ's mind. We must bear a resemblance to his life, if we would have the benefit of his death. If we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are none of his, Rom. 8:9. Now what was the mind of Christ? He was eminently humble, and this is what we are peculiarly to learn of him. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, Mt. 11:29. If we were lowly-minded, we should be like-minded; and, if we were like Christ, we should be lowly-minded. We must walk in the same spirit and in the same steps with the Lord Jesus, who humbled himself to sufferings and death for us; not only to satisfy God's justice, and pay the price of our redemption, but to set us an example, and that we might follow his steps. Now here we have the two natures and the two states of our Lord Jesus. It is observable that the apostle, having occasion to mention the Lord Jesus, and the mind which was in him, takes the hint to enlarge upon his person, and to give a particular description of him. It is a pleasing subject, and a gospel minister needs not think himself out of the way when he is upon it; any fit occasion should be readily taken. 1. Here are the two natures of Christ: his divine nature and his human nature. (1.) Here is his divine nature: Who being in the form of God (v. 6), partaking of the divine nature, as the eternal and only begotten Son of God. This agrees with Jn. 1:1, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God: it is of the same import with being the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), and the brightness of his glory, and express image of his person, Heb. 1:3. He thought it no robbery to be equal with God; did not think himself guilty of any invasion of what did not belong to him, or assuming another's right. He said, I and my Father are one, Jn. 10:30. It is the highest degree of robbery for any mere man or mere creature to pretend to be equal with God, or profess himself one with the Father. This is for a man to rob God, not in tithes and offerings, but of the rights of his Godhead, Mal. 3:8. Some understand being in the form of God - en morphe Theou hyparchon, of his appearance in a divine majestic glory to the patriarchs, and the Jews, under the Old Testament, which was often called the glory, and the Shechinah. The word is used in such a sense by the Septuagint and in the New Testament. He appeared to the two disciples, en hetera morphe - In another form, Mk. 16:12. Metemorphothe - he was transfigured before them, Mt. 17:2. And he thought it no robbery to be equal with God; he did not greedily catch at, nor covet and affect to appear in that glory; he laid aside the majesty of his former appearance while he was here on earth, which is supposed to be the sense of the peculiar expression, ouk harpagmon hegesato. Vid. Bishop Bull's Def. cap. 2 sect. 4 et alibi, and Whitby in loc. (2.) His human nature: He was made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man. He was really and truly man, took part of our flesh and blood, appeared in the nature and habit of man. And he voluntarily assumed human nature; it was his own act, and by his own consent. We cannot say that our participation of the human nature is so. Herein he emptied himself, divested himself of the honours and glories of the upper world, and of his former appearance, to clothe himself with the rags of human nature. He was in all things like to us, Heb. 2:17. 2. Here are his two estates, of humiliation and exaltation. (1.) His estate of humiliation. He not only took upon him the likeness and fashion of a man, but the form of a servant, that is, a man of mean estate. He was not only God's servant whom he had chosen, but he came to minister to men, and was among them as one who serveth in a mean and servile state. One would think that the Lord Jesus, if he would be a man, should have been a prince, and appeared in splendour. But quite the contrary: He took upon him the form of a servant. He was brought up meanly, probably working with his supposed father at his trade. His whole life was a life of humiliation, meanness, poverty, and disgrace; he had nowhere to lay his head, lived upon alms, was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, did not appear with external pomp, or any marks of distinction from other men. This was the humiliation of his life. But the lowest step of his humiliation was his dying the death of the cross. He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. He not only suffered, but was actually and voluntarily obedient; he obeyed the law which he brought himself under as Mediator, and by which he was obliged to die. I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again: this commandment have I received of my Father, Jn. 10:18. And he was made under the law, Gal. 4:4. There is an emphasis laid upon the manner of his dying, which had in it all the circumstances possible which are humbling: Even the death of the cross, a cursed, painful, and shameful death,-a death accursed by the law (Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree) -full of pain, the body nailed through the nervous parts (the hands and feet) and hanging with all its weight upon the cross,-and the death of a malefactor and a slave, not of a free-man,-exposed as a public spectacle. Such was the condescension of the blessed Jesus. (2.) His exaltation: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. His exaltation was the reward of his humiliation. Because he humbled himself, God exalted him; and he highly exalted him, hyperypsose, raised him to an exceeding height. He exalted his whole person, the human nature as well as the divine; for he is spoken of as being in the form of God as well as in the fashion of man. As it respects the divine nature, it could only be the recognizing of his rights, or the display and appearance of the glory he had with the Father before the world was (Jn. 17:5), not any new acquisition of glory; and so the Father himself is said to be exalted. But the proper exaltation was of his human nature, which alone seems to be capable of it, though in conjunction with the divine. His exaltation here is made to consist in honour and power. In honour; so he had a name above every name, a title of dignity above all the creatures, men and angels. And in power: Every knee must bow to him. The whole creation must be in subjection to him: things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, the inhabitants of heaven and earth, the living and the dead. At the name of Jesus; not at the sound of the word, but the authority of Jesus; all should pay a solemn homage. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord -every nation and language should publicly own the universal empire of the exalted Redeemer, and that all power in heaven and earth is given to him, Mt. 28:18. Observe the vast extent of the kingdom of Christ; it reaches to heaven and earth, and to all the creatures in each, to angels as well as men, and to the dead as well as the living.- To the glory of God the Father. Observe, It is to the glory of God the Father to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; for it is his will that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father, Jn. 5:23. Whatever respect is paid to Christ redounds to the honour of the Father. He who receiveth me receiveth him who sent me, Mt. 10:40.
[Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "Matthew Henry Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible". 1706.]
Bible Scholar, Barton W. Johnson, stated:
5-8. Let this mind be in you. He points to Christ as the example of humility and consecration to the good of others. 6. Who, being in the form of God. He refers to the state of our Savior before he took human form. His form was divine. "He had a glory with the father before the world was." See John 1:1; 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3, etc. Thought it not robbery to be equal with God. The Revision says, "Counted it not a prize." The meaning is not entirely clear, but probably is that "Having a form of glory like God, he did not count it a prize which must be clung to tenaciously, especially when he appeared upon the earth, that he should be equal with God, that is, appear in a divine form, but was willing to lay aside his glory and make himself a servant." 7. Emptied himself. Of the divine form and glory, and took the form of a servant, of our own race, a race whose duty it is to serve God. The divine glory was exchanged for human lowliness. 8. He humbled himself. Note the infinite condescension: (1) The form of God and sharing the divine glory. (2) He divests himself of this. (3) Nor does he then take the divine form, or even the form of an angel, but of lowly, sinful man. (4) But this is not all. He not only takes the form of man, but the mortality of the flesh, and dies. (5) Nay, more; he dies the most shameful and painful of all deaths, even the death of the cross.
9-11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him. His wonderful humility had been shown, but it is the law of the universe that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Therefore God lifted him up from the grave to the heavens, gave all power into his hands (Matt. 28:18), and gave him a name above every name. The idea is an authority, a position, above that of all intelligences. This exaltation made the humble name, Jesus, a name above every name. 10. That at the name of Jesus. That name, by the exaltation, has become the name of the King of kings. It is supreme. Hence, every knee in all the universe bows to its majesty. Under the earth. In the under-world, hades, the abode of the dead. 11. And that every tongue should confess. All the universe is called to confess him as Lord, and thus glorify God. All will yet confess him, either in joy or shame. [Johnson, Barton W. "Commentary on Philippians 2". "People's New Testament". 1891.]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Fri Sep 23, 2016 4:30 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 269A]
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should seek peace and pursue, and not seek vengeance per Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Vengence belongs to Almighty God (YHWH) per Hebrews 10:30, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” And as noted by Romans 1:18, [AV] “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” God’s displeasure will be directed against those not living righteous lives per Romans 2:8, [AV] “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,” If we be genuine followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), we will per Romans 8:17, [AV] “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Matico (Piper aduncum) is a flowering plant in the family Piperaceae. Like many species in the family, the Matico tree has a peppery odor.
The fruits are used as a condiment and for flavoring cocoa.[3] It is sometimes used as a substitute for long pepper.
Traditional medicine
In the Amazon Rainforest, many of the native tribes use matico leaves as an antiseptic. In Peru, it was used for stopping hemorrhages and treating ulcers, and in European practice in the treatment of diseases of the genitals and urinary organs, such as those for which cubeb was often prescribed.[4]
Characteristics
Matico is a tropical, evergreen, shrubby tree that grows to the height of 6 to 7 meter (20 to 23 ft) with lance-shaped leaves that are 12 to 20 centimeter (5 to 8 in) long. It is native to Southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and much of tropical South America. It is grown in tropical Asia, Polynesia, and Melanesia and can even be found in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. In some countries Matico is considered as an invasive weed.[2] In parts of New Guinea, although Matico is notorious for drying out the soil in the areas where it is invasive, the wood of this plant is nonetheless used by local residents for a myriad of uses such as for fuel and fence posts.[5]
Etymology
According to legends, the plant was discovered by a wounded Spanish soldier named Matico.[2] He learned, presumably from the local tribes, that applying the leaves to his wounds stopped bleeding, and it began to be called "Matico" or "soldier's herb". It was introduced into the profession of medicine in the United States and Europe by a Liverpool physician in 1839 as a styptic and astringent for wounds.[2]
Notes
1. ^ Barlow, Prof. Snow (2003). "Sorting Piper names". University of Melbourne. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Dr. Leslie (2006). "Technical Data Report for Matico (Piper aduncum, angustifolium)" (PDF). Raintree Nutrition, Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
3. ^ Seidemann, Johannes (2005). World Spice Plants: Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p. 289. ISBN 3-540-22279-0.
4. ^ Remington, Joseph P. (Ed); Horatio C. Wood (1918). "The Dispensatory of the United States of America". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
5. ^ Siges, T.; A.E. Hartemink, P. Hebinck & B.J. Allen (2005). "The invasive shrub Piper aduncum and rural livelihoods in the Finschhafen area of Papua New Guinea". Human Ecology 33 (6): 875–893. doi:10.1007/s10745-005-8214-7. Retrieved 2007-04-16. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_aduncum on 3/25/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Pictures of this plant and its fruit can be viewed at, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Piper+aduncum+Matico&qpvt=Piper+aduncum+Matico&FORM=IGRE
Now to know the truth, go to:
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5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 269A]
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 – 10, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, we should seek peace and pursue, and not seek vengeance per Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Vengence belongs to Almighty God (YHWH) per Hebrews 10:30, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.” And as noted by Romans 1:18, [AV] “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;” God’s displeasure will be directed against those not living righteous lives per Romans 2:8, [AV] “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,” If we be genuine followers of the Prince of Peace, Jesus (Yeshua), we will per Romans 8:17, [AV] “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
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5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Matico (Piper aduncum) is a flowering plant in the family Piperaceae. Like many species in the family, the Matico tree has a peppery odor.
The fruits are used as a condiment and for flavoring cocoa.[3] It is sometimes used as a substitute for long pepper.
Traditional medicine
In the Amazon Rainforest, many of the native tribes use matico leaves as an antiseptic. In Peru, it was used for stopping hemorrhages and treating ulcers, and in European practice in the treatment of diseases of the genitals and urinary organs, such as those for which cubeb was often prescribed.[4]
Characteristics
Matico is a tropical, evergreen, shrubby tree that grows to the height of 6 to 7 meter (20 to 23 ft) with lance-shaped leaves that are 12 to 20 centimeter (5 to 8 in) long. It is native to Southern Mexico, the Caribbean, and much of tropical South America. It is grown in tropical Asia, Polynesia, and Melanesia and can even be found in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. In some countries Matico is considered as an invasive weed.[2] In parts of New Guinea, although Matico is notorious for drying out the soil in the areas where it is invasive, the wood of this plant is nonetheless used by local residents for a myriad of uses such as for fuel and fence posts.[5]
Etymology
According to legends, the plant was discovered by a wounded Spanish soldier named Matico.[2] He learned, presumably from the local tribes, that applying the leaves to his wounds stopped bleeding, and it began to be called "Matico" or "soldier's herb". It was introduced into the profession of medicine in the United States and Europe by a Liverpool physician in 1839 as a styptic and astringent for wounds.[2]
Notes
1. ^ Barlow, Prof. Snow (2003). "Sorting Piper names". University of Melbourne. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Dr. Leslie (2006). "Technical Data Report for Matico (Piper aduncum, angustifolium)" (PDF). Raintree Nutrition, Inc. Retrieved 2007-03-29.
3. ^ Seidemann, Johannes (2005). World Spice Plants: Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p. 289. ISBN 3-540-22279-0.
4. ^ Remington, Joseph P. (Ed); Horatio C. Wood (1918). "The Dispensatory of the United States of America". Retrieved 2007-03-29.
5. ^ Siges, T.; A.E. Hartemink, P. Hebinck & B.J. Allen (2005). "The invasive shrub Piper aduncum and rural livelihoods in the Finschhafen area of Papua New Guinea". Human Ecology 33 (6): 875–893. doi:10.1007/s10745-005-8214-7. Retrieved 2007-04-16. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_aduncum on 3/25/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Pictures of this plant and its fruit can be viewed at, http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Piper+aduncum+Matico&qpvt=Piper+aduncum+Matico&FORM=IGRE
Now to know the truth, go to:
1) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sat Sep 24, 2016 2:51 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] INTENTIONALLY CORRUPTED BIBLE TRANSLATIONS BY BELIEVERS IN FALSE GODS:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 270A]
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:8 – 7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This scripture shows the conditions that will exist at the culmination of the end times, and Revelation 8:13, [AV] “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” gives additional detail. But this shall not occur until per Matthew 24:14, takes place, [AV] “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” And as Acts 1:8, shows, [AV] “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] INTENTIONALLY CORRUPTED BIBLE TRANSLATIONS BY BELIEVERS IN FALSE GODS:
INTRODUCTIONS:
For many years some translators have left the true God (YHWH) out of their translations and/or used it only minimally in keeping with a Jewish superstition that it was to 'Holy' to pronounce and might be used in vain. Now insincere translators and/or their staff have gone a major step further is some cases. Translators and/or their staff that believe in false gods and/or goddesses have now started replacing the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's name with that of some local deity. Unbelievable but true. Should we be surprised at this wicked act by some insincere translators and/or their staff? No, as 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them." (American Standard Version; ASV).
EXAMPLES OF INTENTIONAL CORRUPTIONS BY BELIEVERS IN FALSE DEITIES:
Here are some actual examples of the false mythical local gods of Satan the Devil actually being substituted for the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham in some Bibles by insincere translators and/or their staff to usurp his position and give deference to local deities - false puppet gods of the ruler of this system per Ephesians 2:2, "wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience;" (ASV). These wicked ones of course have not given attention to Ephesians 2:2, just quoted; nor to John 14:30, "I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;" (ASV); nor John 16:11, "of judgment, because the prince [Satan the Devil] of this world hath been judged." (ASV).
A translation, the Chickewa Bible - 'Buku Loyera' - used in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, renders the Tetragrammation (YHWH) - the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's as "Chauta," the name of a tribal god meaning 'Great One of the Bow.' But the wicked translators of this version claim to be worshipping true God (YHWH) of Abraham when they are not. Their justification for using "chauta" is the fact that most local people use this term to mean god, but in fact this is wrong as there is actually another term for god strictly as a title. Also, they could have and should have used the Tetragrammation (YHWH) - the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham.
One notable intentional corruption of one version of the Bible, The Authentic New Testament by Hugh J. Schonfield occurred because an evil member of his staff substituted the name of an Arabian tribal mythical Moon god, "Allah," in place of the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham by one of his staff who was a member of Islam. However, proofreaders quickly caught this and later editions of this Bible, The Authentic New Testament by Hugh J. Schonfield (Sd) have no such ungodly error. Unfortunately, 'game play' by evil ones such as that just mentioned occur from time to time.
Of course intentional evil corruption's with respect the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham are not the only intentional corruption's that occur. One African translation, for example, refers to the Apostle Luke as a witch doctor. And the 'Tuvaluan Bible takes evil liberties with Jude 23, saying, "Show intense love for sodomites: just be careful you are not affected by their sodomy." However, the original text of Jude 23, "and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (ASV) never even mention sodomites nor sodomy; whereas, sodomy is condemned at Romans 1:24-29, "Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: 25 for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. 28 And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers," (ASV). Now let's look at the reality with respect false gods and goddesses.
FALSE GODS, OF COURSE, ARE NOTHING BUT FIGMENTS OF THE IMAGINATION
There exist many false gods which are figments of the imagination and some of these such as Molech, Ashtoreth, Baal, Dagon Merodach, Zeus, Hermes, Artemis, etc. are mentioned in the Bible. Let's look at a few instances, Leviticus 18:21, "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD." (AV); Judges 2:13, "And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth." (AV); Judges 16:23, "Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand." (AV); Jeremiah 50:2, "Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." (AV); Acts 14:12, "And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker." (AV). Some of these gods exist until today, usually under new names.
The old middle eastern Moon god who has gone by many names is still well venerated. This is shown by "The Archeology of The Middle East" which states, "The religion of Islam has as its focus of worship a deity by the name of "Allah." The Muslims claim that Allah in pre-Islamic times was the biblical God of the Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. The issue is thus one of continuity. Was "Allah" the biblical God or a pagan god in Arabia during pre-Islamic times? The Muslim's claim of continuity is essential to their attempt to convert Jews and Christians for if "Allah" is part of the flow of divine revelation in Scripture, then it is the next step in biblical religion. Thus we should all become Muslims. But, on the other hand, if Allah was a pre-Islamic pagan deity, then its core claim is refuted. Religious claims often fall before the results of hard sciences such as archeology. We can endlessly speculate about the past or go and dig it up and see what the evidence reveals. This is the only way to find out the truth concerning the origins of Allah. As we shall see, the hard evidence demonstrates that the god Allah was a pagan deity. In fact, he was the Moon-god who was married to the sun goddess and the stars were his daughters.
Archaeologists have uncovered temples to the Moon-god throughout the Middle East. From the mountains of Turkey to the banks of the Nile, the most wide-spread religion of the ancient world was the worship of the Moon-god. In the first literate civilization, the Sumerians have left us thousands of clay tablets in which they described their religious beliefs. As demonstrated by Sjoberg and Hall, the ancient Sumerians worshipped a Moon-god who was called many different names. The most popular names were Nanna, Suen and Asimbabbar. His symbol was the crescent moon. Given the amount of artifacts concerning the worship of this Moon-god, it is clear that this was the dominant religion in Sumeria. The cult of the Moon-god was the most popular religion throughout ancient Mesopotamia. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and the Akkadians took the word Suen and transformed it into the word Sin as their favorite name for the Moon-god. As Prof. Potts pointed out, "Sin is a name essentially Sumerian in origin which had been borrowed by the Semites." [source - The Archeology of the Middle East]"[additional references - "South Arabia's stellar religion has always been dominated by the Moon-god in various variations" (Berta Segall, The Iconography of Cosmic Kingship, the Art Bulletin, vol.xxxviii, 1956, p.77).; Isaac Rabinowitz, Aramaic Inscriptions of the Fifth Century, JNES, XV, 1956, pp.1-9; Edward Linski, The Goddess Atirat in Ancient Arabia, in Babylon and in Ugarit: Her Relation to the Moon-god and the Sun-goddess, Orientalia Lovaniensia Periodica, 3:101-9; H.J.Drivers, Iconography and Character of the Arab Goddess Allat, found in Études Preliminaries Aux Religions Orientales Dans L'Empire Roman, ed. Maarten J. Verseren, Leiden, Brill, 1978, pp.331-51); Richard Le Baron Bower Jr. and Frank P. Albright, Archaeological Discoveries in South Arabia, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1958, p.78ff; Ray Cleveland, An Ancient South Arabian Necropolis, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1965; Nelson Gleuck, Deities and Dolphins, New York, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1965).; Another Aramaic Record of the North Arabian goddess Han'Llat, JNES, XVIII, 1959, pp.154-55.
All these mythical gods are not merely inferior to Almighty God (YHWH). In most cases they are nenexistent - strictly figments of human imagination. The Bible refers to these gods at Deuteronomy 4:28, " And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." (AV). The Bible clearly teaches that God (YHWH) is the only true God (YHWH).
Therefore it is no wonder that the scriptures sternely warn against worshipping any other deith other than Almighty God (YHWH) Exodus 20:3, the first of the Ten Commandments states, " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (AV), and the second of the Ten Commandments states, " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:" (AV).
CONCLUSION:
As can be seen from the foregoing, evil and wicked ones have intentionally tried to corrupt some Bible translations. This is being done by evil translators or in some cases by wicked members of their staff in order to try and justify the worship of false gods and/or to make wicked practices such as sodomy seem acceptable to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham when it is NOT. All must be on guard and not let themselves be tricked by these evil machinations being directed by none other than Satan the Devil.
Let's remember, to venerate a god that does not even exist is a great insult to the Creator (YHWH), and worshippers of false gods are described at Romans 1:25, "for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.." (ASV).
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 270A]
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:8 – 7, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This scripture shows the conditions that will exist at the culmination of the end times, and Revelation 8:13, [AV] “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” gives additional detail. But this shall not occur until per Matthew 24:14, takes place, [AV] “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” And as Acts 1:8, shows, [AV] “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] INTENTIONALLY CORRUPTED BIBLE TRANSLATIONS BY BELIEVERS IN FALSE GODS:
INTRODUCTIONS:
For many years some translators have left the true God (YHWH) out of their translations and/or used it only minimally in keeping with a Jewish superstition that it was to 'Holy' to pronounce and might be used in vain. Now insincere translators and/or their staff have gone a major step further is some cases. Translators and/or their staff that believe in false gods and/or goddesses have now started replacing the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's name with that of some local deity. Unbelievable but true. Should we be surprised at this wicked act by some insincere translators and/or their staff? No, as 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them." (American Standard Version; ASV).
EXAMPLES OF INTENTIONAL CORRUPTIONS BY BELIEVERS IN FALSE DEITIES:
Here are some actual examples of the false mythical local gods of Satan the Devil actually being substituted for the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham in some Bibles by insincere translators and/or their staff to usurp his position and give deference to local deities - false puppet gods of the ruler of this system per Ephesians 2:2, "wherein ye once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience;" (ASV). These wicked ones of course have not given attention to Ephesians 2:2, just quoted; nor to John 14:30, "I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;" (ASV); nor John 16:11, "of judgment, because the prince [Satan the Devil] of this world hath been judged." (ASV).
A translation, the Chickewa Bible - 'Buku Loyera' - used in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, renders the Tetragrammation (YHWH) - the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's as "Chauta," the name of a tribal god meaning 'Great One of the Bow.' But the wicked translators of this version claim to be worshipping true God (YHWH) of Abraham when they are not. Their justification for using "chauta" is the fact that most local people use this term to mean god, but in fact this is wrong as there is actually another term for god strictly as a title. Also, they could have and should have used the Tetragrammation (YHWH) - the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham.
One notable intentional corruption of one version of the Bible, The Authentic New Testament by Hugh J. Schonfield occurred because an evil member of his staff substituted the name of an Arabian tribal mythical Moon god, "Allah," in place of the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham by one of his staff who was a member of Islam. However, proofreaders quickly caught this and later editions of this Bible, The Authentic New Testament by Hugh J. Schonfield (Sd) have no such ungodly error. Unfortunately, 'game play' by evil ones such as that just mentioned occur from time to time.
Of course intentional evil corruption's with respect the name of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham are not the only intentional corruption's that occur. One African translation, for example, refers to the Apostle Luke as a witch doctor. And the 'Tuvaluan Bible takes evil liberties with Jude 23, saying, "Show intense love for sodomites: just be careful you are not affected by their sodomy." However, the original text of Jude 23, "and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (ASV) never even mention sodomites nor sodomy; whereas, sodomy is condemned at Romans 1:24-29, "Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: 25 for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. 28 And even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity; whisperers," (ASV). Now let's look at the reality with respect false gods and goddesses.
FALSE GODS, OF COURSE, ARE NOTHING BUT FIGMENTS OF THE IMAGINATION
There exist many false gods which are figments of the imagination and some of these such as Molech, Ashtoreth, Baal, Dagon Merodach, Zeus, Hermes, Artemis, etc. are mentioned in the Bible. Let's look at a few instances, Leviticus 18:21, "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD." (AV); Judges 2:13, "And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth." (AV); Judges 16:23, "Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand." (AV); Jeremiah 50:2, "Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces." (AV); Acts 14:12, "And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker." (AV). Some of these gods exist until today, usually under new names.
The old middle eastern Moon god who has gone by many names is still well venerated. This is shown by "The Archeology of The Middle East" which states, "The religion of Islam has as its focus of worship a deity by the name of "Allah." The Muslims claim that Allah in pre-Islamic times was the biblical God of the Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. The issue is thus one of continuity. Was "Allah" the biblical God or a pagan god in Arabia during pre-Islamic times? The Muslim's claim of continuity is essential to their attempt to convert Jews and Christians for if "Allah" is part of the flow of divine revelation in Scripture, then it is the next step in biblical religion. Thus we should all become Muslims. But, on the other hand, if Allah was a pre-Islamic pagan deity, then its core claim is refuted. Religious claims often fall before the results of hard sciences such as archeology. We can endlessly speculate about the past or go and dig it up and see what the evidence reveals. This is the only way to find out the truth concerning the origins of Allah. As we shall see, the hard evidence demonstrates that the god Allah was a pagan deity. In fact, he was the Moon-god who was married to the sun goddess and the stars were his daughters.
Archaeologists have uncovered temples to the Moon-god throughout the Middle East. From the mountains of Turkey to the banks of the Nile, the most wide-spread religion of the ancient world was the worship of the Moon-god. In the first literate civilization, the Sumerians have left us thousands of clay tablets in which they described their religious beliefs. As demonstrated by Sjoberg and Hall, the ancient Sumerians worshipped a Moon-god who was called many different names. The most popular names were Nanna, Suen and Asimbabbar. His symbol was the crescent moon. Given the amount of artifacts concerning the worship of this Moon-god, it is clear that this was the dominant religion in Sumeria. The cult of the Moon-god was the most popular religion throughout ancient Mesopotamia. The Assyrians, Babylonians, and the Akkadians took the word Suen and transformed it into the word Sin as their favorite name for the Moon-god. As Prof. Potts pointed out, "Sin is a name essentially Sumerian in origin which had been borrowed by the Semites." [source - The Archeology of the Middle East]"[additional references - "South Arabia's stellar religion has always been dominated by the Moon-god in various variations" (Berta Segall, The Iconography of Cosmic Kingship, the Art Bulletin, vol.xxxviii, 1956, p.77).; Isaac Rabinowitz, Aramaic Inscriptions of the Fifth Century, JNES, XV, 1956, pp.1-9; Edward Linski, The Goddess Atirat in Ancient Arabia, in Babylon and in Ugarit: Her Relation to the Moon-god and the Sun-goddess, Orientalia Lovaniensia Periodica, 3:101-9; H.J.Drivers, Iconography and Character of the Arab Goddess Allat, found in Études Preliminaries Aux Religions Orientales Dans L'Empire Roman, ed. Maarten J. Verseren, Leiden, Brill, 1978, pp.331-51); Richard Le Baron Bower Jr. and Frank P. Albright, Archaeological Discoveries in South Arabia, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1958, p.78ff; Ray Cleveland, An Ancient South Arabian Necropolis, Baltimore, John Hopkins University Press, 1965; Nelson Gleuck, Deities and Dolphins, New York, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 1965).; Another Aramaic Record of the North Arabian goddess Han'Llat, JNES, XVIII, 1959, pp.154-55.
All these mythical gods are not merely inferior to Almighty God (YHWH). In most cases they are nenexistent - strictly figments of human imagination. The Bible refers to these gods at Deuteronomy 4:28, " And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell." (AV). The Bible clearly teaches that God (YHWH) is the only true God (YHWH).
Therefore it is no wonder that the scriptures sternely warn against worshipping any other deith other than Almighty God (YHWH) Exodus 20:3, the first of the Ten Commandments states, " Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (AV), and the second of the Ten Commandments states, " Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:" (AV).
CONCLUSION:
As can be seen from the foregoing, evil and wicked ones have intentionally tried to corrupt some Bible translations. This is being done by evil translators or in some cases by wicked members of their staff in order to try and justify the worship of false gods and/or to make wicked practices such as sodomy seem acceptable to the true God (YHWH) of Abraham when it is NOT. All must be on guard and not let themselves be tricked by these evil machinations being directed by none other than Satan the Devil.
Let's remember, to venerate a god that does not even exist is a great insult to the Creator (YHWH), and worshippers of false gods are described at Romans 1:25, "for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.." (ASV).
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] COMMON SENSE ON THE SON OF GOD NOT BEING GOD (YHWH)
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 271A]
Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Isaiah 1:10 – 15, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
All of these offerings and sacrifices were required by the Old Law Covenant, but the people were carrying them out in a very disrespectful way. They were giving reverence to false gods and idols, and not Almighty God (YHWH). This greatly displeased the true God as shown by Amos 5:21 – 27, [AV] “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. 25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.” As the prophet Isaiah wrote under inspiration at Isaiah 43:24, [AV] “Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.” And Malachi 2:17, [AV] “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” These ancient Israelites had gone astray and were winning God’s displeasure as are many religions that are claiming to follow Him today, but are really worshiping false gods which are puppets of His arc enemy, Satan the Devil.
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] COMMON SENSE ON THE SON OF GOD NOT BEING GOD (YHWH):
INTRODUCTION:
Many try and claim that Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH), but a son can NOT be his Father as we all know.
First, they wrongly claim that he, the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua), is part of a Trinity. Yet nowhere does the Bible use the word trinity or triune or words of similar input.
Second, the Bible clearly refers to Jesus (Yeshua) as the Son of God (YHWH)
Matthew 8:29, "And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Authorized King James Bible; AV).
Matthew 26:63, "But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." (AV)
Matthew 27:40, "And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (AV)
Matthew 27:43, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." (AV)
Matthew 27:54, "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (AV)
Mark 1:1, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;" (AV)
Also there are many more scriptures testifying to the fact that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH) clearly showing he is NOT his Father, God (YHWH).
Third, some deceived ones refer to biased or bad translations of John 1:1 to try and justify the., spirit beings, the Son and the Father are mentioned. Hence no trinity of any kind. In addition, John 1:2 clearly shows that no duality is being referred to since it says, "The same was in the beginning with God." (AV), and you can NOT be with someone and be that someone as we all know.
Fourth, some attempt to support this false doctrine by saying it existed before an apostate church adopted it at the Council of Nicea of 325 AD to win the good favor of a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun who wanted its adoption so as to have religious unity in his empire since the pagans believed in a trinity.
Now let's consider what the trinity false doctrine is.
STANDARD DEFINITION OF THE TRINITY:
The false doctrine of the trinity is defined as follows:
The Trinitarian dogma, The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
From this definition, we can see the false doctrine of the Trinity consist of a claimed three persons who are "coeternal together, and coequal." If these conditions do NOT EXIST, there can be NO trinity.
JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD (YHWH):
The Bible clearly states that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH). Now let's look at the facts from the Bible:
1 John 4:15, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." (AV)
1 John 5:5, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (AV)
1 John 5:10, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." (AV)
1 John 5:12, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (AV)
1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (AV)
1 John 5:20, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (AV)
Now we noted in all the above Scriptures it calls Jesus Christ (Yeshua) the Son of God; interesting since if the Trinity was true, it would read God the Son instead of the Son of God. Since it reads the same in every translation I know of except one "feminists" biased Bible, where it reads Daughter of God which I am sure none of you would agree with. Therefore, it is self evident that Jesus is God's (YHWH) son and not God the Son as would be technically necessary for the trinity to be true.
Also, The Bible clearly shows that Jesus (Yeshua), the Son of God (YHWH), could not be co-eternal with his Father, God (YHWH) since God (YHWH) had to give him life as clearly shown by John 5:26, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;" (AV).
In addition, Jesus (Yeshua), himself, testified to the fact that he lives because of his Father, God (Yeshua) at John 6:57, "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (AV). And Jesus (Yeshua), himself, testified that he is NOT co-equal with his Father, God (YHWH) at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV) and we well know that Jesus (Yeshua) does not lie.
In fact, just before his execution, Jesus (Yeshua), the Son of God (YHWH) even prayed to his Father, God (YHWH) to have the glory he had along side his Father, God (YHWH) before he was born on earth at John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (AV); and this is in harmony with John 6:62, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" (AV); and why he could say that he existed before Abraham at John 8:58, "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (AV) as he had existed for untold eons in heaven along side his Father, God (YHWH), after his Father, God (YHWH) had created him as the first or beginning of creation per Revelations 3:14, "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (AV).
So, it is clear from the Bible that Jesus (Yeshua) is neither co-eternal with his Father, God (YHWH) who always existed and had no beginning; nor co-equal as testified to by Jesus (Yeshua) himself.
JOHN 1:1 IS NO SUPPORT FOR THE TRINITY:
Many try and support the trinity based on the standard biased/bad translational construct of same, but on close examination even the bad translation of this scripture does NOT support the trinity. Now let's look at the scripture in context in the Authorized King James Bible at John 1:1-4, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.[Now note it says the Word was with God, then it says the Word was God. Of course both can NOT be true as one can NOT be with someone and be that someone so it is quite obvious we have a mistake in grammar/translation here, so let's look at the next scripture, John 1:2 for clarification.], 2 The same was in the beginning with God. [This scripture helps clarify what John intended when he wrote the scripture in that it clearly shows that the Word, Jesus (Yeshua) was with God (YHWH), and was NOT God (YHWH). The next scripture clearly shows that God (YHWH) used Jesus (Yeshua) as his Master Worker with respect to creation after he, God (YHWH) created him which is brought out at Proverbs 8:30-31, "Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (American Standard Version; ASV)], 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.
THE TRINITYDID NOT ORIGINATE WITH THE COUNCIL OF NICEA OF 325 AD:
The doctrine of the trinity existed for eons before the Council of Nicea of 325 AD. It was a standard false doctrine of the pagans (heathens). Let's look at the facts:
"To understand how the Trinity wormed its way into so called Christianity we need to know the political and social climate of the first three centuries after the passing of Jesus (Yeshua) and his apostles, and why true faith deteriorated into compromise; and then total acceptance by the mainstream so called Christian groups, not withstanding its violation of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Now let's look at that period and try an insert ourselves mentally into it.
In the early church the apostles needed to refute another rising belief system gnosticism. It considered matter to be evil and sought salvation through knowledge. Gnosticism also focused on the "mysteries" meant only for the intellectuals to understand. Christ, the gnostics said, entered Jesus at baptism and left just before he died on the cross. The Apostle John particularly addressed this budding heresy: "Many false prophets, have gone forth into the world, You gain knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the anti-christ's [inspired expression] which you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world." (*25). Jesus' humanity was repulsive to gnostics. After the Apostles died, Christians responded to gnosticism by claiming not only did Jesus Christ come in the flesh as the Son of God.
By the third and fourth centuries, Christians were weary of Pagan persecution. The temptation was to compromise. Besides, the Pagan emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Constantine embraced; howbeit only on his deathbed. However, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" (26). Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" (*26).
Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential (*28) .
Now let's see how Constantine got the Trinity. As previously shown, The Roman Empire at this time was being torn apart by religious differences between pagans, mostly Sun God worshippers, and Christianity. Constantine the Emporer was a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, but he was a very pragmatic individual and saw the need to bring religious unity to his empire. The central doctrine of the pagans was the dogma of a Trinity that they had received from earlier pagans in Babylon (Chaldea). In this, the pagan Emperor, Constantine, saw a possibility for unifying his empire if he could only lead the majority of the Christians to accept a Trinity or a Duality. He knew however that he had to make them think it was their own idea. To this end, he, the Roman emperor Constantine summoned all bishops to Nicaea, about 300, but even though it was the emperor's direction, only a fraction actually attended.
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for a Trinity or a Duality. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree
that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed. (*29).
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4 AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
Their solution was to create a creed making it illegal for anyone to believe Jesus was not the same as God by inventing the notion of a Trinity. This intellectual tower remained in full force for well over a thousand years, until the Reformation. (*29).
Contrary to popular belief, it was not Constantine's fourth century Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that formalized the "Doctrine of the Trinity." The Athanasian Creed in the fifth century finally included the three, "the godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal So likewise the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet they are not three Gods, but one God." Furthermore, this creed added that belief in the trinity "is necessary to everlasting salvation." Strong belief led to action. "Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years ([A.D.]342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome." (*30).
The fact is Christianity never conquered paganism--paganism conquered Christianity. (*31).
References:
*25 - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 revision, (pages 1517 and 1519, 1 John 7; also 1 John 4:1-3).
*26 - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6
*27 - Lamson, Newton & Durant, Will, "Caesar and Christ," cited from Charles Redeker Caesar and Christ, W. Duran (page 595).
*28 - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366).
*29 - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.
*30 - Durant, Will, "Age of Faith,"
*31 - Jonas, Hans, "The Gnostic religion: the message of the alien God and the beginnings of Christianity," 2nd ed., 1963."
[source - Discourse on Mainstream Religion by Iris the Preacher 2003]
[[can be read in its entirety at, http://preacher.proboards7.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=views&thread=1146761205&page=1 ]]
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 271A]
Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Isaiah 1:10 – 15, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
All of these offerings and sacrifices were required by the Old Law Covenant, but the people were carrying them out in a very disrespectful way. They were giving reverence to false gods and idols, and not Almighty God (YHWH). This greatly displeased the true God as shown by Amos 5:21 – 27, [AV] “I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. 24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream. 25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.” As the prophet Isaiah wrote under inspiration at Isaiah 43:24, [AV] “Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.” And Malachi 2:17, [AV] “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?” These ancient Israelites had gone astray and were winning God’s displeasure as are many religions that are claiming to follow Him today, but are really worshiping false gods which are puppets of His arc enemy, Satan the Devil.
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] COMMON SENSE ON THE SON OF GOD NOT BEING GOD (YHWH):
INTRODUCTION:
Many try and claim that Jesus (Yeshua) is God (YHWH), but a son can NOT be his Father as we all know.
First, they wrongly claim that he, the Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua), is part of a Trinity. Yet nowhere does the Bible use the word trinity or triune or words of similar input.
Second, the Bible clearly refers to Jesus (Yeshua) as the Son of God (YHWH)
Matthew 8:29, "And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Authorized King James Bible; AV).
Matthew 26:63, "But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." (AV)
Matthew 27:40, "And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (AV)
Matthew 27:43, "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God." (AV)
Matthew 27:54, "Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God." (AV)
Mark 1:1, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;" (AV)
Also there are many more scriptures testifying to the fact that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH) clearly showing he is NOT his Father, God (YHWH).
Third, some deceived ones refer to biased or bad translations of John 1:1 to try and justify the., spirit beings, the Son and the Father are mentioned. Hence no trinity of any kind. In addition, John 1:2 clearly shows that no duality is being referred to since it says, "The same was in the beginning with God." (AV), and you can NOT be with someone and be that someone as we all know.
Fourth, some attempt to support this false doctrine by saying it existed before an apostate church adopted it at the Council of Nicea of 325 AD to win the good favor of a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun who wanted its adoption so as to have religious unity in his empire since the pagans believed in a trinity.
Now let's consider what the trinity false doctrine is.
STANDARD DEFINITION OF THE TRINITY:
The false doctrine of the trinity is defined as follows:
The Trinitarian dogma, The Cyclopoedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, New York 1871, by John M'Clintock and James Strong, Vol. II, page 560-561, states, "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding the persons, nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is all one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost.....The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Ghost eternal...So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Ghost almighty...So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet there are not three Gods, but one God...The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created, but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding...And in this Trinity none is afore or after other; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are coeternal together, and coequal. So that in all things, as is afore said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity." [this is the Athanasian Creed quoted in the above mentioned Cyclopoedia].
From this definition, we can see the false doctrine of the Trinity consist of a claimed three persons who are "coeternal together, and coequal." If these conditions do NOT EXIST, there can be NO trinity.
JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD (YHWH):
The Bible clearly states that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God (YHWH). Now let's look at the facts from the Bible:
1 John 4:15, "Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." (AV)
1 John 5:5, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (AV)
1 John 5:10, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son." (AV)
1 John 5:12, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (AV)
1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (AV)
1 John 5:20, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (AV)
Now we noted in all the above Scriptures it calls Jesus Christ (Yeshua) the Son of God; interesting since if the Trinity was true, it would read God the Son instead of the Son of God. Since it reads the same in every translation I know of except one "feminists" biased Bible, where it reads Daughter of God which I am sure none of you would agree with. Therefore, it is self evident that Jesus is God's (YHWH) son and not God the Son as would be technically necessary for the trinity to be true.
Also, The Bible clearly shows that Jesus (Yeshua), the Son of God (YHWH), could not be co-eternal with his Father, God (YHWH) since God (YHWH) had to give him life as clearly shown by John 5:26, "For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;" (AV).
In addition, Jesus (Yeshua), himself, testified to the fact that he lives because of his Father, God (Yeshua) at John 6:57, "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (AV). And Jesus (Yeshua), himself, testified that he is NOT co-equal with his Father, God (YHWH) at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV) and we well know that Jesus (Yeshua) does not lie.
In fact, just before his execution, Jesus (Yeshua), the Son of God (YHWH) even prayed to his Father, God (YHWH) to have the glory he had along side his Father, God (YHWH) before he was born on earth at John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (AV); and this is in harmony with John 6:62, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" (AV); and why he could say that he existed before Abraham at John 8:58, "Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." (AV) as he had existed for untold eons in heaven along side his Father, God (YHWH), after his Father, God (YHWH) had created him as the first or beginning of creation per Revelations 3:14, "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (AV).
So, it is clear from the Bible that Jesus (Yeshua) is neither co-eternal with his Father, God (YHWH) who always existed and had no beginning; nor co-equal as testified to by Jesus (Yeshua) himself.
JOHN 1:1 IS NO SUPPORT FOR THE TRINITY:
Many try and support the trinity based on the standard biased/bad translational construct of same, but on close examination even the bad translation of this scripture does NOT support the trinity. Now let's look at the scripture in context in the Authorized King James Bible at John 1:1-4, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.[Now note it says the Word was with God, then it says the Word was God. Of course both can NOT be true as one can NOT be with someone and be that someone so it is quite obvious we have a mistake in grammar/translation here, so let's look at the next scripture, John 1:2 for clarification.], 2 The same was in the beginning with God. [This scripture helps clarify what John intended when he wrote the scripture in that it clearly shows that the Word, Jesus (Yeshua) was with God (YHWH), and was NOT God (YHWH). The next scripture clearly shows that God (YHWH) used Jesus (Yeshua) as his Master Worker with respect to creation after he, God (YHWH) created him which is brought out at Proverbs 8:30-31, "Then I was by him, as a master workman; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (American Standard Version; ASV)], 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.
THE TRINITYDID NOT ORIGINATE WITH THE COUNCIL OF NICEA OF 325 AD:
The doctrine of the trinity existed for eons before the Council of Nicea of 325 AD. It was a standard false doctrine of the pagans (heathens). Let's look at the facts:
"To understand how the Trinity wormed its way into so called Christianity we need to know the political and social climate of the first three centuries after the passing of Jesus (Yeshua) and his apostles, and why true faith deteriorated into compromise; and then total acceptance by the mainstream so called Christian groups, not withstanding its violation of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Now let's look at that period and try an insert ourselves mentally into it.
In the early church the apostles needed to refute another rising belief system gnosticism. It considered matter to be evil and sought salvation through knowledge. Gnosticism also focused on the "mysteries" meant only for the intellectuals to understand. Christ, the gnostics said, entered Jesus at baptism and left just before he died on the cross. The Apostle John particularly addressed this budding heresy: "Many false prophets, have gone forth into the world, You gain knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the anti-christ's [inspired expression] which you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world." (*25). Jesus' humanity was repulsive to gnostics. After the Apostles died, Christians responded to gnosticism by claiming not only did Jesus Christ come in the flesh as the Son of God.
By the third and fourth centuries, Christians were weary of Pagan persecution. The temptation was to compromise. Besides, the Pagan emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Constantine embraced; howbeit only on his deathbed. However, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" (26). Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" (*26).
Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential (*28) .
Now let's see how Constantine got the Trinity. As previously shown, The Roman Empire at this time was being torn apart by religious differences between pagans, mostly Sun God worshippers, and Christianity. Constantine the Emporer was a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, but he was a very pragmatic individual and saw the need to bring religious unity to his empire. The central doctrine of the pagans was the dogma of a Trinity that they had received from earlier pagans in Babylon (Chaldea). In this, the pagan Emperor, Constantine, saw a possibility for unifying his empire if he could only lead the majority of the Christians to accept a Trinity or a Duality. He knew however that he had to make them think it was their own idea. To this end, he, the Roman emperor Constantine summoned all bishops to Nicaea, about 300, but even though it was the emperor's direction, only a fraction actually attended.
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for a Trinity or a Duality. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree
that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed. (*29).
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4 AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
Their solution was to create a creed making it illegal for anyone to believe Jesus was not the same as God by inventing the notion of a Trinity. This intellectual tower remained in full force for well over a thousand years, until the Reformation. (*29).
Contrary to popular belief, it was not Constantine's fourth century Council of Nicea in A.D. 325 that formalized the "Doctrine of the Trinity." The Athanasian Creed in the fifth century finally included the three, "the godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost...the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal So likewise the Father is God, the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God; and yet they are not three Gods, but one God." Furthermore, this creed added that belief in the trinity "is necessary to everlasting salvation." Strong belief led to action. "Probably more Christians were slaughtered by Christians in these two years ([A.D.]342-3) than by all the persecutions of Christians by pagans in the history of Rome." (*30).
The fact is Christianity never conquered paganism--paganism conquered Christianity. (*31).
References:
*25 - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 revision, (pages 1517 and 1519, 1 John 7; also 1 John 4:1-3).
*26 - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6
*27 - Lamson, Newton & Durant, Will, "Caesar and Christ," cited from Charles Redeker Caesar and Christ, W. Duran (page 595).
*28 - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366).
*29 - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.
*30 - Durant, Will, "Age of Faith,"
*31 - Jonas, Hans, "The Gnostic religion: the message of the alien God and the beginnings of Christianity," 2nd ed., 1963."
[source - Discourse on Mainstream Religion by Iris the Preacher 2003]
[[can be read in its entirety at, http://preacher.proboards7.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=views&thread=1146761205&page=1 ]]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 272A]
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. Ezekiel 37:15 – 17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This may seem strange and cause individuals to ask what is the meaning of joining together of the two sticks. Actually this was a message of hope given to the Prophet Ezekiel to let him know that the unification of Israel at that time was to take place where Israel was being restored to Israel. To understand this message, we must understand what the two sticks signified and what Ezekiel wrote on them. On one he wrote, “For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions,” and on the other, “For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.” The symbolic significance of joining the two sticks together symbolized the coming together once more of the ancient nation of Israel.
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
The Gospel of Judas is NOT an Inspired Writing of the Bible. Let's look at the facts with respect Aprocypha Books such as the Gospel of Judas.
THE APROCYPHA OR DEUTERCANONICAL BOOKS:
First, let's consider what they are as defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, by Columbia University Press. This encyclopedia defines the Apocrypha as, "(pk´rf) (KEY) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen." In reality they were nothing but uninspired writings, many purporting to be written by other than who was actually their author, or basically illegitimate and lacking credence. In fact, the real author of only one of the Apocrypha is actually known. Some religions, unfortunately, have included some of the Apocrypha in their Bibles, but even these were few in number. A list of most of the Apocrypha follows:
1 Clement, 1st Apocalypse of James, 2 Clement, 2nd Apocalypse of James, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Apollonius, Acts of Carpus, Acts of John,Acts of Paul, Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, Acts of Peter, Acts of Peter and the Twelve, Acts of Pilate, Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Thomas, Additions to the Book of Esther, Anonymous Anti-Montanist. Anti-Marcionite Prologues, Apelles, Apocalypse of John, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocryphon of John, Apollonius, Apology of Aristides, Aristo of Pella, Ascension of Isaiah, Athenagoras of Athens, Authoritative Teaching, Bardesanes, Baruch, Basilides, Eel and the Dragon, Book of Elchasai, Book of Thomas the Contender, Books of Jeu, Caius, Celsus, Christian Sibyllines, Claudius Apollinaris, Clement of Alexandria, Colossians, Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior, Diatessaron, Didache, Didascalia, Dionysius of Corinth, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, Egerton Gospel, Epiphanes On Righteousness, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Epistula Apostolorum, Excerpts of Theodotus, Fayyum Fragment, Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra, Fronto, Galen, Gospel of Barnabas, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of the Ebionite, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazoreans, Gospel of the Savior, Gospel of Thomas,Gospel of Truth, Hegesippus, Heracleon, Hippolytus of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Infancy Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Inscription of Abercius, Irenaeus of Lyons, Isidore, Judith, Julius Cassianus, Justin Martyr, Kerygmata Petrou, Letter from Vienna and Lyons, Letter of Jeremiah, Letter of Peter to Philip, Lost Sayings Gospel Q, Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar Serapion, Marcion, Marcus Aurelius, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Maximus of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, Melito of Sardis, Muratorian Canon, Naassene Fragment, Octavius of Minucius Felix, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Origen, Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel, Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel, Pantaenus, Papias, Passion Narrative, Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs , Philostratus, Pistis Sophia, Pliny the Younger, Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycrates of Ephesus, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Prayer of Manasseh, Preaching of Peter, Ptolemy, Quadratus of Athens, Rhodon, Secret Book of James, Secret Mark, Serapion of Antioch, Shepherd of Hermas, Signs Gospel, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Suetonius, Susanna, Tacitus, Tatian's Address to the Greeks, The Additions to the Book of Daniel, Tertullian, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Theophilus of Antioch, Theophilus of Caesarea, Tobit, Traditions of Matthias, Treatise on the Resurrection, Trimorphic Protennoia, Valentinus, Victor I, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.
As can be seen many of these none illegitimate books try to give themselves credence by closely mimicking the names of actual legitimate canonical books of the Bible. These books are often called the pseudepigrapha? The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription". According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters". The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired. These are NOT lost books, just NOT legitimate books of Bible cannon.
THE EXTERNAL BOOKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE:
There are many external books quoted by inspired Bible writers as references. Many are, "not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit. Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Jashar (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others. Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers. Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of the books. This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings. ...According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book. [source= Ronald G. Fanter Cutting Edge Ministries].
One of these books is still existent today, the Book of Jashar or as it is sometimes called the Book of the Just, and another, the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, is actually thought my most scholars to actually be the Book of Jashar. The Book of Jashar is quite interesting, but one must be careful in obtaining a copy as there are counterfeit books masquerading as the Book of Jashar which are not. Also, there is a counterfeit Book of the Wars of Yahweh which is of course a fake since as previously said, this book is thought to just be another name for the Book of Jashar.
THE 4 BOOKS OF MACCABEES:
This is by far the strangest case of all. The 4 Books of Maccabees are ranked by many as part of the Apocrypha; however, they should be ranked as history books of the 1 st. and 2 nd. Century roughly before the incarnation of our leader and savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Very strange is the fact that the Catholic church accepted only two of them into their Canon of Bible Books; whereas, there are four of them. The Greek Orthodox, however, accepted three of them, and only the Cathars accepted the fourth. Strange to say the least, but none should have been accepted as canonical as they are history books, and one would NOT THINK of accepting H. G. Wells, 'Outline of History," into the Bible cannon; we are getting into the absurd. However, they make excellent reading as history books that fill in the history of these two centuries.
WHAT IS AN INSPIRED BOOK?
First, The Bible is NOT the product of one committee or strongman. It has over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance putting the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.
Second, To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, etc.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 272A]
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. Ezekiel 37:15 – 17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This may seem strange and cause individuals to ask what is the meaning of joining together of the two sticks. Actually this was a message of hope given to the Prophet Ezekiel to let him know that the unification of Israel at that time was to take place where Israel was being restored to Israel. To understand this message, we must understand what the two sticks signified and what Ezekiel wrote on them. On one he wrote, “For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions,” and on the other, “For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.” The symbolic significance of joining the two sticks together symbolized the coming together once more of the ancient nation of Israel.
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS IS NOT AN INSPIRED WRITING:
The Gospel of Judas is NOT an Inspired Writing of the Bible. Let's look at the facts with respect Aprocypha Books such as the Gospel of Judas.
THE APROCYPHA OR DEUTERCANONICAL BOOKS:
First, let's consider what they are as defined by the Columbia Encyclopedia, sixth edition, by Columbia University Press. This encyclopedia defines the Apocrypha as, "(pk´rf) (KEY) [Gr.,=hidden things], term signifying a collection of early Jewish writings excluded from the canon of the Hebrew scriptures. It is not clear why the term was chosen." In reality they were nothing but uninspired writings, many purporting to be written by other than who was actually their author, or basically illegitimate and lacking credence. In fact, the real author of only one of the Apocrypha is actually known. Some religions, unfortunately, have included some of the Apocrypha in their Bibles, but even these were few in number. A list of most of the Apocrypha follows:
1 Clement, 1st Apocalypse of James, 2 Clement, 2nd Apocalypse of James, 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Apollonius, Acts of Carpus, Acts of John,Acts of Paul, Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas, Acts of Peter, Acts of Peter and the Twelve, Acts of Pilate, Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Thomas, Additions to the Book of Esther, Anonymous Anti-Montanist. Anti-Marcionite Prologues, Apelles, Apocalypse of John, Apocalypse of Peter, Apocryphon of John, Apollonius, Apology of Aristides, Aristo of Pella, Ascension of Isaiah, Athenagoras of Athens, Authoritative Teaching, Bardesanes, Baruch, Basilides, Eel and the Dragon, Book of Elchasai, Book of Thomas the Contender, Books of Jeu, Caius, Celsus, Christian Sibyllines, Claudius Apollinaris, Clement of Alexandria, Colossians, Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, Coptic Apocalypse of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior, Diatessaron, Didache, Didascalia, Dionysius of Corinth, Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, Egerton Gospel, Epiphanes On Righteousness, Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus, Epistula Apostolorum, Excerpts of Theodotus, Fayyum Fragment, Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra, Fronto, Galen, Gospel of Barnabas, Gospel of Judas, Gospel of Mary, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of the Ebionite, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Nazoreans, Gospel of the Savior, Gospel of Thomas,Gospel of Truth, Hegesippus, Heracleon, Hippolytus of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Infancy Gospel of James, Infancy Gospel of Thomas, Inscription of Abercius, Irenaeus of Lyons, Isidore, Judith, Julius Cassianus, Justin Martyr, Kerygmata Petrou, Letter from Vienna and Lyons, Letter of Jeremiah, Letter of Peter to Philip, Lost Sayings Gospel Q, Lucian of Samosata, Mara Bar Serapion, Marcion, Marcus Aurelius, Martyrdom of Polycarp, Maximus of Jerusalem, Melchizedek, Melito of Sardis, Muratorian Canon, Naassene Fragment, Octavius of Minucius Felix, Odes of Solomon, Ophite Diagrams, Origen, Oxyrhynchus 1224 Gospel, Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel, Pantaenus, Papias, Passion Narrative, Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs , Philostratus, Pistis Sophia, Pliny the Younger, Polycarp to the Philippians, Polycrates of Ephesus, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Prayer of Manasseh, Preaching of Peter, Ptolemy, Quadratus of Athens, Rhodon, Secret Book of James, Secret Mark, Serapion of Antioch, Shepherd of Hermas, Signs Gospel, Sophia of Jesus Christ, Suetonius, Susanna, Tacitus, Tatian's Address to the Greeks, The Additions to the Book of Daniel, Tertullian, Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, Theophilus of Antioch, Theophilus of Caesarea, Tobit, Traditions of Matthias, Treatise on the Resurrection, Trimorphic Protennoia, Valentinus, Victor I, Wisdom of Solomon, etc.
As can be seen many of these none illegitimate books try to give themselves credence by closely mimicking the names of actual legitimate canonical books of the Bible. These books are often called the pseudepigrapha? The term is a transliteration of the Greek plural noun that literally means "with false superscription". According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (p. 1830), the term can be defined as, "spurious works purporting to emanate from biblical characters". The Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language defines the term as, "Certain writings (other than the canonical books and the Apocrypha) professing to be Biblical in character, but not considered canonical or inspired. These are NOT lost books, just NOT legitimate books of Bible cannon.
THE EXTERNAL BOOKS QUOTED IN THE BIBLE:
There are many external books quoted by inspired Bible writers as references. Many are, "not aware that the Old Testament authors depended upon other writings as their sources which they freely admit. Among these are: the Book of the Wars of Yahweh (Num. 21:14), the Book of the Jashar (Josh 10:13; 2 Sam. 1:18), the Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Ki 14:19; 2 Chr 33:18), the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Ki 14:29, 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the Seer (1 Chr 29:29), the History of Nathan the Prophet (2 Chr 9:29), the Annals of Shemaiah the Prophet and Iddo the Seer (2 Chr. 12:15), the Annals of Jehu the Son of Hanani (2 Chr. 20:34), and others. Some teach that Moses compiled the Book of Genesis from other writings that surely had to have been handed down and preserved by his forefathers. Genesis can be broken down into eleven separate history books, each being separated by colophons at the conclusion of the books. This is known to have been a popular style for such ancient writings. ...According to this theory we have eleven separate books having the following authors: Adam, Noah, and eight other authors which Moses merely compiled into one book. [source= Ronald G. Fanter Cutting Edge Ministries].
One of these books is still existent today, the Book of Jashar or as it is sometimes called the Book of the Just, and another, the Book of the Wars of Yahweh, is actually thought my most scholars to actually be the Book of Jashar. The Book of Jashar is quite interesting, but one must be careful in obtaining a copy as there are counterfeit books masquerading as the Book of Jashar which are not. Also, there is a counterfeit Book of the Wars of Yahweh which is of course a fake since as previously said, this book is thought to just be another name for the Book of Jashar.
THE 4 BOOKS OF MACCABEES:
This is by far the strangest case of all. The 4 Books of Maccabees are ranked by many as part of the Apocrypha; however, they should be ranked as history books of the 1 st. and 2 nd. Century roughly before the incarnation of our leader and savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ. Very strange is the fact that the Catholic church accepted only two of them into their Canon of Bible Books; whereas, there are four of them. The Greek Orthodox, however, accepted three of them, and only the Cathars accepted the fourth. Strange to say the least, but none should have been accepted as canonical as they are history books, and one would NOT THINK of accepting H. G. Wells, 'Outline of History," into the Bible cannon; we are getting into the absurd. However, they make excellent reading as history books that fill in the history of these two centuries.
WHAT IS AN INSPIRED BOOK?
First, The Bible is NOT the product of one committee or strongman. It has over 40 individual writers who wrote under divine inspiration/guidance putting the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of men much as transcribing secretaries today taking transcription and then later typing it out. In other words one real author, God (YHWH), and many scribes each of whom wrote in his own style over a period of approximately 1,600 years. All of what people call or consider inconsistencies are really not such, but most often just a problem of translation and/or understanding, i.e., lack of understanding of what the original writer writing in his own language and culture meant/said in his original writing. What is remarkable, is the writers over such a period of time all wrote in harmony when even most posters on threads on this forum can not even stay on track or subject over a period of a few days and/or weeks at most with the original subject of the thread. This fact of harmony over a period so great as to almost stagger the imagination shows that it had one guiding force or author who divinely inspired its writers as humans of their own volition can not keep on track over short periods of time.
Second, To wit, the Bible is the ONLY book God (YHWH) ever inspired men to write as his scribes. In other words, God is its author and men only put his thoughts given to them by divine inspiration into their own words, the words of men. Not only that, all the other writers of later so called religious guidance books borrowed from it and made changes in accord with their strong man or so called prophet. Take the example of Joseph Smith who borrowed from it to write the Book of Mormon, but failed to give credit or source to the Bible and twisted some borrowed things into bizarre distortions. Other examples are of course the bizarre writings of David Koresh the Prophet of the Branch Dividians of Waco, Texas; and the Quran, etc.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] JESUS (YESHUA) CAME FROM WHERE?
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 273A]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
A warning is given to the wicked to leave alone the righteous at Proverbs 24:15, [AV] “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:” We must remain in the faith and encourage others to do the same as shown at Acts 14:22, [AV] “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
And all that lead righteous lives will receive persecution just as Jesus (Yeshua) did as told at 2 Timothy 3:12, [AV] “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” But we will not suffer more persecution than we can endure per 1 Corinthians 10:13, [AV] “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
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5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] JESUS (YESHUA) CAME FROM WHERE?
INTRODUCTION:
Many wonder from where came Jesus (Yeshua), but the Bible provides the answer which is that Jesus (Yeshua) lived in heaven before he came to earth. The prophet Micah prophesied that he would be born on earth in the small town of Bethlehem, and also that his origin was from long ago at Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) said at John 3:13, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." (AV); and John 6:38, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (AV); and John 6:62, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" (AV); and John 17:4-5, "have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (AV). Let's face it, as the first created spirit creature in heaven, Jesus (Yeshua) had a special relationship with Almighty God (YHWH).
JESUS IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF ALMIGHTY GOD (yhwh):
Jesus (Yeshua) is Almighty God's (YHWH's) most precious Son, and for good reason. He is called the first born because he was the first of the creation of Almighty God (YHWH) as shown by Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (AV); and Revelation 3:14, "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;" (AV). Now why is this Son so special to Almighty God (YHWH)? Let's see what John 3:16 says, "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." (AV) which shows he is the first or only begotten Son. This makes him the only one directly created by God (YHWH). Also, he is the only one Almighty God (YHWH) used to assist him in creation as a master worker as shown by Colossians 1:16, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" (AV), and he is called the 'Logos' or Word as Almighty God (YHWH) used him as his spokesman to deliver Messages and instructions per John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV) to the Father's, Almighty God's (YHWH's) other sons, both spirit and human.
JESUS NOT EQUAL TO ALMIGHTY GOD (YHWH):
Some wrongly claim that Jesus (Yeshua) is equal to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), but let's look at the facts. Jesus (Yeshua) was the first created being as previously shown; therefore he had a beginning, whereas Almighty God (YHWH) had no beginning. In fact, Jesus (Yeshua), the only-begotten Son never ever considered himself equal to his Father, and when tempted by the Devil, he clearly said at Matthew 4:9-10, "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (AV). Here he showed that his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) is greater than himself and testified to that fact at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV); and 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (AV); and as Genesis 17:1 says, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (AV).
FACTS ON THE FATHER (YHWH); THE SON, JESUS (YESHUA); AND THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Some believe that Almighty God (YHWH) consist of three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are said to be equal in power and co-eternal. They call this imaginary combination the Trinity or triune god, but neither the word Trinity or triune appear anywhere in the scriptures, nor is the idea found there.
These misguided ones point to the biased translation of John 1:1 in many Bibles that reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (AV), and overlook what is said at John 1:2, "The same was in the beginning with God." (AV) and John 1:14 where Jesus (Yeshua) is clearly shown to be the Word, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV). Now since the Word is called god, some conclude that the Son and the Father must be part of the same God, but is this so?
First, let's bear in mind that this part of the Bible was originally written in Koine Greek, and that a number of translations did not use the phrase "the Word was God." Why not? Based on their knowledge of Koine Greek, these translators concluded that the phase should be translated differently such as "and a god was the Logos." [example of Bible using, Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood, 1979], "The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [example of Bible using, The New English Bible, NEB, 1961-present standard Bible agreed to by most denominations in the United Kingdom], "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" [example of Bible using, Schonfield, 1976], "and the Word was divine" [example of Bible using, The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed.], etc. So according to these and other translations the Word is NOT Almighty God (YHWH) himself. Of course the Word is referred to as "a god," where the term "god" means "mighty one," and Greek Scholar Jason BeDuhn from the Northern Arizona University has to say: "The Greek phrase is theos en ho logos, which translated word for word is "a god was the word." Some translators so translate such as : "and the Word was a God." [The New Testament, by James L. Tomanek], etc.
Now let's look at the subject from logic and grammar and see reality. First consider what the Apostle John writes at John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (AV), yet we know that many humans saw Jesus the Son of God (YHWH) so if Jesus (Yeshua) were Almighty God (YHWH) this scripture would NOT be true. Clearly Jesus (Yeshua) lived among us as testified to at John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV).
Now at John 1:2, John clearly writes, "The same was in the beginning with God." And we well know that someone can NOT be with someone and be that person also, and Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly testifies to this distinction at John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (AV). And John sums up the matter at John 20:31, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (AV). Now, notice, that Jesus (Yeshua) is called, not God (YHWH), but the Son of God (YHWH). So clearly this additional information provided in the Gospel of John shows that John 1:1 should be understood that Jesus (Yeshua), the Word, is "a god" in the sense that he has a high position in heaven and now sits at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), see Hebrews 10:12, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (AV); and is also shown as standing at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) at Acts 7:55, " But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God," (AV); and Romans 8:34, " Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (AV).
Now the Apostle Matthew showed at Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (AV). This scripture is just another confirmation that Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT his Father, Almighty God (YHWH); how so? Jesus (Yeshua) here testifies that his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) knows more than himself; now if they were one and the same, he would know the same facts as his Father. Therefore since he does not, he cannot be equal. Of course some will say that 'Jesus had two natures, and here he speaks as a man. But even if this were so, then what about the Holy Spirit? If it is part of the same God as the Father, almighty God (YHWH), why does Jesus (Yeshua) not say that it knows what the Father knows?
FATHER AND SON HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP:
Almighty God (YHWH) and his only begotten or firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua) enjoy a close relationship for eons in heaven before the creation of earth. This is shown at John 3:35, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (AV) and John 14:31, "But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." (AV).
This beloved Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was of course much like his Father, and that is why Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (AV). Jesus (Yeshua), even as a human, closely resembled his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) in many ways, in that he reflected his Father's qualities and personality.
He was a very obedient Son who willingly left heaven and came down to earth to live as a human being. Now you may wonder how it was possible for a spirit creature to be born as a human. This was accomplished per Luke 1:30-35 as follows, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (AV); to wit, his life force was transferred to the womb of a Jewish virgin named Mary, thus she gave birth to a perfect son and named him Jesus (Yeshua).
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 273A]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
A warning is given to the wicked to leave alone the righteous at Proverbs 24:15, [AV] “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:” We must remain in the faith and encourage others to do the same as shown at Acts 14:22, [AV] “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
And all that lead righteous lives will receive persecution just as Jesus (Yeshua) did as told at 2 Timothy 3:12, [AV] “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” But we will not suffer more persecution than we can endure per 1 Corinthians 10:13, [AV] “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] JESUS (YESHUA) CAME FROM WHERE?
INTRODUCTION:
Many wonder from where came Jesus (Yeshua), but the Bible provides the answer which is that Jesus (Yeshua) lived in heaven before he came to earth. The prophet Micah prophesied that he would be born on earth in the small town of Bethlehem, and also that his origin was from long ago at Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) said at John 3:13, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." (AV); and John 6:38, "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (AV); and John 6:62, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?" (AV); and John 17:4-5, "have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (AV). Let's face it, as the first created spirit creature in heaven, Jesus (Yeshua) had a special relationship with Almighty God (YHWH).
JESUS IS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF ALMIGHTY GOD (yhwh):
Jesus (Yeshua) is Almighty God's (YHWH's) most precious Son, and for good reason. He is called the first born because he was the first of the creation of Almighty God (YHWH) as shown by Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (AV); and Revelation 3:14, "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;" (AV). Now why is this Son so special to Almighty God (YHWH)? Let's see what John 3:16 says, "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." (AV) which shows he is the first or only begotten Son. This makes him the only one directly created by God (YHWH). Also, he is the only one Almighty God (YHWH) used to assist him in creation as a master worker as shown by Colossians 1:16, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:" (AV), and he is called the 'Logos' or Word as Almighty God (YHWH) used him as his spokesman to deliver Messages and instructions per John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV) to the Father's, Almighty God's (YHWH's) other sons, both spirit and human.
JESUS NOT EQUAL TO ALMIGHTY GOD (YHWH):
Some wrongly claim that Jesus (Yeshua) is equal to his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), but let's look at the facts. Jesus (Yeshua) was the first created being as previously shown; therefore he had a beginning, whereas Almighty God (YHWH) had no beginning. In fact, Jesus (Yeshua), the only-begotten Son never ever considered himself equal to his Father, and when tempted by the Devil, he clearly said at Matthew 4:9-10, "And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (AV). Here he showed that his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) is greater than himself and testified to that fact at John 14:28, "Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." (AV); and 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." (AV); and as Genesis 17:1 says, "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect." (AV).
FACTS ON THE FATHER (YHWH); THE SON, JESUS (YESHUA); AND THE HOLY SPIRIT:
Some believe that Almighty God (YHWH) consist of three persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are said to be equal in power and co-eternal. They call this imaginary combination the Trinity or triune god, but neither the word Trinity or triune appear anywhere in the scriptures, nor is the idea found there.
These misguided ones point to the biased translation of John 1:1 in many Bibles that reads, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (AV), and overlook what is said at John 1:2, "The same was in the beginning with God." (AV) and John 1:14 where Jesus (Yeshua) is clearly shown to be the Word, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV). Now since the Word is called god, some conclude that the Son and the Father must be part of the same God, but is this so?
First, let's bear in mind that this part of the Bible was originally written in Koine Greek, and that a number of translations did not use the phrase "the Word was God." Why not? Based on their knowledge of Koine Greek, these translators concluded that the phase should be translated differently such as "and a god was the Logos." [example of Bible using, Das Evangelium nach Johannes, by Jurgen Becker Harwood, 1979], "The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [example of Bible using, The New English Bible, NEB, 1961-present standard Bible agreed to by most denominations in the United Kingdom], "the nature of the Word was the same as the nature of God" [example of Bible using, Schonfield, 1976], "and the Word was divine" [example of Bible using, The Bible: An American Translation, by J.M.P. Smith and E.J. Goodspeed.], etc. So according to these and other translations the Word is NOT Almighty God (YHWH) himself. Of course the Word is referred to as "a god," where the term "god" means "mighty one," and Greek Scholar Jason BeDuhn from the Northern Arizona University has to say: "The Greek phrase is theos en ho logos, which translated word for word is "a god was the word." Some translators so translate such as : "and the Word was a God." [The New Testament, by James L. Tomanek], etc.
Now let's look at the subject from logic and grammar and see reality. First consider what the Apostle John writes at John 1:18, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." (AV), yet we know that many humans saw Jesus the Son of God (YHWH) so if Jesus (Yeshua) were Almighty God (YHWH) this scripture would NOT be true. Clearly Jesus (Yeshua) lived among us as testified to at John 1:14, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (AV).
Now at John 1:2, John clearly writes, "The same was in the beginning with God." And we well know that someone can NOT be with someone and be that person also, and Jesus (Yeshua) himself clearly testifies to this distinction at John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (AV). And John sums up the matter at John 20:31, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." (AV). Now, notice, that Jesus (Yeshua) is called, not God (YHWH), but the Son of God (YHWH). So clearly this additional information provided in the Gospel of John shows that John 1:1 should be understood that Jesus (Yeshua), the Word, is "a god" in the sense that he has a high position in heaven and now sits at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH), see Hebrews 10:12, "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (AV); and is also shown as standing at the right hand of his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) at Acts 7:55, " But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God," (AV); and Romans 8:34, " Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (AV).
Now the Apostle Matthew showed at Matthew 24:36, "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (AV). This scripture is just another confirmation that Jesus (Yeshua) is NOT his Father, Almighty God (YHWH); how so? Jesus (Yeshua) here testifies that his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) knows more than himself; now if they were one and the same, he would know the same facts as his Father. Therefore since he does not, he cannot be equal. Of course some will say that 'Jesus had two natures, and here he speaks as a man. But even if this were so, then what about the Holy Spirit? If it is part of the same God as the Father, almighty God (YHWH), why does Jesus (Yeshua) not say that it knows what the Father knows?
FATHER AND SON HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP:
Almighty God (YHWH) and his only begotten or firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua) enjoy a close relationship for eons in heaven before the creation of earth. This is shown at John 3:35, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (AV) and John 14:31, "But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence." (AV).
This beloved Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was of course much like his Father, and that is why Colossians 1:15, "Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:" (AV). Jesus (Yeshua), even as a human, closely resembled his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) in many ways, in that he reflected his Father's qualities and personality.
He was a very obedient Son who willingly left heaven and came down to earth to live as a human being. Now you may wonder how it was possible for a spirit creature to be born as a human. This was accomplished per Luke 1:30-35 as follows, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (AV); to wit, his life force was transferred to the womb of a Jewish virgin named Mary, thus she gave birth to a perfect son and named him Jesus (Yeshua).
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 274A]
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Psalms 94:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
It is important to learn Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) statues as testified to by Psalms 119:71 – 72, [AV] “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” If we are counted as among the righteous ones loved by God, He will per Hebrews 12:6 - 7, [AV] “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” And Isaiah 54:13, [AV] says, “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Always remember that, 2 Peter 2:9, [AV] “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically Medicago lupulina, Black Medick
Scientific Name(s): Medicago lupulina
Abundance: plentiful
What: seeds
How: raw or roasted, ground into flour
Where: sunny fields, lawns, and neglected areas
When: late winter through summer
Nutritional Value: starch
Black medick is often mistaken for clover but these leaves are coarse, rough-edged and grow off prostate runners all branching out from a central taproot. The edible seeds grow one per seedpod and can be eaten raw or roasted then grown into flower once they turn black.
Being mostly starch, it should be possible to use Black Medic to produce alcohol. The starch must be broken down into simple sugars for the yeast. The easiest way to do this to combine the crushed seeds with the amylase enzymes found in saliva…in other words, the traditional “spit beer” made by many primitive cultures where a starchy material is chewed and then spit into a large pot to ferment for several days to produce a weak alcoholic drink. Luckily, high concentrations of the necessary enzyme are also found the sprouts of barley and other grains, which can be bought from brewer supply stores.
Black medick forms a symbiotic partnership with rhizobium bacteria which allows it to turn atmospheric nitrogen gas into a form usable by plants. This makes it a beneficial plant to let grow in your garden as it fertilizes nearby plants with this nitrogen.
Labels: Plentiful, Raw, Spring, Summer, Sunny, Weed, Winter, Yards,Yellow Flower
,[source - retrived from http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/black-medic.html on 3/23/2015]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Picture and other information can be viewed at http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/black-medic.html
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to, http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 274A]
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Psalms 94:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
It is important to learn Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) statues as testified to by Psalms 119:71 – 72, [AV] “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” If we are counted as among the righteous ones loved by God, He will per Hebrews 12:6 - 7, [AV] “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” And Isaiah 54:13, [AV] says, “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Always remember that, 2 Peter 2:9, [AV] “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically Medicago lupulina, Black Medick
Scientific Name(s): Medicago lupulina
Abundance: plentiful
What: seeds
How: raw or roasted, ground into flour
Where: sunny fields, lawns, and neglected areas
When: late winter through summer
Nutritional Value: starch
Black medick is often mistaken for clover but these leaves are coarse, rough-edged and grow off prostate runners all branching out from a central taproot. The edible seeds grow one per seedpod and can be eaten raw or roasted then grown into flower once they turn black.
Being mostly starch, it should be possible to use Black Medic to produce alcohol. The starch must be broken down into simple sugars for the yeast. The easiest way to do this to combine the crushed seeds with the amylase enzymes found in saliva…in other words, the traditional “spit beer” made by many primitive cultures where a starchy material is chewed and then spit into a large pot to ferment for several days to produce a weak alcoholic drink. Luckily, high concentrations of the necessary enzyme are also found the sprouts of barley and other grains, which can be bought from brewer supply stores.
Black medick forms a symbiotic partnership with rhizobium bacteria which allows it to turn atmospheric nitrogen gas into a form usable by plants. This makes it a beneficial plant to let grow in your garden as it fertilizes nearby plants with this nitrogen.
Labels: Plentiful, Raw, Spring, Summer, Sunny, Weed, Winter, Yards,Yellow Flower
,[source - retrived from http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/black-medic.html on 3/23/2015]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Picture and other information can be viewed at http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/black-medic.html
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to, http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 275A]
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As the Psalmist said at Psalms 3:3, [AV] “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Clearly showing that Almighty God (YHWH) is a shield to the righteous, and will lift them up. Yes, He will deliver them per Psalms 37:40, [AV] “And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” And this is amplified at Psalms 96:11 - 9, [AV] “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” Yes,per Proverbs 2:7, [AV] “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT
INTRODUCTION:
Many wonder what is the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's Holy Spirit or Spirit. In this article the salient facts and most likely analogies will be discussed.
The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit - also rendered "Almighty God's active force or spirit" per Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). Also, in the account of Jesus' (Yeshua's) baptism where the true God (YHWH) of Abraham is described as being in "the Heavens," where the Holy Spirit appears "descending like a dove" upon Jesus (Yeshua) per Matthew 3:16-17, "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." (AV). Also, Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of the Holy Spirit as a 'helper" at John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" (AV).
Now, these and other Bible passages have led some to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person, like the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, and the angels who are in fact individual spirit persons. For centuries many, including influential religions of Christendom have attributed personality to the Holy Spirit. However, there is no Biblical reason to do so, and others have believed that the Holy Spirit is a symbol of Almighty God's (YHWH's) presence or power but is not a living entity. In fact, this latter view is supported by the ancient words rendered Holy Spirit or Spirit in English; to wit, in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Koine Greek the word is 'pneu'ma.' In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit."
Now let's consider what the Bible says by way of salient examples.
THE BIBLE'S TAKE ON THE MATTER:
Let's look at some salient scriptures bearing on the matter of what is the Holy Spirit or Spirit:
First, Luke 1:41-42, "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." (AV). Now it reasonable that a person would be "filled" with another person?
Second, Matthew 3:11, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" (AV). Now John the Baptist could hardly have been referring to the Holy Spirit as a person when he spoke of baptizing people with it!
Third, Acts 10:44-45, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." (AV). This event occurred while the Apostle Peter was visiting a Roman army officer and his family, and here again, the terms used are inconsistent with the idea of the Holy Spirit being a person.
Fourth, It is common for the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, the Bible, to personify things that are NOT a person. These include such things as wisdom, discernment, sin, death, and undeserved kindness as shown by Proverbs 8:1-9, "Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge." (AV); and Proverbs 9:6, "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding." (AV).
And, Romans 5:14, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (AV); and Romans 5:17, "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (AV); and Romans 5:21, "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (AV); and Romans 6:12, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." (AV).
In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) himself said at Luke 7:35, "But wisdom is justified of all her children." (AV). Of course, clearly, wisdom is in no way a person with literal children! Likewise, the Holy Spirit is not a person simply because in some instances it is personified.
NOW WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT:
As we have previously seen, something is NOT a person just because in some instances it is personified as wisdom is at Luke 7:35, previously quoted, and the Holy Spirit is in several instances.
The Bible identifies the Holy Spirit of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham as Almighty God's (YHWH's) power in action; therefore, an accurate translation of the Bible's Ancient Hebrew text would to as "God's active force." This concept is well supported throughout the Bible. Some examples being Micah 3:8, "But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." (AV); and Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (AV); and Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (AV).
Now, at odds with common/popular belief, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham is not present everywhere at all times as he dwells in the spirit realm as shown by 1 Kings 8:39, "Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)" (AV); and 2 Chronicles 6:39, "Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee." (AV). From these scriptures we can see that he has an established place of dwelling or residence.
The scriptures also refer to a specific place where the true God (YHWH) of Abraham lives and has his throne at 1 Kings 22:19, "And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left." (AV); and Isaiah 6:1, "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." (AV); and Daniel 7:9, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire." (AV); and Revelation 4:1-3, "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." (AV). But Psalm 139:7-8 shows he can use his active force to reach out into every corned of both his spirit realm and his physical realm, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (AV).
A SCHOLAR'S OBSERVATIONS:
One Bible scholar, Charles L. Ives, in 1879 illustrated the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's ability to exercise his power from a fixed location. He wrote, "For example, we say, "open the shutters, and let the sun come into the room.' We mean, not the real, bodily sun, but the solar ray, that which proceeds from the sun." Similarly, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham does not need to travel to the locations where he intends to use his active force. He can simply employ his Holy Spirit or power, which can reach to the extremities of creation. Therefore, we can see that the Holy Spirit is his power and/or projection of himself if you will.
TECHNICAL LANGUAGE FACTS:
The Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost the active force was also coming on many of the faithful as testified to at Acts 9:31, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord [YHWH], and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (AV). Now in the Hebrew Scriptures, the word most frequently used for "spirit" is ru'ach, meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In the Greek Scriptures, the word is pneu'ma, having a similar meaning. For true Christians it is imperative to learn more of this Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit].
Let's examine a few scriptures where the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] was 'poured out' on the faithful members of the early true Christian congregation or church such as at Acts 2:4, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit [ru'ach] gave them utterance." (AV), this occurred at Pentecost; And, at Acts 4:31, "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." (AV); And, at Acts 11:24, "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord." (AV), this dealt with Barnabas at Antioch; And, at Acts 13:9, "Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,), filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him," (AV), this occurred when the Apostle Paul was in Cyprus; And, at Acts 13:52, "And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." (AV), this occurred when Paul and Barnabas came to Iconium.
Certainly then the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost can not be a being or individual as some falsely claim so let's get an even better understanding of this active force or Spirit [ru'ach] emanating from Almighty God (YHWH). At Acts 5:3-5 we see that some try to tell untruths to this active force or Spirit [ru'ach] of God (YHWH), "But Peter said Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things." (AV). Here is shown that lying to the Holy Spirit and lying to God, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." are one and the same, thus proving beyond doubt that the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost is God's (YHWH's) active force that emanates from him.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 275A]
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As the Psalmist said at Psalms 3:3, [AV] “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Clearly showing that Almighty God (YHWH) is a shield to the righteous, and will lift them up. Yes, He will deliver them per Psalms 37:40, [AV] “And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” And this is amplified at Psalms 96:11 - 9, [AV] “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” Yes,per Proverbs 2:7, [AV] “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT
INTRODUCTION:
Many wonder what is the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's Holy Spirit or Spirit. In this article the salient facts and most likely analogies will be discussed.
The Bible speaks of the Holy Spirit - also rendered "Almighty God's active force or spirit" per Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (Authorized King James Bible; AV). Also, in the account of Jesus' (Yeshua's) baptism where the true God (YHWH) of Abraham is described as being in "the Heavens," where the Holy Spirit appears "descending like a dove" upon Jesus (Yeshua) per Matthew 3:16-17, "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." (AV). Also, Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of the Holy Spirit as a 'helper" at John 14:16, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;" (AV).
Now, these and other Bible passages have led some to conclude that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person, like the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, and the angels who are in fact individual spirit persons. For centuries many, including influential religions of Christendom have attributed personality to the Holy Spirit. However, there is no Biblical reason to do so, and others have believed that the Holy Spirit is a symbol of Almighty God's (YHWH's) presence or power but is not a living entity. In fact, this latter view is supported by the ancient words rendered Holy Spirit or Spirit in English; to wit, in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Koine Greek the word is 'pneu'ma.' In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit."
Now let's consider what the Bible says by way of salient examples.
THE BIBLE'S TAKE ON THE MATTER:
Let's look at some salient scriptures bearing on the matter of what is the Holy Spirit or Spirit:
First, Luke 1:41-42, "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." (AV). Now it reasonable that a person would be "filled" with another person?
Second, Matthew 3:11, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" (AV). Now John the Baptist could hardly have been referring to the Holy Spirit as a person when he spoke of baptizing people with it!
Third, Acts 10:44-45, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." (AV). This event occurred while the Apostle Peter was visiting a Roman army officer and his family, and here again, the terms used are inconsistent with the idea of the Holy Spirit being a person.
Fourth, It is common for the word of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham, the Bible, to personify things that are NOT a person. These include such things as wisdom, discernment, sin, death, and undeserved kindness as shown by Proverbs 8:1-9, "Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge." (AV); and Proverbs 9:6, "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding." (AV).
And, Romans 5:14, "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (AV); and Romans 5:17, "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)" (AV); and Romans 5:21, "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (AV); and Romans 6:12, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." (AV).
In fact, Jesus (Yeshua) himself said at Luke 7:35, "But wisdom is justified of all her children." (AV). Of course, clearly, wisdom is in no way a person with literal children! Likewise, the Holy Spirit is not a person simply because in some instances it is personified.
NOW WHAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT:
As we have previously seen, something is NOT a person just because in some instances it is personified as wisdom is at Luke 7:35, previously quoted, and the Holy Spirit is in several instances.
The Bible identifies the Holy Spirit of the true God (YHWH) of Abraham as Almighty God's (YHWH's) power in action; therefore, an accurate translation of the Bible's Ancient Hebrew text would to as "God's active force." This concept is well supported throughout the Bible. Some examples being Micah 3:8, "But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin." (AV); and Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (AV); and Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him." (AV).
Now, at odds with common/popular belief, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham is not present everywhere at all times as he dwells in the spirit realm as shown by 1 Kings 8:39, "Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)" (AV); and 2 Chronicles 6:39, "Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee." (AV). From these scriptures we can see that he has an established place of dwelling or residence.
The scriptures also refer to a specific place where the true God (YHWH) of Abraham lives and has his throne at 1 Kings 22:19, "And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left." (AV); and Isaiah 6:1, "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple." (AV); and Daniel 7:9, "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire." (AV); and Revelation 4:1-3, "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald." (AV). But Psalm 139:7-8 shows he can use his active force to reach out into every corned of both his spirit realm and his physical realm, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there." (AV).
A SCHOLAR'S OBSERVATIONS:
One Bible scholar, Charles L. Ives, in 1879 illustrated the true God (YHWH) of Abraham's ability to exercise his power from a fixed location. He wrote, "For example, we say, "open the shutters, and let the sun come into the room.' We mean, not the real, bodily sun, but the solar ray, that which proceeds from the sun." Similarly, the true God (YHWH) of Abraham does not need to travel to the locations where he intends to use his active force. He can simply employ his Holy Spirit or power, which can reach to the extremities of creation. Therefore, we can see that the Holy Spirit is his power and/or projection of himself if you will.
TECHNICAL LANGUAGE FACTS:
The Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost the active force was also coming on many of the faithful as testified to at Acts 9:31, "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord [YHWH], and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." (AV). Now in the Hebrew Scriptures, the word most frequently used for "spirit" is ru'ach, meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In the Greek Scriptures, the word is pneu'ma, having a similar meaning. For true Christians it is imperative to learn more of this Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit].
Let's examine a few scriptures where the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit] was 'poured out' on the faithful members of the early true Christian congregation or church such as at Acts 2:4, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit [ru'ach] gave them utterance." (AV), this occurred at Pentecost; And, at Acts 4:31, "And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." (AV); And, at Acts 11:24, "For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord." (AV), this dealt with Barnabas at Antioch; And, at Acts 13:9, "Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,), filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him," (AV), this occurred when the Apostle Paul was in Cyprus; And, at Acts 13:52, "And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost." (AV), this occurred when Paul and Barnabas came to Iconium.
Certainly then the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost can not be a being or individual as some falsely claim so let's get an even better understanding of this active force or Spirit [ru'ach] emanating from Almighty God (YHWH). At Acts 5:3-5 we see that some try to tell untruths to this active force or Spirit [ru'ach] of God (YHWH), "But Peter said Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things." (AV). Here is shown that lying to the Holy Spirit and lying to God, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." are one and the same, thus proving beyond doubt that the Spirit [ru'ach] or Holy Ghost is God's (YHWH's) active force that emanates from him.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Thu Sep 29, 2016 6:50 pm
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] CROSS WORSHIP IS PAGAN AND NOT FOR TRUE CHRISTIANS
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 276A]
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 24:19 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should not be envious of the wicked and their prosperity per Proverbs 23:17 – 18, [AV] “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” As on Psalmist wrote at Psalms 9:17, [AV] “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” And Psalms 73:27 – 28, [AV] makes the point on the end results of both the wicked and the righteous as follows, “For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” And the same point is made by Proverbs 13:9, [AV] “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”
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[2] CROSS WORSHIP IS PAGAN AND NOT FOR TRUE CHRISTIANS
INTRODUCTION:
The Encyclopedia Britannica calle the cross, "the principal symbol of the Christian religion; but genuine (true) Christians do NOT use the cross in worship. Why? First, Jesus (Yeshua) did not die on a cross. Second, the cross is actually a pagan symbol that was NOT used by Christians during the first three centuries of Christianity. This symbol was first brought forth to become a part of Christendom by a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun. He did this to further his own political goal of straightening his empire by obtaining religious unity between pagans and Christians by having the Christians go apostate and accept a symbol that would make it easier for pagans to accept so called Christianity. Let's look at the facts.
CONSTANTINE AND HIS CLAIMED VISION OF THE CROSS:
The pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, was in a weak position at the beginning of his reign due to his empire being divided religiously between Christians and pagan worshippers of the Unconquered Sun. He knew he had to take action to try and unite his empire religiously if he wanted to strengthen it. The Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential [reference - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366)].
And, By the third and fourth centuries, many Christian bishops were weary of Pagan persecution. The temptation was to compromise. Besides, the Pagan Emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Moreover, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" [reference - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6].
To start to put his plan into motion to unite his empire religiously, he claimed to have seen a Vision of the Cross in a premonition that he had before the battle against Maxentius. According to this premonition, he would have been victorious if he had substituted the imperial eagles on the soldiers' standards with the cross, thus officially recognizing the Christian religion. The view of Rome (on the right in the background) with the reconstruction of its ancient monuments is worth noting.[reference - Encylopedia Britannica].
After his successful battle against Maxentius, he started to put his plan into operation to apostate the Christians to unite his empire religiously. Now let's see how Constantine got the Trinity. As previously mentioned, The Roman Empire at this time was being torn apart by religious differences between pagans, mostly Sun God worshippers, and Christianity. Constantine the Emperor was a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, but he was a very pragmatic individual and saw the need to bring religious unity to his empire. To this end he wanted a symbol for Christians and false doctrines that the pagans could also accept. In this, the pagan Emperor, Constantine, saw a possibility for unifying his empire if he could only lead the majority of the Christians to accept the pagan symbol of the cross as a Christian symbol and some pagan doctrines he could bring about religious unity. He knew however that he had to make them think it was their own idea. To this end, he, the Roman emperor Constantine, a pagan worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, summoned all bishops to Nicaea, about 300, but even though it was the emperor's direction, only a fraction actually attended.
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for the cross as a symbol of Christianity and for the pagan doctrine of the trinity. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed.
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which symbols and dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4 AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
Their solution was to create a creed making it illegal for anyone to believe Jesus was not the same as God by inventing the notion of a Trinity. This intellectual tower remained in full force for well over a thousand years, until the Reformation. [references - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.]
JESUS (YESHUA) DID NOT DIE ON A CROSS:
In classical Greek the word (stau•ros') is rendered "stake." This denotes an upright stake, or pole, and there is no evidence that the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures used it to designate a stake with a crossbeam. The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: "There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as 'cross' when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting 'cross' in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape." [source - The Non-Christian Cross by John Denham Parsons, London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.]
The Companion Bible points out 'Stau-ros' never meant two pieces of timber placed across one another at an angle...Ther is nothing in the Greek of the New Testament even to imply two pieces of timber. [reference - The Companion Bible].
Also, in some Bible texts, Bible writers used another word for the instrument of Jesus' death, and that was the Koine Greek word 'xy'lon'. This word was used at Acts 5:30, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); and Acts 10:39, "And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:" (AV); and Galatians 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (AV); and 1 Peter 2:24, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (AV). Thus the word simply means 'timber' or a stick, club, or tree.
The book [in German] "Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung" [The Cross and the Crucifiction] states, "Trees were not everywhere abailable at the places chosen for public execution; thererfore a simple beam was sunk into the ground. On this the outlaws, with hands raised upward and often also with their feet, were bound or nailed." [source - Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung [The Cross and the Crucifiction] by Hermann Fulda].
However, the most convincing proof of all comes from the Bible, the word of God (YHWH) where the apostle Paul wrote at Galatians 3:13, ""Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (AV), which he quoted from Deuteronomy 21:22-23, "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." (AV). This scripture clearly refers to a stake or timber and not a cross. Also, since such a means of execution made the person 'a curse,' it would not be proper for true Christians to decorate their homes with images of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ impaled and/or make pictures of it.
FIGURATIVE USE;
A Bible dictionary states, ""Torture stake" sometimes stands for the sufferings, shame, or torture experienced because of being a follower of Jesus Christ. As Jesus said: "Whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me." (Mt 10:38; 16:24; Mr 8:34; Lu 9:23; 14:27) The expression "torture stake" is also used in such a way as to represent Jesus' death upon the stake, which made possible redemption from sin and reconciliation with God.-1Co 1:17, 18.
Jesus' death on the torture stake was the basis for removing the Law, which had separated the Jews from the non-Jews. Therefore, by accepting the reconciliation made possible by Jesus' death, both Jews and non-Jews could become "one body to God through the torture stake." (Eph 2:11-16; Col 1:20; 2:13, 14) This proved to be a stumbling block for many Jews, since they insisted that circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic Law were essential for gaining God's approval. That is why the apostle Paul wrote: "Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then, indeed, the stumbling block of the torture stake has been abolished." (Ga 5:11) "All those who want to make a pleasing appearance in the flesh are the ones that try to compel you to get circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ, Jesus. Never may it occur that I should boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been impaled to me and I to the world." (Ga 6:12, 14) For confessing Jesus' death on the torture stake as the sole basis for gaining salvation, Paul was persecuted by the Jews. As a consequence of this confession, to the apostle the world was as something impaled, condemned, or dead, whereas the world viewed him with hatred, as a criminal impaled on a stake.
Persons who embraced Christianity but who afterward turned to an immoral way of life proved themselves to be "enemies of the torture stake of the Christ." (Php 3:18, 19) Their actions demonstrated that they had no appreciation for the benefits resulting from Jesus' death on the torture stake. They "trampled upon the Son of God" and 'esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified.'-Heb 10:29."[source - Insight on the Scripture, Vol. 2].
CONSTANTINE'S MOTIVES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JESUS (YESHUA):
Let's face it, there is absolutely no evidence that for the first 300 years of Christianity that those claiming to be Christian used the cross in worship. This only came about in the fourth century when the pagan Emperor Constantine needed to unite his empire religiously as previously shown. Now, we can differ as to his motives, but they had absolutely nothing to do with Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, but had everything to do with his pragmatic need to strengthen his empire through religious unity.
The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits, "The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures." [source - New Catholic Encyclopedia]; while various other authorities have linked the cross with nature worship and pagan sex rites.
[[[[Additional Information.
The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as ‘cross’ when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting ‘cross’ in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape.”—London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.
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Was Christ Hung on a Cross?
TO MANY millions of people the answer to this question seems as simple as the three-letter word “Yes”. To serious students of both ancient history and the Bible the answer is even simpler, as simple as the two-letter word “No!” But two answers as far apart as these open up between them a great gulf that all truth seekers must be able to bridge in order to stand on the solid ground of truth.
It is common knowledge in this enlightened age that the Bible was not first set down in English. Consequently, to settle the question as to whether Christ was hung on a cross or not it is necessary to consult the original Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was written. By God’s grace manuscript copies of the original accounts, some of which copies date back to within fifty years of the originals, are available to scholars. Besides these, the original words are defined and explained in dictionaries or lexicons written in modern English, if that is the only language you read. And, in addition, there are dependable encyclopedias, histories, etc., to which reference can be made.
The Catholic Digest magazine, May, 1948, page 108, had the following to say on the subject of the cross: “Long before the birth of Christ the cross was a religious symbol. On the site of ancient Troy discs of baked clay stamped with a cross, were recently discovered. Two similar objects were found at Herculaneum. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico carved the cross on amulets, pottery, and temple walls. Many traces of use of the cross by North American Indians have been discovered. Buddhists of Tibet see in the cross a mark of the footprint of Buddha. The Mongolians draw a cross on paper and place it on the breasts of their dead. Egyptian inscriptions often have the Tau (T) cross. They considered the scarab (beetle) sacred because markings down the back and across the thorax form a T. A cross of this form was used as a support for the arms of Hindu ascetics in India who were wont to sit for days and nights in a Buddhalike attitude. The crux ansata (handled cross) has a loop serving as a handle. For the Egyptians this cross was a symbol of life and in their sign language meant ‘to live.’” See also The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, page 517; the footnote on pages 312, 313, of Gibbon’s History of Christianity, Eckler’s edition, 1891.
But how was the cross a “symbol of life” to the pagans? Well, a father, the male, is life-giver to his children by and through the mother. Hence, those sex-worshiping pagans, under the inspiration of the Devil and his demons, constructed a phallic image of the erected male genitive organ, with a crossbar toward one end to represent the testes. Carrying the symbolism a step further in the crux ansata, the loop on the top, which pious religionists choose to describe as a “handle”, represented the female genitive organ joined to the masculine symbol. That these diabolical facts are true, see the following references: Funeral Tent of an Egyptian Queen, by Villiers Stuart; Masculine Cross and Ancient Sex Worship, by Sha Rocco; Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop; Essays on the Worship of Priapus, by Richard Payne Knight.
Reference to the original languages in which the Bible was written will show beyond a question of doubt that Christ was never hung on any pagan cross. Hence, the use of the word “cross” in the English-language Bibles is a mistranslation. On this, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in its appendix, on pages 768-771, in commenting on Matthew 10:38, where the Greek word ??????? (stau•ros?) first appears and which is translated “cross” in most Bibles, states:
“This is the expression used in connection with the execution of Jesus at Calvary. There is no evidence that the Greek word stau•ros? meant here a ‘cross’ such as the pagans used as a religious symbol for many centuries before Christ to denote the sun-god. On the ancient sculptures of Egypt may be seen representations of their gods bearing the so-called crux an•sa?ta, a T-cross with a loop at the top, it being a phallic symbol of life. In Babylonian inscriptions Tammuz was signified by a heart from which sprang a single or a double cross.
“India, Syria, Persia, as well as Babylon and ancient Egypt, have all yielded objects marked with crosses of various designs, including the swastika among the early Aryans. This betrays the worshiping of the cross to be pagan.
“In the classical Greek the word stau•ros? meant merely an upright stake or pale, or a pile such as is used for a foundation. The verb stau•ro?o meant to fence with pales, to form a stockade or palisade, and this is the verb used when the mob called for Jesus to be impaled. To such a stake or pale the person to be punished was fastened, just as when the popular Greek hero Pro•me?the•us was represented as tied to a stake or stau•ros?. The Greek word which the dramatist Aes?chy•lus used to describe this means to fasten or fix on a pole or stake, to impale, and the Greek author Lucian used a•na•stau•ro?oas a synonym for that word. In the Christian Greek Scriptures a•na•stau•ro?o occurs but once, at Hebrews 6:6. The root verb stau•ro?o occurs more than 40 times, and we have rendered it ‘impale’, with the footnote: ‘Or, “fasten on a stake or pole.’”
“The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures wrote in the common (koi•ne?) Greek and used the word stau•ros? to mean the same thing as in the classical Greek, namely, a stake or pale, a simple one without a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. There is no proof to the contrary. The apostles Peter and Paul also use the word xy?lon to refer to the torture instrument upon which Jesus was nailed, and this argues that is was an upright stake without a crossbeam, for that is what xy?lon in this special sense means. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) At Ezra 6:11 we find xy?lonin the Greek Septuagint (1 Esdras 6:31), and there it is spoken of as a beam on which the violator of law was to be hanged, the same as at Luke 23:39; Acts 5:30; 10:39.
“The fact that stau•ros? is translated crux in the Latin versions furnishes no argument against this. Any authoritative Latin dictionary will inform the examiner that the basic meaning of crux is a ‘tree, frame, or other wooden instrument of execution’ on which criminals were impaled or hanged. (Lewis-Short) A cross is only a later meaning of crux. Even in the writings of Livy, a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means a mere stake. Such a single stake for impalement of a criminal was called crux simplex, and the method of nailing him to such an instrument of torture is illustrated by the Roman Catholic scholar, Justus Lipsius, of the 16th century. We present herewith a photographic copy of his illustration on page 647, column 2, of his book De Cruce Liber Primus. This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled.
“Religious tradition from the days of Emperor Constantine proves nothing. Says that monthly publication for the Roman Catholic clergy, The Ecclesiastical Review, of September, 1920, No. 3, of Baltimore, Maryland, page 275: ‘It may be safely asserted that only after the edict of Milan, A.D. 312, was the cross used as the permanent sign of our Redemption. De Rossi positively states that no monogram of Christ, discovered in the catacombs or other places, can be traced to a period anterior to the year 312. Even after that epoch-making year, the church, then free and triumphant, contented herself with having a simple monogram of Christ: the Greek letter chi vertically crossed by a rho, and horizontally sometimes, by an iota. [Artwork—Greek characters] The oldest crucifix mentioned as an object of public worship is the one venerated in the Church of Narbonne in southern France, as early as the 6th century.’
“After showing the pagan origin of the cross, The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 7, of edition 11, page 506, says: ‘It was not till the time of Constantine that the cross was publicly used as the symbol of the Christian religion.’ That was but logical, for Emperor Constantine was a worshiper of the pagan sun-god, whose symbol was a cross. Other experts have pointed out that ‘before the fourth century the cross was not used as a Christian emblem in the East any more than in the West’.
“Rather than consider the torture stake upon which Jesus was impaled a relic to be worshiped, the Jewish Christians like Simon Peter would consider it to be an abominable thing. At Galatians 3:13 the apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23 and says: ‘It is written: “Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’” Hence the Jewish Christians would hold as accursed and hateful the stake upon which Jesus had been executed. Says the celebrated Jewish authority, Moses Mai•mon?i•des, of the 12th century: ‘They never hang upon a tree which clings to the soil by roots; but upon a timber uprooted, that it might not be an annoying plague: for a timber upon which anyone has been hanged is buried; that the evil name may not remain with it and people should say, “This is the timber on which so-and-so was hanged.” So the stone with which anyone has been stoned; and the sword, with which the one killed has been killed; and the cloth or mantle with which anyone has been strangled; all these things are buried along with those who perished.’ (Apud Casaub. in Baron. Exercitat. 16, An. 34, Num. 134) Says Kalinski in Vaticinia Observationibus Illustrata, page 342: ‘Consequently since a man hanged was considered the greatest abomination—the Jews also hated more than other things the timber on which he had been hanged, so that they covered it also with earth, as being equally an abominable thing.’
“The evidence is, therefore, completely lacking that Jesus Christ was crucified on two pieces of timber placed at a right angle. We refuse to add anything to God’s written Word by inserting the pagan cross into the inspired Scriptures, but render stau•ros? and xy?lon according to the simplest meanings. Since Jesus used stau•ros? to represent the suffering and shame or torture of his followers (Matthew 16:24), we have translated stau•ros? as ‘torture stake’, to distinguish it from xy?lon, which we have translated ‘stake’, or, in the footnote, ‘tree,’ as at Acts 5:30.”
The gulf of speculation having thus been bridged, Christians today stand on the solid ground of provable facts when they emphatically declare that Christ was never hung on a pagan cross of phallic origin.
AND
The words "cross" and "crucify" are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake. The shape of the two-beamed cross had its origin in ancient Chaldea and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz. In the third century A.D., pagans were received into the apostate ecclesiastical system and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols.
According to The Companion Bible, crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god. The evidence is complete; the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, not on two pieces of timber placed at an angle.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, in the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner.
According to Greek dictionaries and lexicons, the primary meaning of stauros is an upright pale, pole, or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted to be a "later" rendering. In spite of the evidence, almost all common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (meaning cross) as the rendering of the Greek stauros.
The most accepted reason for the "cross" being brought into Messianic worship is Constantine's famous vision of "the cross superimposed on the sun" in A.D. 312. What he saw is nowhere to be found in Scripture. Even after his so-called "conversion," his coins showed an even-armed cross as a symbol for the Sun-god. Many scholars have doubted the "conversion" of Constantine because of the wicked deeds that he did afterwards.
After Constantine had the "vision of the cross," he promoted another variety of the cross, the Chi-Rho or Labarum. This has been explained as representing the first letters of the name Christos (CH and R, or, in Greek, X and P). The identical symbols were found as inscriptions on rock, dating from ca. 2500 B.C., being interpreted as "a combination of the two Sun-symbols." Another proof of its pagan origin is that the identical symbol was found on a coin of Ptolemeus III from 247-222 B.C.
According to An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, the labarum was also an emblem of the Chaldean sky-god. Emperor Constantine adopted the labarum as the imperial ensign. According to Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols, the symbol was in use long before Christianity. Chi probably stood for Great Fire or Sun. Rho probably stood for Pater or Patah (Father). The word labarum yields "everlasting Father Sun."
CJB execution-stake SISR stake SSBE torture stake
NWT torture stake
Versions using Cross: AAT, AB, AIV, ANT, BNT, CENT, CEV, CLNT, CNT, CTNT, DHB, DRB, EBR, EDW, EVD, GW, HBME, HBRV, IB, IV, JWNT, KJV, KLNT, KTC, LB, LBP, MCT, MNT, MRB, MSNT, NAB, NAS, NBV, NCV, NEB, NET, NIV, NJB, NKJ, NLT, NLV, NNT, NRS, NSNT, ONT, PRS, REB, RNT, RSV, SARV, SGAT, SNB, SV, TCNT, TEV, TJB, TM, WAS, WET, WNT, WTNT, YLR. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM Melissa ON 11/16/2013]
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The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon
Strong's Number: 4716
Original Word
Word Origin
stauroß
from the base of (2476)
Transliterated Word
TDNT Entry
Stauros
7:572,1071
Phonetic Spelling
Parts of Speech
stow-ros'
Noun Masculine
Definition
1. an upright stake, esp. a pointed one
2. a cross
a. a well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed among the Romans, down to the time of Constantine the Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abetters of insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and peaceable men also, and even Roman citizens themselves
b. the crucifixion which Christ underwent
NAS Word Usage - Total: 27
cross 27
NAS Verse Count
Matthew
5
Mark
4
Luke
3
John
4
1 Corinthians
2
Galatians
3
Ephesians
1
Philippians
2
Colossians
2
Hebrews
1
Total
27
Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament." These files are public domain.
Bibliography Information
Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Stauros". "The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon". . 1999. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/stauros.html ON 11/16/2013]
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NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous
One of the reasons why I pursued a degree in Christian ministry, and became an ordained Nondenominational Christian minister, was because I became increasingly disturbed at what I heard coming from the pulpits of the various churches I attended. I had been studying the Scriptures for many years, and it amazed me that the congregations were not hearing the simple truths contained in God’s word. I felt the need to share with people the truth about what the Bible actually says about various things. All to often, people accept what the various members of the clergy state as fact, without questioning it and without taking the time to verify their statements.
Most of these truths are not difficult to understand. They are simple Scriptural facts that are not being conveyed to the people. One such truth is the fact that most English translations of the Bible refer to a “cross,” yet the fact is that the word “cross” is an inaccurate translation of the original Greek word stauros. Simply put, a “cross,” i.e., two intersecting beams of wood, is nowhere to be found in the Bible!
The cross has become the foremost symbol in Christendom, so this would obviously be disturbing news to many Christians who have crosses hanging on their walls, around their necks, on loved ones graves, in front of their churches, on the alter of their churches, and even mentioned in songs they sing.
The question, however, must be asked: “Since nothing in the ancient Greek manuscripts which were compiled to form the New Testament portion of the Bible, suggests nor implies an instrument composed of two intersecting beams of wood, then where did the term, image, and subsequent symbol come from?”
First, there is no doubt that the Greek word stauros has been inaccurately translated as “cross.” In Classical Greek literature, stauros simply meant “an upright stake or post.” The verb stauroo meant “to fence with pales (stakes), to form a stockade (a barrier constructed from stakes or timbers driven upright into the ground one beside the other).” There is nothing at all found in the Scriptures to suggest a crossbeam of any kind at any angle, therefore, staurosmeans the same thing in the Bible, as it did in Classical Greek writings.
Second, there is another Greek word used by the New Testament writers when describing the execution of Jesus. It is the word xylon, which means “timber,” and by implication “a stick, club or tree.” Notice again that there is nothing to suggest a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. Consider the following references where xylon occurs, and notice that it is consistently translated “tree.”
Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 10:39 “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews,
and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 13:29 “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down
from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Interestingly, when we read the Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament written in the same koine, i.e. “common” Greek as the New Testament, we find xylon at Ezra 6:11. There it is spoken of as “timber” on which the violator of the law was to be hanged.
“And a decree has been made by me, that every man who shall alter this word, timber
shall be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and slain upon it, and his
house shall be confiscated.” (Ezra 6:11, The Septuagint – An English Translation)
If we were to read the Bible in the original languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek – we would NEVER have the mental picture of a “cross.” Even when the Bible began to be translated into Latin, translators used the Latin word crux, which also does not specifically suggest a two-beam intersecting instrument.
The Latin dictionary by Lewis and Short states that the meaning of crux was “a tree, frame, or other wooden instruments of execution, on which criminals were impaled or hanged.” In the writings of Livy, who was a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means merely a stake.
“[Crucifixion] was an ancient mode of capital punishment, and is said to have been devised by Semiramis. It was in use by the Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Carthaginians, Scythians, Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans. It was a most shameful and degrading punishment, and among the Romans was the fate of robbers, assassins, and rebels. It was especially the punishment of criminal slaves. There were several kinds of crosses used.” (Manners And Customs Of The Bible, James M. Freeman, page 394, paragraph 2.) [Semiramis was a Mesopotamian queen.]
Since there were many kinds of impalement instruments used by the Romans and the other nations, to definitively identify any particular “cross,” and relate to others that it is the exact type of “cross” that Jesus died on, especially given the Scriptural evidence of simply a “stake” and “tree,” is for a clergy member or Bible teacher, irresponsible at best!
In writing to the believers in Galatia, Paul said, “though we [i.e., the apostles], or an angel
from heaven, publicly announce any other gospel to you than that which we have publicly
announced to you, let him be eternally condemned. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man publicly announce any other gospel to you than that you have received,
let him be eternally condemned.” (Galatians 1:8-9) Given Paul’s exhortation, we must
make every effort NEVER to add anything to God’s word by publicly announcing something
that simply is not what the Bible is announcing. The Bible speaks of the “stake” and the “tree,” NEVER a “cross.” [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.devotedservants.com/cross.htm ON 11/16/2013]
AND
Where was Jesus put on when he was crucified?
Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi (MENJ) has invested his creativity into creating the following little problem:
In Mark 15: 32, we are told that Jesus was put on a "cross" to be crucified:
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
The word for "cross" here in Greek is "stauros", which James Strong defined as:
(4716) from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Yet in I Peter 2:24, we are told that Jesus was crucified on the "tree":
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
The word for "tree" in Greek is "xulon", and is defined by Strong as:
(3586)from another form of the base of 3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: --staff, stocks, tree, wood.[2]
The error here is obvious. The Greek word "stauros" means definitively a "cross". There is no double meaning employed to the word. Whereas the word xulon can be translated interchangeably as "wood", "staff", "tree", etc. but in the case of I Peter 2:24, it is translated as "tree". Now we need to ask why would the word xulon was used in the first place when there is a more definitive word for it, "stauros", if the verse really intends to mean the "cross"?
It is therefore obvious that the word xulon is indeed used for "tree" in I Peter 2:24, and therefore there is a contradiction with Mark 15: 32.
RESPONSE:
The only obvious error is Menj's misreading and manhandling of both the biblical texts and his own lexical sources. He claims that "stauros" definitely means "cross", all the while ignoring the very own lexicon he quotes which states:
(4716) from the base of 2476; A STAKE OR POST (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) A POLE or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Furthermore, do notice the different meanings given by Thayer's Lexicon for "xulon":
3586 xulon {xoo'-lon}
1) wood
a) THAT WHICH IS MADE OF WOOD
1) AS A BEAM from which any one is suspended, a gibbet, A CROSS
2) a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs
3) a fetter, or shackle for the feet
4) a cudgel, stick, staff
2) a tree
AV - tree 10, staff 5, wood 3, stocks 1; 19 (Source: Blueletter Bible)
Notice how this same word is used elsewhere in the NT:
"‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and CLUBS (xulon) to capture me?’" Mark 14:48
No one assumes that "xulon" here means tree, that is unless of course one wants to claim that the soldiers were armed with actual trees! And:
"Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the STOCKS (xulon)." Acts 16:24
"If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, WOOD (xula), hay or straw." 1 Corinthians 3:12
This demonstrates that "xulon" means different things in different contexts and doesn't always refer to an actual tree. Since Strong's lists "cross" as a plausible meaning of "xulon", this in itself refutes Menj's alleged contradiction.
Second, 1 Peter 2:24 is not the only place where Peter refers to Christ being crucified on ‘a tree’:
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead - whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 5:30
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 10:39
Interestingly, Luke who recorded Peter's speeches in Acts also wrote that Jesus was crucified on a cross (stauros):
"But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him (staurou)! Crucify him (staurou auton)!’ ... As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross (ton stauron) on him and made him carry it behind Jesus ... When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him (estaurosan auton), along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:21,26,33
That Luke could mention Jesus being crucified on a cross while recording Peter's statements that Jesus was hanged on a "tree" demonstrates that these Christians saw no problem with these statements. Unlike Menj, they realized that both "stauros" and "xulon" could be used interchangeably in referring to Christ's crucifixion. This is further seen from the Apostle Paul:
"When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree (tou xulou) and laid him in a tomb." Acts 13:29
Paul says that Christ was brought down from the tree. Yet the same Paul speaks of Jesus being crucified on a cross:
"For the message of the cross (tou staurou) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
quot;Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross (to skandalon tou staurou) has been abolished." Galatians 5:11
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (en to stauro tou Kuriou hemon 'Iesou Christou ), through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14
Paul clues us in as to why both Peter and he could speak of Christ hanging on a tree:
"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (epi xulou).’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:10-14
The phrase refers to one who is accursed of God for failing to obey the commands. Christ being crucified on a cross was a sign that Christ had become a curse for us since he had become our sin bearer, taking upon himself the punishment that we deserved in order that we who believe may be forgiven by God. In the words of the Apostle Peter:
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (to xulon), so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25
Messianic Jewish believer, Dr. David H. Stern sums it up best. In his comments on Acts 5:30, Stern writes:
Stake. Greek xulon, which KJV renders "tree" here and four other places (10:39, 13:29; Ga. 3:13; I Ke [Sam- Peter] 2:24), all referring to what Yeshua was hanged on until he died. Yeshua was not hanged on a tree, but on a stavros, usually translated "cross" and in the JNT translated "execution-stake," as explained in Mt 10:38N. The word "xulon" is used instead of stavros in these five placesbecause all of them quote or allude to Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the Hebrew word is "'etz," normally rendered into Septuagint Greek as "xulon." Both Hebrew 'etz and Greekxulon can mean "tree, wood, stake, stick" depending on context. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the subject is hanging, an 'etz is any piece of wood which a person can be hanged, i.e. a stake (perhaps if metal gallows had existed, a different word would have been used). If Luke had meant a tree and not a stake, the Greeks had a word for it, "dendron," which he could have used but didn't. Therefore, while at Mt 26:47 and Mk 14:48 xulon means "stick," at Lk 23:31 and Rv 18:12 it means "wood," and at Rv 2:7 it has to mean "tree," here it means "stake"... (Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary [Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville Maryland, 1996], p. 237; bold emphasis ours)
In light of the preceding considerations, we once again see that Menj has failed to prove a real bonafide contradiction in the Scriptures. His criticisms only expose his lack of understanding regarding the historical and cultural context in which the New Testament was written.
In the service of King Jesus forever, the crucified and risen Lord of eternal glory. Amen. [source - retrieved from http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/stauros.htm on 11/16/2013]
AND,
ull Definition of STAURO-
: cross <stauromedusae> <stauroscope>
Origin of STAURO-
LL, fr. LGk, fr. Gk stauros pale, stake, cross
This word doesn't usually appear in our free dictionary, but the definition from our premium Unabridged Dictionary is offered here on a limited basis. Note that some information is displayed differently in the Unabridged.
To access the complete Unabridged Dictionary, with an additional 300,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary, [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stauro- ON 11/16/2013]
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 276A]
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 24:19 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should not be envious of the wicked and their prosperity per Proverbs 23:17 – 18, [AV] “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” As on Psalmist wrote at Psalms 9:17, [AV] “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” And Psalms 73:27 – 28, [AV] makes the point on the end results of both the wicked and the righteous as follows, “For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” And the same point is made by Proverbs 13:9, [AV] “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”
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[2] CROSS WORSHIP IS PAGAN AND NOT FOR TRUE CHRISTIANS
INTRODUCTION:
The Encyclopedia Britannica calle the cross, "the principal symbol of the Christian religion; but genuine (true) Christians do NOT use the cross in worship. Why? First, Jesus (Yeshua) did not die on a cross. Second, the cross is actually a pagan symbol that was NOT used by Christians during the first three centuries of Christianity. This symbol was first brought forth to become a part of Christendom by a pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun. He did this to further his own political goal of straightening his empire by obtaining religious unity between pagans and Christians by having the Christians go apostate and accept a symbol that would make it easier for pagans to accept so called Christianity. Let's look at the facts.
CONSTANTINE AND HIS CLAIMED VISION OF THE CROSS:
The pagan Roman Emperor, Constantine, a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, was in a weak position at the beginning of his reign due to his empire being divided religiously between Christians and pagan worshippers of the Unconquered Sun. He knew he had to take action to try and unite his empire religiously if he wanted to strengthen it. The Roman Emperor Constantine needed to make his subjects feel secure if he were to maintain control of the empire; he wanted to rule a unified empire, be it pagan and/or Christian. But first he would have to find a way to end the dispute over the divinity of Jesus-was he a man or God? So he ordered his Christian bishops to meet at Nicaea in 325 A.D. to settle the matter once and for all. To do this, "he made himself the head of the church, and thus the problems of the church became his responsibilities. As a whole the Western Empire with its Roman influence, with some exceptions, had accepted Tertullian and his new theory of the Trinity in the early part of the previous century, but in the East the church adhered more closely to the older formula of baptism in the name of Jesus, or Jesus the Christ. Especially was this true with the Armenians, who specified that baptism "into the death of Christ" was that which alone was essential [reference - ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366)].
And, By the third and fourth centuries, many Christian bishops were weary of Pagan persecution. The temptation was to compromise. Besides, the Pagan Emperor Constantine needed Christians to salvage his shaky empire. Moreover, he saw Christianity as a tool he could use to firm up his shaky empire. To this opportunity for political intrigue, and happy blend of politics and people was the chief triumvirate of Roman gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Jupiter was the principal deity of Roman mythology and Juno was the next highest divinity. Minerva, the "offspring of the brain of Jupiter" was regarded as the "personification of divine thought, the plan of the material universe of which Jupiter was the creator and Juno the representative" Many Pagan ideas, in fact, were incorporated into Christianity. "Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it" [reference - McClintock & Strong's Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. 6].
To start to put his plan into motion to unite his empire religiously, he claimed to have seen a Vision of the Cross in a premonition that he had before the battle against Maxentius. According to this premonition, he would have been victorious if he had substituted the imperial eagles on the soldiers' standards with the cross, thus officially recognizing the Christian religion. The view of Rome (on the right in the background) with the reconstruction of its ancient monuments is worth noting.[reference - Encylopedia Britannica].
After his successful battle against Maxentius, he started to put his plan into operation to apostate the Christians to unite his empire religiously. Now let's see how Constantine got the Trinity. As previously mentioned, The Roman Empire at this time was being torn apart by religious differences between pagans, mostly Sun God worshippers, and Christianity. Constantine the Emperor was a worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, but he was a very pragmatic individual and saw the need to bring religious unity to his empire. To this end he wanted a symbol for Christians and false doctrines that the pagans could also accept. In this, the pagan Emperor, Constantine, saw a possibility for unifying his empire if he could only lead the majority of the Christians to accept the pagan symbol of the cross as a Christian symbol and some pagan doctrines he could bring about religious unity. He knew however that he had to make them think it was their own idea. To this end, he, the Roman emperor Constantine, a pagan worshipper of the Unconquered Sun, summoned all bishops to Nicaea, about 300, but even though it was the emperor's direction, only a fraction actually attended.
This council went on for a very long time and the emperor worked behind the scene to get support for the cross as a symbol of Christianity and for the pagan doctrine of the trinity. This effort was not completely successful, but finally he got a majority and declared under imperial degree that this hence forth would be the central doctrinal pillar of the Christian church, which by this time was apostate. Even with this declaration by the emperor himself not all bishops signed the creed.
So is was the political product of an apostate church, an apostate church that allowed a pagan Roman Emporer, Constantine, to tell it which symbols and dogma to accept at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., and then have it rammed down their throats as blessed dogma by another Roman Emporer, Theodosius, at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. This in direct violation of God's (YHWH's) word found in the Bible " Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4 AV), " If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:19 AV).
Their solution was to create a creed making it illegal for anyone to believe Jesus was not the same as God by inventing the notion of a Trinity. This intellectual tower remained in full force for well over a thousand years, until the Reformation. [references - Payne, Robert, "The Holy Fire: The Story of the Early Centuries of the Christian Churches in the Near East" (1957); BETHUNE-BAKER, J,F. "An Introduction to the Early History of Christian Doctrine". Methuen; 5th Ed., 1933 and ENCYLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 11th Edition, Vol. 3, (page 366); David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), 1566 A.D.; Eklof, Todd F., "David's Francis Tower, Strength through Peace," (06-16-02); The New Encyclopedia Britannica: " Micropædia, Vol. X, p. 126. (1976); Parkes, James, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity," 1960; Durant, Will. "Caesar and Christ." New York: Simon. 1944. Vol. 3 of The Story of Civilization. 11 vols. 1935-75.]
JESUS (YESHUA) DID NOT DIE ON A CROSS:
In classical Greek the word (stau•ros') is rendered "stake." This denotes an upright stake, or pole, and there is no evidence that the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures used it to designate a stake with a crossbeam. The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: "There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as 'cross' when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting 'cross' in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape." [source - The Non-Christian Cross by John Denham Parsons, London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.]
The Companion Bible points out 'Stau-ros' never meant two pieces of timber placed across one another at an angle...Ther is nothing in the Greek of the New Testament even to imply two pieces of timber. [reference - The Companion Bible].
Also, in some Bible texts, Bible writers used another word for the instrument of Jesus' death, and that was the Koine Greek word 'xy'lon'. This word was used at Acts 5:30, "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." (Authorized King James Bible; AV); and Acts 10:39, "And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:" (AV); and Galatians 3:13, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (AV); and 1 Peter 2:24, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (AV). Thus the word simply means 'timber' or a stick, club, or tree.
The book [in German] "Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung" [The Cross and the Crucifiction] states, "Trees were not everywhere abailable at the places chosen for public execution; thererfore a simple beam was sunk into the ground. On this the outlaws, with hands raised upward and often also with their feet, were bound or nailed." [source - Das Kreuz und die Kreuzigung [The Cross and the Crucifiction] by Hermann Fulda].
However, the most convincing proof of all comes from the Bible, the word of God (YHWH) where the apostle Paul wrote at Galatians 3:13, ""Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" (AV), which he quoted from Deuteronomy 21:22-23, "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." (AV). This scripture clearly refers to a stake or timber and not a cross. Also, since such a means of execution made the person 'a curse,' it would not be proper for true Christians to decorate their homes with images of Jesus (Yeshua) Christ impaled and/or make pictures of it.
FIGURATIVE USE;
A Bible dictionary states, ""Torture stake" sometimes stands for the sufferings, shame, or torture experienced because of being a follower of Jesus Christ. As Jesus said: "Whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me." (Mt 10:38; 16:24; Mr 8:34; Lu 9:23; 14:27) The expression "torture stake" is also used in such a way as to represent Jesus' death upon the stake, which made possible redemption from sin and reconciliation with God.-1Co 1:17, 18.
Jesus' death on the torture stake was the basis for removing the Law, which had separated the Jews from the non-Jews. Therefore, by accepting the reconciliation made possible by Jesus' death, both Jews and non-Jews could become "one body to God through the torture stake." (Eph 2:11-16; Col 1:20; 2:13, 14) This proved to be a stumbling block for many Jews, since they insisted that circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic Law were essential for gaining God's approval. That is why the apostle Paul wrote: "Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Then, indeed, the stumbling block of the torture stake has been abolished." (Ga 5:11) "All those who want to make a pleasing appearance in the flesh are the ones that try to compel you to get circumcised, only that they may not be persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ, Jesus. Never may it occur that I should boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world has been impaled to me and I to the world." (Ga 6:12, 14) For confessing Jesus' death on the torture stake as the sole basis for gaining salvation, Paul was persecuted by the Jews. As a consequence of this confession, to the apostle the world was as something impaled, condemned, or dead, whereas the world viewed him with hatred, as a criminal impaled on a stake.
Persons who embraced Christianity but who afterward turned to an immoral way of life proved themselves to be "enemies of the torture stake of the Christ." (Php 3:18, 19) Their actions demonstrated that they had no appreciation for the benefits resulting from Jesus' death on the torture stake. They "trampled upon the Son of God" and 'esteemed as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified.'-Heb 10:29."[source - Insight on the Scripture, Vol. 2].
CONSTANTINE'S MOTIVES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JESUS (YESHUA):
Let's face it, there is absolutely no evidence that for the first 300 years of Christianity that those claiming to be Christian used the cross in worship. This only came about in the fourth century when the pagan Emperor Constantine needed to unite his empire religiously as previously shown. Now, we can differ as to his motives, but they had absolutely nothing to do with Jesus (Yeshua) Christ, but had everything to do with his pragmatic need to strengthen his empire through religious unity.
The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits, "The cross is found in both pre-Christian and non-Christian cultures." [source - New Catholic Encyclopedia]; while various other authorities have linked the cross with nature worship and pagan sex rites.
[[[[Additional Information.
The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as ‘cross’ when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting ‘cross’ in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape.”—London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.
AND,
Was Christ Hung on a Cross?
TO MANY millions of people the answer to this question seems as simple as the three-letter word “Yes”. To serious students of both ancient history and the Bible the answer is even simpler, as simple as the two-letter word “No!” But two answers as far apart as these open up between them a great gulf that all truth seekers must be able to bridge in order to stand on the solid ground of truth.
It is common knowledge in this enlightened age that the Bible was not first set down in English. Consequently, to settle the question as to whether Christ was hung on a cross or not it is necessary to consult the original Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was written. By God’s grace manuscript copies of the original accounts, some of which copies date back to within fifty years of the originals, are available to scholars. Besides these, the original words are defined and explained in dictionaries or lexicons written in modern English, if that is the only language you read. And, in addition, there are dependable encyclopedias, histories, etc., to which reference can be made.
The Catholic Digest magazine, May, 1948, page 108, had the following to say on the subject of the cross: “Long before the birth of Christ the cross was a religious symbol. On the site of ancient Troy discs of baked clay stamped with a cross, were recently discovered. Two similar objects were found at Herculaneum. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico carved the cross on amulets, pottery, and temple walls. Many traces of use of the cross by North American Indians have been discovered. Buddhists of Tibet see in the cross a mark of the footprint of Buddha. The Mongolians draw a cross on paper and place it on the breasts of their dead. Egyptian inscriptions often have the Tau (T) cross. They considered the scarab (beetle) sacred because markings down the back and across the thorax form a T. A cross of this form was used as a support for the arms of Hindu ascetics in India who were wont to sit for days and nights in a Buddhalike attitude. The crux ansata (handled cross) has a loop serving as a handle. For the Egyptians this cross was a symbol of life and in their sign language meant ‘to live.’” See also The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, page 517; the footnote on pages 312, 313, of Gibbon’s History of Christianity, Eckler’s edition, 1891.
But how was the cross a “symbol of life” to the pagans? Well, a father, the male, is life-giver to his children by and through the mother. Hence, those sex-worshiping pagans, under the inspiration of the Devil and his demons, constructed a phallic image of the erected male genitive organ, with a crossbar toward one end to represent the testes. Carrying the symbolism a step further in the crux ansata, the loop on the top, which pious religionists choose to describe as a “handle”, represented the female genitive organ joined to the masculine symbol. That these diabolical facts are true, see the following references: Funeral Tent of an Egyptian Queen, by Villiers Stuart; Masculine Cross and Ancient Sex Worship, by Sha Rocco; Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop; Essays on the Worship of Priapus, by Richard Payne Knight.
Reference to the original languages in which the Bible was written will show beyond a question of doubt that Christ was never hung on any pagan cross. Hence, the use of the word “cross” in the English-language Bibles is a mistranslation. On this, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in its appendix, on pages 768-771, in commenting on Matthew 10:38, where the Greek word ??????? (stau•ros?) first appears and which is translated “cross” in most Bibles, states:
“This is the expression used in connection with the execution of Jesus at Calvary. There is no evidence that the Greek word stau•ros? meant here a ‘cross’ such as the pagans used as a religious symbol for many centuries before Christ to denote the sun-god. On the ancient sculptures of Egypt may be seen representations of their gods bearing the so-called crux an•sa?ta, a T-cross with a loop at the top, it being a phallic symbol of life. In Babylonian inscriptions Tammuz was signified by a heart from which sprang a single or a double cross.
“India, Syria, Persia, as well as Babylon and ancient Egypt, have all yielded objects marked with crosses of various designs, including the swastika among the early Aryans. This betrays the worshiping of the cross to be pagan.
“In the classical Greek the word stau•ros? meant merely an upright stake or pale, or a pile such as is used for a foundation. The verb stau•ro?o meant to fence with pales, to form a stockade or palisade, and this is the verb used when the mob called for Jesus to be impaled. To such a stake or pale the person to be punished was fastened, just as when the popular Greek hero Pro•me?the•us was represented as tied to a stake or stau•ros?. The Greek word which the dramatist Aes?chy•lus used to describe this means to fasten or fix on a pole or stake, to impale, and the Greek author Lucian used a•na•stau•ro?oas a synonym for that word. In the Christian Greek Scriptures a•na•stau•ro?o occurs but once, at Hebrews 6:6. The root verb stau•ro?o occurs more than 40 times, and we have rendered it ‘impale’, with the footnote: ‘Or, “fasten on a stake or pole.’”
“The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures wrote in the common (koi•ne?) Greek and used the word stau•ros? to mean the same thing as in the classical Greek, namely, a stake or pale, a simple one without a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. There is no proof to the contrary. The apostles Peter and Paul also use the word xy?lon to refer to the torture instrument upon which Jesus was nailed, and this argues that is was an upright stake without a crossbeam, for that is what xy?lon in this special sense means. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) At Ezra 6:11 we find xy?lonin the Greek Septuagint (1 Esdras 6:31), and there it is spoken of as a beam on which the violator of law was to be hanged, the same as at Luke 23:39; Acts 5:30; 10:39.
“The fact that stau•ros? is translated crux in the Latin versions furnishes no argument against this. Any authoritative Latin dictionary will inform the examiner that the basic meaning of crux is a ‘tree, frame, or other wooden instrument of execution’ on which criminals were impaled or hanged. (Lewis-Short) A cross is only a later meaning of crux. Even in the writings of Livy, a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means a mere stake. Such a single stake for impalement of a criminal was called crux simplex, and the method of nailing him to such an instrument of torture is illustrated by the Roman Catholic scholar, Justus Lipsius, of the 16th century. We present herewith a photographic copy of his illustration on page 647, column 2, of his book De Cruce Liber Primus. This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled.
“Religious tradition from the days of Emperor Constantine proves nothing. Says that monthly publication for the Roman Catholic clergy, The Ecclesiastical Review, of September, 1920, No. 3, of Baltimore, Maryland, page 275: ‘It may be safely asserted that only after the edict of Milan, A.D. 312, was the cross used as the permanent sign of our Redemption. De Rossi positively states that no monogram of Christ, discovered in the catacombs or other places, can be traced to a period anterior to the year 312. Even after that epoch-making year, the church, then free and triumphant, contented herself with having a simple monogram of Christ: the Greek letter chi vertically crossed by a rho, and horizontally sometimes, by an iota. [Artwork—Greek characters] The oldest crucifix mentioned as an object of public worship is the one venerated in the Church of Narbonne in southern France, as early as the 6th century.’
“After showing the pagan origin of the cross, The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 7, of edition 11, page 506, says: ‘It was not till the time of Constantine that the cross was publicly used as the symbol of the Christian religion.’ That was but logical, for Emperor Constantine was a worshiper of the pagan sun-god, whose symbol was a cross. Other experts have pointed out that ‘before the fourth century the cross was not used as a Christian emblem in the East any more than in the West’.
“Rather than consider the torture stake upon which Jesus was impaled a relic to be worshiped, the Jewish Christians like Simon Peter would consider it to be an abominable thing. At Galatians 3:13 the apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23 and says: ‘It is written: “Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’” Hence the Jewish Christians would hold as accursed and hateful the stake upon which Jesus had been executed. Says the celebrated Jewish authority, Moses Mai•mon?i•des, of the 12th century: ‘They never hang upon a tree which clings to the soil by roots; but upon a timber uprooted, that it might not be an annoying plague: for a timber upon which anyone has been hanged is buried; that the evil name may not remain with it and people should say, “This is the timber on which so-and-so was hanged.” So the stone with which anyone has been stoned; and the sword, with which the one killed has been killed; and the cloth or mantle with which anyone has been strangled; all these things are buried along with those who perished.’ (Apud Casaub. in Baron. Exercitat. 16, An. 34, Num. 134) Says Kalinski in Vaticinia Observationibus Illustrata, page 342: ‘Consequently since a man hanged was considered the greatest abomination—the Jews also hated more than other things the timber on which he had been hanged, so that they covered it also with earth, as being equally an abominable thing.’
“The evidence is, therefore, completely lacking that Jesus Christ was crucified on two pieces of timber placed at a right angle. We refuse to add anything to God’s written Word by inserting the pagan cross into the inspired Scriptures, but render stau•ros? and xy?lon according to the simplest meanings. Since Jesus used stau•ros? to represent the suffering and shame or torture of his followers (Matthew 16:24), we have translated stau•ros? as ‘torture stake’, to distinguish it from xy?lon, which we have translated ‘stake’, or, in the footnote, ‘tree,’ as at Acts 5:30.”
The gulf of speculation having thus been bridged, Christians today stand on the solid ground of provable facts when they emphatically declare that Christ was never hung on a pagan cross of phallic origin.
AND
The words "cross" and "crucify" are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake. The shape of the two-beamed cross had its origin in ancient Chaldea and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz. In the third century A.D., pagans were received into the apostate ecclesiastical system and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols.
According to The Companion Bible, crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god. The evidence is complete; the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, not on two pieces of timber placed at an angle.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, in the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner.
According to Greek dictionaries and lexicons, the primary meaning of stauros is an upright pale, pole, or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted to be a "later" rendering. In spite of the evidence, almost all common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (meaning cross) as the rendering of the Greek stauros.
The most accepted reason for the "cross" being brought into Messianic worship is Constantine's famous vision of "the cross superimposed on the sun" in A.D. 312. What he saw is nowhere to be found in Scripture. Even after his so-called "conversion," his coins showed an even-armed cross as a symbol for the Sun-god. Many scholars have doubted the "conversion" of Constantine because of the wicked deeds that he did afterwards.
After Constantine had the "vision of the cross," he promoted another variety of the cross, the Chi-Rho or Labarum. This has been explained as representing the first letters of the name Christos (CH and R, or, in Greek, X and P). The identical symbols were found as inscriptions on rock, dating from ca. 2500 B.C., being interpreted as "a combination of the two Sun-symbols." Another proof of its pagan origin is that the identical symbol was found on a coin of Ptolemeus III from 247-222 B.C.
According to An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, the labarum was also an emblem of the Chaldean sky-god. Emperor Constantine adopted the labarum as the imperial ensign. According to Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols, the symbol was in use long before Christianity. Chi probably stood for Great Fire or Sun. Rho probably stood for Pater or Patah (Father). The word labarum yields "everlasting Father Sun."
CJB execution-stake SISR stake SSBE torture stake
NWT torture stake
Versions using Cross: AAT, AB, AIV, ANT, BNT, CENT, CEV, CLNT, CNT, CTNT, DHB, DRB, EBR, EDW, EVD, GW, HBME, HBRV, IB, IV, JWNT, KJV, KLNT, KTC, LB, LBP, MCT, MNT, MRB, MSNT, NAB, NAS, NBV, NCV, NEB, NET, NIV, NJB, NKJ, NLT, NLV, NNT, NRS, NSNT, ONT, PRS, REB, RNT, RSV, SARV, SGAT, SNB, SV, TCNT, TEV, TJB, TM, WAS, WET, WNT, WTNT, YLR. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM Melissa ON 11/16/2013]
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The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon
Strong's Number: 4716
Original Word
Word Origin
stauroß
from the base of (2476)
Transliterated Word
TDNT Entry
Stauros
7:572,1071
Phonetic Spelling
Parts of Speech
stow-ros'
Noun Masculine
Definition
1. an upright stake, esp. a pointed one
2. a cross
a. a well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed among the Romans, down to the time of Constantine the Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abetters of insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and peaceable men also, and even Roman citizens themselves
b. the crucifixion which Christ underwent
NAS Word Usage - Total: 27
cross 27
NAS Verse Count
Matthew
5
Mark
4
Luke
3
John
4
1 Corinthians
2
Galatians
3
Ephesians
1
Philippians
2
Colossians
2
Hebrews
1
Total
27
Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament." These files are public domain.
Bibliography Information
Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Stauros". "The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon". . 1999. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/stauros.html ON 11/16/2013]
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NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous
One of the reasons why I pursued a degree in Christian ministry, and became an ordained Nondenominational Christian minister, was because I became increasingly disturbed at what I heard coming from the pulpits of the various churches I attended. I had been studying the Scriptures for many years, and it amazed me that the congregations were not hearing the simple truths contained in God’s word. I felt the need to share with people the truth about what the Bible actually says about various things. All to often, people accept what the various members of the clergy state as fact, without questioning it and without taking the time to verify their statements.
Most of these truths are not difficult to understand. They are simple Scriptural facts that are not being conveyed to the people. One such truth is the fact that most English translations of the Bible refer to a “cross,” yet the fact is that the word “cross” is an inaccurate translation of the original Greek word stauros. Simply put, a “cross,” i.e., two intersecting beams of wood, is nowhere to be found in the Bible!
The cross has become the foremost symbol in Christendom, so this would obviously be disturbing news to many Christians who have crosses hanging on their walls, around their necks, on loved ones graves, in front of their churches, on the alter of their churches, and even mentioned in songs they sing.
The question, however, must be asked: “Since nothing in the ancient Greek manuscripts which were compiled to form the New Testament portion of the Bible, suggests nor implies an instrument composed of two intersecting beams of wood, then where did the term, image, and subsequent symbol come from?”
First, there is no doubt that the Greek word stauros has been inaccurately translated as “cross.” In Classical Greek literature, stauros simply meant “an upright stake or post.” The verb stauroo meant “to fence with pales (stakes), to form a stockade (a barrier constructed from stakes or timbers driven upright into the ground one beside the other).” There is nothing at all found in the Scriptures to suggest a crossbeam of any kind at any angle, therefore, staurosmeans the same thing in the Bible, as it did in Classical Greek writings.
Second, there is another Greek word used by the New Testament writers when describing the execution of Jesus. It is the word xylon, which means “timber,” and by implication “a stick, club or tree.” Notice again that there is nothing to suggest a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. Consider the following references where xylon occurs, and notice that it is consistently translated “tree.”
Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 10:39 “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews,
and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 13:29 “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down
from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Interestingly, when we read the Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament written in the same koine, i.e. “common” Greek as the New Testament, we find xylon at Ezra 6:11. There it is spoken of as “timber” on which the violator of the law was to be hanged.
“And a decree has been made by me, that every man who shall alter this word, timber
shall be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and slain upon it, and his
house shall be confiscated.” (Ezra 6:11, The Septuagint – An English Translation)
If we were to read the Bible in the original languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek – we would NEVER have the mental picture of a “cross.” Even when the Bible began to be translated into Latin, translators used the Latin word crux, which also does not specifically suggest a two-beam intersecting instrument.
The Latin dictionary by Lewis and Short states that the meaning of crux was “a tree, frame, or other wooden instruments of execution, on which criminals were impaled or hanged.” In the writings of Livy, who was a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means merely a stake.
“[Crucifixion] was an ancient mode of capital punishment, and is said to have been devised by Semiramis. It was in use by the Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Carthaginians, Scythians, Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans. It was a most shameful and degrading punishment, and among the Romans was the fate of robbers, assassins, and rebels. It was especially the punishment of criminal slaves. There were several kinds of crosses used.” (Manners And Customs Of The Bible, James M. Freeman, page 394, paragraph 2.) [Semiramis was a Mesopotamian queen.]
Since there were many kinds of impalement instruments used by the Romans and the other nations, to definitively identify any particular “cross,” and relate to others that it is the exact type of “cross” that Jesus died on, especially given the Scriptural evidence of simply a “stake” and “tree,” is for a clergy member or Bible teacher, irresponsible at best!
In writing to the believers in Galatia, Paul said, “though we [i.e., the apostles], or an angel
from heaven, publicly announce any other gospel to you than that which we have publicly
announced to you, let him be eternally condemned. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man publicly announce any other gospel to you than that you have received,
let him be eternally condemned.” (Galatians 1:8-9) Given Paul’s exhortation, we must
make every effort NEVER to add anything to God’s word by publicly announcing something
that simply is not what the Bible is announcing. The Bible speaks of the “stake” and the “tree,” NEVER a “cross.” [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.devotedservants.com/cross.htm ON 11/16/2013]
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Where was Jesus put on when he was crucified?
Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi (MENJ) has invested his creativity into creating the following little problem:
In Mark 15: 32, we are told that Jesus was put on a "cross" to be crucified:
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
The word for "cross" here in Greek is "stauros", which James Strong defined as:
(4716) from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Yet in I Peter 2:24, we are told that Jesus was crucified on the "tree":
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
The word for "tree" in Greek is "xulon", and is defined by Strong as:
(3586)from another form of the base of 3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: --staff, stocks, tree, wood.[2]
The error here is obvious. The Greek word "stauros" means definitively a "cross". There is no double meaning employed to the word. Whereas the word xulon can be translated interchangeably as "wood", "staff", "tree", etc. but in the case of I Peter 2:24, it is translated as "tree". Now we need to ask why would the word xulon was used in the first place when there is a more definitive word for it, "stauros", if the verse really intends to mean the "cross"?
It is therefore obvious that the word xulon is indeed used for "tree" in I Peter 2:24, and therefore there is a contradiction with Mark 15: 32.
RESPONSE:
The only obvious error is Menj's misreading and manhandling of both the biblical texts and his own lexical sources. He claims that "stauros" definitely means "cross", all the while ignoring the very own lexicon he quotes which states:
(4716) from the base of 2476; A STAKE OR POST (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) A POLE or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Furthermore, do notice the different meanings given by Thayer's Lexicon for "xulon":
3586 xulon {xoo'-lon}
1) wood
a) THAT WHICH IS MADE OF WOOD
1) AS A BEAM from which any one is suspended, a gibbet, A CROSS
2) a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs
3) a fetter, or shackle for the feet
4) a cudgel, stick, staff
2) a tree
AV - tree 10, staff 5, wood 3, stocks 1; 19 (Source: Blueletter Bible)
Notice how this same word is used elsewhere in the NT:
"‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and CLUBS (xulon) to capture me?’" Mark 14:48
No one assumes that "xulon" here means tree, that is unless of course one wants to claim that the soldiers were armed with actual trees! And:
"Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the STOCKS (xulon)." Acts 16:24
"If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, WOOD (xula), hay or straw." 1 Corinthians 3:12
This demonstrates that "xulon" means different things in different contexts and doesn't always refer to an actual tree. Since Strong's lists "cross" as a plausible meaning of "xulon", this in itself refutes Menj's alleged contradiction.
Second, 1 Peter 2:24 is not the only place where Peter refers to Christ being crucified on ‘a tree’:
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead - whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 5:30
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 10:39
Interestingly, Luke who recorded Peter's speeches in Acts also wrote that Jesus was crucified on a cross (stauros):
"But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him (staurou)! Crucify him (staurou auton)!’ ... As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross (ton stauron) on him and made him carry it behind Jesus ... When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him (estaurosan auton), along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:21,26,33
That Luke could mention Jesus being crucified on a cross while recording Peter's statements that Jesus was hanged on a "tree" demonstrates that these Christians saw no problem with these statements. Unlike Menj, they realized that both "stauros" and "xulon" could be used interchangeably in referring to Christ's crucifixion. This is further seen from the Apostle Paul:
"When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree (tou xulou) and laid him in a tomb." Acts 13:29
Paul says that Christ was brought down from the tree. Yet the same Paul speaks of Jesus being crucified on a cross:
"For the message of the cross (tou staurou) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
quot;Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross (to skandalon tou staurou) has been abolished." Galatians 5:11
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (en to stauro tou Kuriou hemon 'Iesou Christou ), through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14
Paul clues us in as to why both Peter and he could speak of Christ hanging on a tree:
"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (epi xulou).’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:10-14
The phrase refers to one who is accursed of God for failing to obey the commands. Christ being crucified on a cross was a sign that Christ had become a curse for us since he had become our sin bearer, taking upon himself the punishment that we deserved in order that we who believe may be forgiven by God. In the words of the Apostle Peter:
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (to xulon), so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25
Messianic Jewish believer, Dr. David H. Stern sums it up best. In his comments on Acts 5:30, Stern writes:
Stake. Greek xulon, which KJV renders "tree" here and four other places (10:39, 13:29; Ga. 3:13; I Ke [Sam- Peter] 2:24), all referring to what Yeshua was hanged on until he died. Yeshua was not hanged on a tree, but on a stavros, usually translated "cross" and in the JNT translated "execution-stake," as explained in Mt 10:38N. The word "xulon" is used instead of stavros in these five placesbecause all of them quote or allude to Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the Hebrew word is "'etz," normally rendered into Septuagint Greek as "xulon." Both Hebrew 'etz and Greekxulon can mean "tree, wood, stake, stick" depending on context. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the subject is hanging, an 'etz is any piece of wood which a person can be hanged, i.e. a stake (perhaps if metal gallows had existed, a different word would have been used). If Luke had meant a tree and not a stake, the Greeks had a word for it, "dendron," which he could have used but didn't. Therefore, while at Mt 26:47 and Mk 14:48 xulon means "stick," at Lk 23:31 and Rv 18:12 it means "wood," and at Rv 2:7 it has to mean "tree," here it means "stake"... (Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary [Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville Maryland, 1996], p. 237; bold emphasis ours)
In light of the preceding considerations, we once again see that Menj has failed to prove a real bonafide contradiction in the Scriptures. His criticisms only expose his lack of understanding regarding the historical and cultural context in which the New Testament was written.
In the service of King Jesus forever, the crucified and risen Lord of eternal glory. Amen. [source - retrieved from http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/stauros.htm on 11/16/2013]
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ull Definition of STAURO-
: cross <stauromedusae> <stauroscope>
Origin of STAURO-
LL, fr. LGk, fr. Gk stauros pale, stake, cross
This word doesn't usually appear in our free dictionary, but the definition from our premium Unabridged Dictionary is offered here on a limited basis. Note that some information is displayed differently in the Unabridged.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] SOME WOULD RATHER USE OBVIOUS HOXES SUCH AS THE JEHOHANAN HOAX AND THE PITSDWON HOAX THAN ACCEPT REALITY:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 277A]
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? 10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? 11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Psalms 94:7 – 11, [AV]
Many of the wicked feel Almighty God who created all there is can not see or hear and by their actions completely give no regard to his existence and Psalms 73:11, [AV] says, “And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?” Yes, they even question his knowledge, but their end as testified to at Proverbs 1:22 - 27, [AV] “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” Yes, worldly wisdom of the wicked is foolishness to Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at 1 Corinthians 1:19 - 20, [AV] “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
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[2] SOME WOULD RATHER USE OBVIOUS HOXES SUCH AS THE JEHOHANAN HOAX AND THE PITSDWON HOAX THAN ACCEPT REALITY:
INTRODUCTION:
In Archeology and similar pursuits there are many hoaxes by people wanting to make a name for themselves. The most famous of these was,
‘The Piltdown Man was a hoax in which bone fragments were presented as the fossilised remains of a previously unknownearly human. These fragments consisted of parts of a skull and jawbone, said to have been collected in 1912 from a gravel pit at Piltdown, East Sussex, England. The Latin name Eoanthropus dawsoni ("Dawson's dawn-man", after the collectorCharles Dawson) was given to the specimen. The significance of the specimen remained the subject of controversy until it was exposed in 1953 as a forgery, consisting of the lower jawbone of an orangutan deliberately combined with the skull of a fully developed modern human.
The Piltdown hoax is perhaps the most famous paleoanthropological hoax ever to have been perpetrated. It is prominent for two reasons: the attention paid to the issue of human evolution, and the length of time (more than 40 years) that elapsed from its discovery to its full exposure as a forgery.
[source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piltdown_Man on 11/16/2013] ‘
With respect the obvious Jehohanan Hoax this is readily discernable from the illustration of the find. Any knowledgeable individual would recognize he could not possible have been crucified in that manner.
THE FACTS ON CRUCIFICITION AND THE MEANING OF THE GREEK WORDS ‘STAUROS’ AND ‘XULON’
Specifically as these two words were used in the first Century in both Classical Greek and Koine Greek there is absolutely nothing to indicate a cross or crossbeam as used in the modern day. The following conclusively prove this FACT.
Pay particular attention to what Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous, says in NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as ‘cross’ when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting ‘cross’ in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape.”—London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.
AND,
Was Christ Hung on a Cross?
TO MANY millions of people the answer to this question seems as simple as the three-letter word “Yes”. To serious students of both ancient history and the Bible the answer is even simpler, as simple as the two-letter word “No!” But two answers as far apart as these open up between them a great gulf that all truth seekers must be able to bridge in order to stand on the solid ground of truth.
It is common knowledge in this enlightened age that the Bible was not first set down in English. Consequently, to settle the question as to whether Christ was hung on a cross or not it is necessary to consult the original Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was written. By God’s grace manuscript copies of the original accounts, some of which copies date back to within fifty years of the originals, are available to scholars. Besides these, the original words are defined and explained in dictionaries or lexicons written in modern English, if that is the only language you read. And, in addition, there are dependable encyclopedias, histories, etc., to which reference can be made.
The Catholic Digest magazine, May, 1948, page 108, had the following to say on the subject of the cross: “Long before the birth of Christ the cross was a religious symbol. On the site of ancient Troy discs of baked clay stamped with a cross, were recently discovered. Two similar objects were found at Herculaneum. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico carved the cross on amulets, pottery, and temple walls. Many traces of use of the cross by North American Indians have been discovered. Buddhists of Tibet see in the cross a mark of the footprint of Buddha. The Mongolians draw a cross on paper and place it on the breasts of their dead. Egyptian inscriptions often have the Tau (T) cross. They considered the scarab (beetle) sacred because markings down the back and across the thorax form a T. A cross of this form was used as a support for the arms of Hindu ascetics in India who were wont to sit for days and nights in a Buddhalike attitude. The crux ansata (handled cross) has a loop serving as a handle. For the Egyptians this cross was a symbol of life and in their sign language meant ‘to live.’” See also The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, page 517; the footnote on pages 312, 313, of Gibbon’s History of Christianity, Eckler’s edition, 1891.
But how was the cross a “symbol of life” to the pagans? Well, a father, the male, is life-giver to his children by and through the mother. Hence, those sex-worshiping pagans, under the inspiration of the Devil and his demons, constructed a phallic image of the erected male genitive organ, with a crossbar toward one end to represent the testes. Carrying the symbolism a step further in the crux ansata, the loop on the top, which pious religionists choose to describe as a “handle”, represented the female genitive organ joined to the masculine symbol. That these diabolical facts are true, see the following references: Funeral Tent of an Egyptian Queen, by Villiers Stuart; Masculine Cross and Ancient Sex Worship, by Sha Rocco; Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop; Essays on the Worship of Priapus, by Richard Payne Knight.
Reference to the original languages in which the Bible was written will show beyond a question of doubt that Christ was never hung on any pagan cross. Hence, the use of the word “cross” in the English-language Bibles is a mistranslation. On this, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in its appendix, on pages 768-771, in commenting on Matthew 10:38, where the Greek word ??????? (stau•ros?) first appears and which is translated “cross” in most Bibles, states:
“This is the expression used in connection with the execution of Jesus at Calvary. There is no evidence that the Greek word stau•ros? meant here a ‘cross’ such as the pagans used as a religious symbol for many centuries before Christ to denote the sun-god. On the ancient sculptures of Egypt may be seen representations of their gods bearing the so-called crux an•sa?ta, a T-cross with a loop at the top, it being a phallic symbol of life. In Babylonian inscriptions Tammuz was signified by a heart from which sprang a single or a double cross.
“India, Syria, Persia, as well as Babylon and ancient Egypt, have all yielded objects marked with crosses of various designs, including the swastika among the early Aryans. This betrays the worshiping of the cross to be pagan.
“In the classical Greek the word stau•ros? meant merely an upright stake or pale, or a pile such as is used for a foundation. The verb stau•ro?o meant to fence with pales, to form a stockade or palisade, and this is the verb used when the mob called for Jesus to be impaled. To such a stake or pale the person to be punished was fastened, just as when the popular Greek hero Pro•me?the•us was represented as tied to a stake or stau•ros?. The Greek word which the dramatist Aes?chy•lus used to describe this means to fasten or fix on a pole or stake, to impale, and the Greek author Lucian used a•na•stau•ro?oas a synonym for that word. In the Christian Greek Scriptures a•na•stau•ro?o occurs but once, at Hebrews 6:6. The root verb stau•ro?o occurs more than 40 times, and we have rendered it ‘impale’, with the footnote: ‘Or, “fasten on a stake or pole.’”
“The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures wrote in the common (koi•ne?) Greek and used the word stau•ros? to mean the same thing as in the classical Greek, namely, a stake or pale, a simple one without a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. There is no proof to the contrary. The apostles Peter and Paul also use the word xy?lon to refer to the torture instrument upon which Jesus was nailed, and this argues that is was an upright stake without a crossbeam, for that is what xy?lon in this special sense means. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) At Ezra 6:11 we find xy?lonin the Greek Septuagint (1 Esdras 6:31), and there it is spoken of as a beam on which the violator of law was to be hanged, the same as at Luke 23:39; Acts 5:30; 10:39.
“The fact that stau•ros? is translated crux in the Latin versions furnishes no argument against this. Any authoritative Latin dictionary will inform the examiner that the basic meaning of crux is a ‘tree, frame, or other wooden instrument of execution’ on which criminals were impaled or hanged. (Lewis-Short) A cross is only a later meaning of crux. Even in the writings of Livy, a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means a mere stake. Such a single stake for impalement of a criminal was called crux simplex, and the method of nailing him to such an instrument of torture is illustrated by the Roman Catholic scholar, Justus Lipsius, of the 16th century. We present herewith a photographic copy of his illustration on page 647, column 2, of his book De Cruce Liber Primus. This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled.
“Religious tradition from the days of Emperor Constantine proves nothing. Says that monthly publication for the Roman Catholic clergy, The Ecclesiastical Review, of September, 1920, No. 3, of Baltimore, Maryland, page 275: ‘It may be safely asserted that only after the edict of Milan, A.D. 312, was the cross used as the permanent sign of our Redemption. De Rossi positively states that no monogram of Christ, discovered in the catacombs or other places, can be traced to a period anterior to the year 312. Even after that epoch-making year, the church, then free and triumphant, contented herself with having a simple monogram of Christ: the Greek letter chi vertically crossed by a rho, and horizontally sometimes, by an iota. [Artwork—Greek characters] The oldest crucifix mentioned as an object of public worship is the one venerated in the Church of Narbonne in southern France, as early as the 6th century.’
“After showing the pagan origin of the cross, The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 7, of edition 11, page 506, says: ‘It was not till the time of Constantine that the cross was publicly used as the symbol of the Christian religion.’ That was but logical, for Emperor Constantine was a worshiper of the pagan sun-god, whose symbol was a cross. Other experts have pointed out that ‘before the fourth century the cross was not used as a Christian emblem in the East any more than in the West’.
“Rather than consider the torture stake upon which Jesus was impaled a relic to be worshiped, the Jewish Christians like Simon Peter would consider it to be an abominable thing. At Galatians 3:13 the apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23 and says: ‘It is written: “Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’” Hence the Jewish Christians would hold as accursed and hateful the stake upon which Jesus had been executed. Says the celebrated Jewish authority, Moses Mai•mon?i•des, of the 12th century: ‘They never hang upon a tree which clings to the soil by roots; but upon a timber uprooted, that it might not be an annoying plague: for a timber upon which anyone has been hanged is buried; that the evil name may not remain with it and people should say, “This is the timber on which so-and-so was hanged.” So the stone with which anyone has been stoned; and the sword, with which the one killed has been killed; and the cloth or mantle with which anyone has been strangled; all these things are buried along with those who perished.’ (Apud Casaub. in Baron. Exercitat. 16, An. 34, Num. 134) Says Kalinski in Vaticinia Observationibus Illustrata, page 342: ‘Consequently since a man hanged was considered the greatest abomination—the Jews also hated more than other things the timber on which he had been hanged, so that they covered it also with earth, as being equally an abominable thing.’
“The evidence is, therefore, completely lacking that Jesus Christ was crucified on two pieces of timber placed at a right angle. We refuse to add anything to God’s written Word by inserting the pagan cross into the inspired Scriptures, but render stau•ros? and xy?lon according to the simplest meanings. Since Jesus used stau•ros? to represent the suffering and shame or torture of his followers (Matthew 16:24), we have translated stau•ros? as ‘torture stake’, to distinguish it from xy?lon, which we have translated ‘stake’, or, in the footnote, ‘tree,’ as at Acts 5:30.”
The gulf of speculation having thus been bridged, Christians today stand on the solid ground of provable facts when they emphatically declare that Christ was never hung on a pagan cross of phallic origin.
AND
The words "cross" and "crucify" are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake. The shape of the two-beamed cross had its origin in ancient Chaldea and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz. In the third century A.D., pagans were received into the apostate ecclesiastical system and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols.
According to The Companion Bible, crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god. The evidence is complete; the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, not on two pieces of timber placed at an angle.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, in the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner.
According to Greek dictionaries and lexicons, the primary meaning of stauros is an upright pale, pole, or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted to be a "later" rendering. In spite of the evidence, almost all common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (meaning cross) as the rendering of the Greek stauros.
The most accepted reason for the "cross" being brought into Messianic worship is Constantine's famous vision of "the cross superimposed on the sun" in A.D. 312. What he saw is nowhere to be found in Scripture. Even after his so-called "conversion," his coins showed an even-armed cross as a symbol for the Sun-god. Many scholars have doubted the "conversion" of Constantine because of the wicked deeds that he did afterwards.
After Constantine had the "vision of the cross," he promoted another variety of the cross, the Chi-Rho or Labarum. This has been explained as representing the first letters of the name Christos (CH and R, or, in Greek, X and P). The identical symbols were found as inscriptions on rock, dating from ca. 2500 B.C., being interpreted as "a combination of the two Sun-symbols." Another proof of its pagan origin is that the identical symbol was found on a coin of Ptolemeus III from 247-222 B.C.
According to An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, the labarum was also an emblem of the Chaldean sky-god. Emperor Constantine adopted the labarum as the imperial ensign. According to Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols, the symbol was in use long before Christianity. Chi probably stood for Great Fire or Sun. Rho probably stood for Pater or Patah (Father). The word labarum yields "everlasting Father Sun."
CJB execution-stake SISR stake SSBE torture stake
NWT torture stake
Versions using Cross: AAT, AB, AIV, ANT, BNT, CENT, CEV, CLNT, CNT, CTNT, DHB, DRB, EBR, EDW, EVD, GW, HBME, HBRV, IB, IV, JWNT, KJV, KLNT, KTC, LB, LBP, MCT, MNT, MRB, MSNT, NAB, NAS, NBV, NCV, NEB, NET, NIV, NJB, NKJ, NLT, NLV, NNT, NRS, NSNT, ONT, PRS, REB, RNT, RSV, SARV, SGAT, SNB, SV, TCNT, TEV, TJB, TM, WAS, WET, WNT, WTNT, YLR. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM Melissa ON 11/16/2013]
AND,
The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon
Strong's Number: 4716
Original Word
Word Origin
stauroß
from the base of (2476)
Transliterated Word
TDNT Entry
Stauros
7:572,1071
Phonetic Spelling
Parts of Speech
stow-ros'
Noun Masculine
Definition
1. an upright stake, esp. a pointed one
2. a cross
a. a well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed among the Romans, down to the time of Constantine the Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abetters of insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and peaceable men also, and even Roman citizens themselves
b. the crucifixion which Christ underwent
NAS Word Usage - Total: 27
cross 27
NAS Verse Count
Matthew
5
Mark
4
Luke
3
John
4
1 Corinthians
2
Galatians
3
Ephesians
1
Philippians
2
Colossians
2
Hebrews
1
Total
27
Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament." These files are public domain.
Bibliography Information
Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Stauros". "The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon". . 1999. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/stauros.html ON 11/16/2013]
AND,
NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous
One of the reasons why I pursued a degree in Christian ministry, and became an ordained Nondenominational Christian minister, was because I became increasingly disturbed at what I heard coming from the pulpits of the various churches I attended. I had been studying the Scriptures for many years, and it amazed me that the congregations were not hearing the simple truths contained in God’s word. I felt the need to share with people the truth about what the Bible actually says about various things. All to often, people accept what the various members of the clergy state as fact, without questioning it and without taking the time to verify their statements.
Most of these truths are not difficult to understand. They are simple Scriptural facts that are not being conveyed to the people. One such truth is the fact that most English translations of the Bible refer to a “cross,” yet the fact is that the word “cross” is an inaccurate translation of the original Greek word stauros. Simply put, a “cross,” i.e., two intersecting beams of wood, is nowhere to be found in the Bible!
The cross has become the foremost symbol in Christendom, so this would obviously be disturbing news to many Christians who have crosses hanging on their walls, around their necks, on loved ones graves, in front of their churches, on the alter of their churches, and even mentioned in songs they sing.
The question, however, must be asked: “Since nothing in the ancient Greek manuscripts which were compiled to form the New Testament portion of the Bible, suggests nor implies an instrument composed of two intersecting beams of wood, then where did the term, image, and subsequent symbol come from?”
First, there is no doubt that the Greek word stauros has been inaccurately translated as “cross.” In Classical Greek literature, stauros simply meant “an upright stake or post.” The verb stauroo meant “to fence with pales (stakes), to form a stockade (a barrier constructed from stakes or timbers driven upright into the ground one beside the other).” There is nothing at all found in the Scriptures to suggest a crossbeam of any kind at any angle, therefore, staurosmeans the same thing in the Bible, as it did in Classical Greek writings.
Second, there is another Greek word used by the New Testament writers when describing the execution of Jesus. It is the word xylon, which means “timber,” and by implication “a stick, club or tree.” Notice again that there is nothing to suggest a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. Consider the following references where xylon occurs, and notice that it is consistently translated “tree.”
Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 10:39 “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews,
and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 13:29 “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down
from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Interestingly, when we read the Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament written in the same koine, i.e. “common” Greek as the New Testament, we find xylon at Ezra 6:11. There it is spoken of as “timber” on which the violator of the law was to be hanged.
“And a decree has been made by me, that every man who shall alter this word, timber
shall be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and slain upon it, and his
house shall be confiscated.” (Ezra 6:11, The Septuagint – An English Translation)
If we were to read the Bible in the original languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek – we would NEVER have the mental picture of a “cross.” Even when the Bible began to be translated into Latin, translators used the Latin word crux, which also does not specifically suggest a two-beam intersecting instrument.
The Latin dictionary by Lewis and Short states that the meaning of crux was “a tree, frame, or other wooden instruments of execution, on which criminals were impaled or hanged.” In the writings of Livy, who was a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means merely a stake.
“[Crucifixion] was an ancient mode of capital punishment, and is said to have been devised by Semiramis. It was in use by the Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Carthaginians, Scythians, Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans. It was a most shameful and degrading punishment, and among the Romans was the fate of robbers, assassins, and rebels. It was especially the punishment of criminal slaves. There were several kinds of crosses used.” (Manners And Customs Of The Bible, James M. Freeman, page 394, paragraph 2.) [Semiramis was a Mesopotamian queen.]
Since there were many kinds of impalement instruments used by the Romans and the other nations, to definitively identify any particular “cross,” and relate to others that it is the exact type of “cross” that Jesus died on, especially given the Scriptural evidence of simply a “stake” and “tree,” is for a clergy member or Bible teacher, irresponsible at best!
In writing to the believers in Galatia, Paul said, “though we [i.e., the apostles], or an angel
from heaven, publicly announce any other gospel to you than that which we have publicly
announced to you, let him be eternally condemned. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man publicly announce any other gospel to you than that you have received,
let him be eternally condemned.” (Galatians 1:8-9) Given Paul’s exhortation, we must
make every effort NEVER to add anything to God’s word by publicly announcing something
that simply is not what the Bible is announcing. The Bible speaks of the “stake” and the “tree,” NEVER a “cross.” [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.devotedservants.com/cross.htm ON 11/16/2013]
AND
Where was Jesus put on when he was crucified?
Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi (MENJ) has invested his creativity into creating the following little problem:
In Mark 15: 32, we are told that Jesus was put on a "cross" to be crucified:
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
The word for "cross" here in Greek is "stauros", which James Strong defined as:
(4716) from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Yet in I Peter 2:24, we are told that Jesus was crucified on the "tree":
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
The word for "tree" in Greek is "xulon", and is defined by Strong as:
(3586)from another form of the base of 3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: --staff, stocks, tree, wood.[2]
The error here is obvious. The Greek word "stauros" means definitively a "cross". There is no double meaning employed to the word. Whereas the word xulon can be translated interchangeably as "wood", "staff", "tree", etc. but in the case of I Peter 2:24, it is translated as "tree". Now we need to ask why would the word xulon was used in the first place when there is a more definitive word for it, "stauros", if the verse really intends to mean the "cross"?
It is therefore obvious that the word xulon is indeed used for "tree" in I Peter 2:24, and therefore there is a contradiction with Mark 15: 32.
RESPONSE:
The only obvious error is Menj's misreading and manhandling of both the biblical texts and his own lexical sources. He claims that "stauros" definitely means "cross", all the while ignoring the very own lexicon he quotes which states:
(4716) from the base of 2476; A STAKE OR POST (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) A POLE or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Furthermore, do notice the different meanings given by Thayer's Lexicon for "xulon":
3586 xulon {xoo'-lon}
1) wood
a) THAT WHICH IS MADE OF WOOD
1) AS A BEAM from which any one is suspended, a gibbet, A CROSS
2) a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs
3) a fetter, or shackle for the feet
4) a cudgel, stick, staff
2) a tree
AV - tree 10, staff 5, wood 3, stocks 1; 19 (Source: Blueletter Bible)
Notice how this same word is used elsewhere in the NT:
"‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and CLUBS (xulon) to capture me?’" Mark 14:48
No one assumes that "xulon" here means tree, that is unless of course one wants to claim that the soldiers were armed with actual trees! And:
"Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the STOCKS (xulon)." Acts 16:24
"If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, WOOD (xula), hay or straw." 1 Corinthians 3:12
This demonstrates that "xulon" means different things in different contexts and doesn't always refer to an actual tree. Since Strong's lists "cross" as a plausible meaning of "xulon", this in itself refutes Menj's alleged contradiction.
Second, 1 Peter 2:24 is not the only place where Peter refers to Christ being crucified on ‘a tree’:
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead - whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 5:30
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 10:39
Interestingly, Luke who recorded Peter's speeches in Acts also wrote that Jesus was crucified on a cross (stauros):
"But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him (staurou)! Crucify him (staurou auton)!’ ... As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross (ton stauron) on him and made him carry it behind Jesus ... When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him (estaurosan auton), along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:21,26,33
That Luke could mention Jesus being crucified on a cross while recording Peter's statements that Jesus was hanged on a "tree" demonstrates that these Christians saw no problem with these statements. Unlike Menj, they realized that both "stauros" and "xulon" could be used interchangeably in referring to Christ's crucifixion. This is further seen from the Apostle Paul:
"When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree (tou xulou) and laid him in a tomb." Acts 13:29
Paul says that Christ was brought down from the tree. Yet the same Paul speaks of Jesus being crucified on a cross:
"For the message of the cross (tou staurou) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
quot;Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross (to skandalon tou staurou) has been abolished." Galatians 5:11
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (en to stauro tou Kuriou hemon 'Iesou Christou ), through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14
Paul clues us in as to why both Peter and he could speak of Christ hanging on a tree:
"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (epi xulou).’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:10-14
The phrase refers to one who is accursed of God for failing to obey the commands. Christ being crucified on a cross was a sign that Christ had become a curse for us since he had become our sin bearer, taking upon himself the punishment that we deserved in order that we who believe may be forgiven by God. In the words of the Apostle Peter:
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (to xulon), so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25
Messianic Jewish believer, Dr. David H. Stern sums it up best. In his comments on Acts 5:30, Stern writes:
Stake. Greek xulon, which KJV renders "tree" here and four other places (10:39, 13:29; Ga. 3:13; I Ke [Sam- Peter] 2:24), all referring to what Yeshua was hanged on until he died. Yeshua was not hanged on a tree, but on a stavros, usually translated "cross" and in the JNT translated "execution-stake," as explained in Mt 10:38N. The word "xulon" is used instead of stavros in these five placesbecause all of them quote or allude to Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the Hebrew word is "'etz," normally rendered into Septuagint Greek as "xulon." Both Hebrew 'etz and Greekxulon can mean "tree, wood, stake, stick" depending on context. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the subject is hanging, an 'etz is any piece of wood which a person can be hanged, i.e. a stake (perhaps if metal gallows had existed, a different word would have been used). If Luke had meant a tree and not a stake, the Greeks had a word for it, "dendron," which he could have used but didn't. Therefore, while at Mt 26:47 and Mk 14:48 xulon means "stick," at Lk 23:31 and Rv 18:12 it means "wood," and at Rv 2:7 it has to mean "tree," here it means "stake"... (Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary [Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville Maryland, 1996], p. 237; bold emphasis ours)
In light of the preceding considerations, we once again see that Menj has failed to prove a real bonafide contradiction in the Scriptures. His criticisms only expose his lack of understanding regarding the historical and cultural context in which the New Testament was written.
In the service of King Jesus forever, the crucified and risen Lord of eternal glory. Amen. [source - retrieved from http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/stauros.htm on 11/16/2013]
AND,
ull Definition of STAURO-
: cross <stauromedusae> <stauroscope>
Origin of STAURO-
LL, fr. LGk, fr. Gk stauros pale, stake, cross
This word doesn't usually appear in our free dictionary, but the definition from our premium Unabridged Dictionary is offered here on a limited basis. Note that some information is displayed differently in the Unabridged.
To access the complete Unabridged Dictionary, with an additional 300,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary, [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stauro- ON 11/16/2013]
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 277A]
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? 10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? 11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Psalms 94:7 – 11, [AV]
Many of the wicked feel Almighty God who created all there is can not see or hear and by their actions completely give no regard to his existence and Psalms 73:11, [AV] says, “And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?” Yes, they even question his knowledge, but their end as testified to at Proverbs 1:22 - 27, [AV] “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” Yes, worldly wisdom of the wicked is foolishness to Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at 1 Corinthians 1:19 - 20, [AV] “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] SOME WOULD RATHER USE OBVIOUS HOXES SUCH AS THE JEHOHANAN HOAX AND THE PITSDWON HOAX THAN ACCEPT REALITY:
INTRODUCTION:
In Archeology and similar pursuits there are many hoaxes by people wanting to make a name for themselves. The most famous of these was,
‘The Piltdown Man was a hoax in which bone fragments were presented as the fossilised remains of a previously unknownearly human. These fragments consisted of parts of a skull and jawbone, said to have been collected in 1912 from a gravel pit at Piltdown, East Sussex, England. The Latin name Eoanthropus dawsoni ("Dawson's dawn-man", after the collectorCharles Dawson) was given to the specimen. The significance of the specimen remained the subject of controversy until it was exposed in 1953 as a forgery, consisting of the lower jawbone of an orangutan deliberately combined with the skull of a fully developed modern human.
The Piltdown hoax is perhaps the most famous paleoanthropological hoax ever to have been perpetrated. It is prominent for two reasons: the attention paid to the issue of human evolution, and the length of time (more than 40 years) that elapsed from its discovery to its full exposure as a forgery.
[source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piltdown_Man on 11/16/2013] ‘
With respect the obvious Jehohanan Hoax this is readily discernable from the illustration of the find. Any knowledgeable individual would recognize he could not possible have been crucified in that manner.
THE FACTS ON CRUCIFICITION AND THE MEANING OF THE GREEK WORDS ‘STAUROS’ AND ‘XULON’
Specifically as these two words were used in the first Century in both Classical Greek and Koine Greek there is absolutely nothing to indicate a cross or crossbeam as used in the modern day. The following conclusively prove this FACT.
Pay particular attention to what Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous, says in NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
The book The Non-Christian Cross, by John Denham Parsons, states: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross. . . . it is not a little misleading upon the part of our teachers to translate the word stauros as ‘cross’ when rendering the Greek documents of the Church into our native tongue, and to support that action by putting ‘cross’ in our lexicons as the meaning of stauros without carefully explaining that that was at any rate not the primary meaning of the word in the days of the Apostles, did not become its primary signification till long afterwards, and became so then, if at all, only because, despite the absence of corroborative evidence, it was for some reason or other assumed that the particular stauros upon which Jesus was executed had that particular shape.”—London, 1896, pp. 23, 24.
AND,
Was Christ Hung on a Cross?
TO MANY millions of people the answer to this question seems as simple as the three-letter word “Yes”. To serious students of both ancient history and the Bible the answer is even simpler, as simple as the two-letter word “No!” But two answers as far apart as these open up between them a great gulf that all truth seekers must be able to bridge in order to stand on the solid ground of truth.
It is common knowledge in this enlightened age that the Bible was not first set down in English. Consequently, to settle the question as to whether Christ was hung on a cross or not it is necessary to consult the original Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was written. By God’s grace manuscript copies of the original accounts, some of which copies date back to within fifty years of the originals, are available to scholars. Besides these, the original words are defined and explained in dictionaries or lexicons written in modern English, if that is the only language you read. And, in addition, there are dependable encyclopedias, histories, etc., to which reference can be made.
The Catholic Digest magazine, May, 1948, page 108, had the following to say on the subject of the cross: “Long before the birth of Christ the cross was a religious symbol. On the site of ancient Troy discs of baked clay stamped with a cross, were recently discovered. Two similar objects were found at Herculaneum. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico carved the cross on amulets, pottery, and temple walls. Many traces of use of the cross by North American Indians have been discovered. Buddhists of Tibet see in the cross a mark of the footprint of Buddha. The Mongolians draw a cross on paper and place it on the breasts of their dead. Egyptian inscriptions often have the Tau (T) cross. They considered the scarab (beetle) sacred because markings down the back and across the thorax form a T. A cross of this form was used as a support for the arms of Hindu ascetics in India who were wont to sit for days and nights in a Buddhalike attitude. The crux ansata (handled cross) has a loop serving as a handle. For the Egyptians this cross was a symbol of life and in their sign language meant ‘to live.’” See also The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, page 517; the footnote on pages 312, 313, of Gibbon’s History of Christianity, Eckler’s edition, 1891.
But how was the cross a “symbol of life” to the pagans? Well, a father, the male, is life-giver to his children by and through the mother. Hence, those sex-worshiping pagans, under the inspiration of the Devil and his demons, constructed a phallic image of the erected male genitive organ, with a crossbar toward one end to represent the testes. Carrying the symbolism a step further in the crux ansata, the loop on the top, which pious religionists choose to describe as a “handle”, represented the female genitive organ joined to the masculine symbol. That these diabolical facts are true, see the following references: Funeral Tent of an Egyptian Queen, by Villiers Stuart; Masculine Cross and Ancient Sex Worship, by Sha Rocco; Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop; Essays on the Worship of Priapus, by Richard Payne Knight.
Reference to the original languages in which the Bible was written will show beyond a question of doubt that Christ was never hung on any pagan cross. Hence, the use of the word “cross” in the English-language Bibles is a mistranslation. On this, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in its appendix, on pages 768-771, in commenting on Matthew 10:38, where the Greek word ??????? (stau•ros?) first appears and which is translated “cross” in most Bibles, states:
“This is the expression used in connection with the execution of Jesus at Calvary. There is no evidence that the Greek word stau•ros? meant here a ‘cross’ such as the pagans used as a religious symbol for many centuries before Christ to denote the sun-god. On the ancient sculptures of Egypt may be seen representations of their gods bearing the so-called crux an•sa?ta, a T-cross with a loop at the top, it being a phallic symbol of life. In Babylonian inscriptions Tammuz was signified by a heart from which sprang a single or a double cross.
“India, Syria, Persia, as well as Babylon and ancient Egypt, have all yielded objects marked with crosses of various designs, including the swastika among the early Aryans. This betrays the worshiping of the cross to be pagan.
“In the classical Greek the word stau•ros? meant merely an upright stake or pale, or a pile such as is used for a foundation. The verb stau•ro?o meant to fence with pales, to form a stockade or palisade, and this is the verb used when the mob called for Jesus to be impaled. To such a stake or pale the person to be punished was fastened, just as when the popular Greek hero Pro•me?the•us was represented as tied to a stake or stau•ros?. The Greek word which the dramatist Aes?chy•lus used to describe this means to fasten or fix on a pole or stake, to impale, and the Greek author Lucian used a•na•stau•ro?oas a synonym for that word. In the Christian Greek Scriptures a•na•stau•ro?o occurs but once, at Hebrews 6:6. The root verb stau•ro?o occurs more than 40 times, and we have rendered it ‘impale’, with the footnote: ‘Or, “fasten on a stake or pole.’”
“The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures wrote in the common (koi•ne?) Greek and used the word stau•ros? to mean the same thing as in the classical Greek, namely, a stake or pale, a simple one without a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. There is no proof to the contrary. The apostles Peter and Paul also use the word xy?lon to refer to the torture instrument upon which Jesus was nailed, and this argues that is was an upright stake without a crossbeam, for that is what xy?lon in this special sense means. (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24) At Ezra 6:11 we find xy?lonin the Greek Septuagint (1 Esdras 6:31), and there it is spoken of as a beam on which the violator of law was to be hanged, the same as at Luke 23:39; Acts 5:30; 10:39.
“The fact that stau•ros? is translated crux in the Latin versions furnishes no argument against this. Any authoritative Latin dictionary will inform the examiner that the basic meaning of crux is a ‘tree, frame, or other wooden instrument of execution’ on which criminals were impaled or hanged. (Lewis-Short) A cross is only a later meaning of crux. Even in the writings of Livy, a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means a mere stake. Such a single stake for impalement of a criminal was called crux simplex, and the method of nailing him to such an instrument of torture is illustrated by the Roman Catholic scholar, Justus Lipsius, of the 16th century. We present herewith a photographic copy of his illustration on page 647, column 2, of his book De Cruce Liber Primus. This is the manner in which Jesus was impaled.
“Religious tradition from the days of Emperor Constantine proves nothing. Says that monthly publication for the Roman Catholic clergy, The Ecclesiastical Review, of September, 1920, No. 3, of Baltimore, Maryland, page 275: ‘It may be safely asserted that only after the edict of Milan, A.D. 312, was the cross used as the permanent sign of our Redemption. De Rossi positively states that no monogram of Christ, discovered in the catacombs or other places, can be traced to a period anterior to the year 312. Even after that epoch-making year, the church, then free and triumphant, contented herself with having a simple monogram of Christ: the Greek letter chi vertically crossed by a rho, and horizontally sometimes, by an iota. [Artwork—Greek characters] The oldest crucifix mentioned as an object of public worship is the one venerated in the Church of Narbonne in southern France, as early as the 6th century.’
“After showing the pagan origin of the cross, The Encyclopædia Britannica, Vol. 7, of edition 11, page 506, says: ‘It was not till the time of Constantine that the cross was publicly used as the symbol of the Christian religion.’ That was but logical, for Emperor Constantine was a worshiper of the pagan sun-god, whose symbol was a cross. Other experts have pointed out that ‘before the fourth century the cross was not used as a Christian emblem in the East any more than in the West’.
“Rather than consider the torture stake upon which Jesus was impaled a relic to be worshiped, the Jewish Christians like Simon Peter would consider it to be an abominable thing. At Galatians 3:13 the apostle Paul quotes Deuteronomy 21:23 and says: ‘It is written: “Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’” Hence the Jewish Christians would hold as accursed and hateful the stake upon which Jesus had been executed. Says the celebrated Jewish authority, Moses Mai•mon?i•des, of the 12th century: ‘They never hang upon a tree which clings to the soil by roots; but upon a timber uprooted, that it might not be an annoying plague: for a timber upon which anyone has been hanged is buried; that the evil name may not remain with it and people should say, “This is the timber on which so-and-so was hanged.” So the stone with which anyone has been stoned; and the sword, with which the one killed has been killed; and the cloth or mantle with which anyone has been strangled; all these things are buried along with those who perished.’ (Apud Casaub. in Baron. Exercitat. 16, An. 34, Num. 134) Says Kalinski in Vaticinia Observationibus Illustrata, page 342: ‘Consequently since a man hanged was considered the greatest abomination—the Jews also hated more than other things the timber on which he had been hanged, so that they covered it also with earth, as being equally an abominable thing.’
“The evidence is, therefore, completely lacking that Jesus Christ was crucified on two pieces of timber placed at a right angle. We refuse to add anything to God’s written Word by inserting the pagan cross into the inspired Scriptures, but render stau•ros? and xy?lon according to the simplest meanings. Since Jesus used stau•ros? to represent the suffering and shame or torture of his followers (Matthew 16:24), we have translated stau•ros? as ‘torture stake’, to distinguish it from xy?lon, which we have translated ‘stake’, or, in the footnote, ‘tree,’ as at Acts 5:30.”
The gulf of speculation having thus been bridged, Christians today stand on the solid ground of provable facts when they emphatically declare that Christ was never hung on a pagan cross of phallic origin.
AND
The words "cross" and "crucify" are mistranslations, a "later rendering," of the Greek words stauros and stauroo. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, STAUROS denotes, primarily, an upright pole or stake. The shape of the two-beamed cross had its origin in ancient Chaldea and was used as the symbol of the god Tammuz. In the third century A.D., pagans were received into the apostate ecclesiastical system and were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols.
According to The Companion Bible, crosses were used as symbols of the Babylonian Sun-god. The evidence is complete; the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake, not on two pieces of timber placed at an angle.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, in the Egyptian churches the cross was a pagan symbol of life borrowed by the Christians and interpreted in the pagan manner.
According to Greek dictionaries and lexicons, the primary meaning of stauros is an upright pale, pole, or stake. The secondary meaning of "cross" is admitted to be a "later" rendering. In spite of the evidence, almost all common versions of the Scriptures persist with the Latin Vulgate's crux (meaning cross) as the rendering of the Greek stauros.
The most accepted reason for the "cross" being brought into Messianic worship is Constantine's famous vision of "the cross superimposed on the sun" in A.D. 312. What he saw is nowhere to be found in Scripture. Even after his so-called "conversion," his coins showed an even-armed cross as a symbol for the Sun-god. Many scholars have doubted the "conversion" of Constantine because of the wicked deeds that he did afterwards.
After Constantine had the "vision of the cross," he promoted another variety of the cross, the Chi-Rho or Labarum. This has been explained as representing the first letters of the name Christos (CH and R, or, in Greek, X and P). The identical symbols were found as inscriptions on rock, dating from ca. 2500 B.C., being interpreted as "a combination of the two Sun-symbols." Another proof of its pagan origin is that the identical symbol was found on a coin of Ptolemeus III from 247-222 B.C.
According to An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, the labarum was also an emblem of the Chaldean sky-god. Emperor Constantine adopted the labarum as the imperial ensign. According to Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols, the symbol was in use long before Christianity. Chi probably stood for Great Fire or Sun. Rho probably stood for Pater or Patah (Father). The word labarum yields "everlasting Father Sun."
CJB execution-stake SISR stake SSBE torture stake
NWT torture stake
Versions using Cross: AAT, AB, AIV, ANT, BNT, CENT, CEV, CLNT, CNT, CTNT, DHB, DRB, EBR, EDW, EVD, GW, HBME, HBRV, IB, IV, JWNT, KJV, KLNT, KTC, LB, LBP, MCT, MNT, MRB, MSNT, NAB, NAS, NBV, NCV, NEB, NET, NIV, NJB, NKJ, NLT, NLV, NNT, NRS, NSNT, ONT, PRS, REB, RNT, RSV, SARV, SGAT, SNB, SV, TCNT, TEV, TJB, TM, WAS, WET, WNT, WTNT, YLR. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM Melissa ON 11/16/2013]
AND,
The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon
Strong's Number: 4716
Original Word
Word Origin
stauroß
from the base of (2476)
Transliterated Word
TDNT Entry
Stauros
7:572,1071
Phonetic Spelling
Parts of Speech
stow-ros'
Noun Masculine
Definition
1. an upright stake, esp. a pointed one
2. a cross
a. a well known instrument of most cruel and ignominious punishment, borrowed by the Greeks and Romans from the Phoenicians; to it were affixed among the Romans, down to the time of Constantine the Great, the guiltiest criminals, particularly the basest slaves, robbers, the authors and abetters of insurrections, and occasionally in the provinces, at the arbitrary pleasure of the governors, upright and peaceable men also, and even Roman citizens themselves
b. the crucifixion which Christ underwent
NAS Word Usage - Total: 27
cross 27
NAS Verse Count
Matthew
5
Mark
4
Luke
3
John
4
1 Corinthians
2
Galatians
3
Ephesians
1
Philippians
2
Colossians
2
Hebrews
1
Total
27
Greek lexicon based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary plus others; this is keyed to the large Kittel and the "Theological Dictionary of the New Testament." These files are public domain.
Bibliography Information
Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon entry for Stauros". "The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon". . 1999. [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/stauros.html ON 11/16/2013]
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NOT A CROSS TO BE FOUND
Rev. Dr. Michael T. Welhous
One of the reasons why I pursued a degree in Christian ministry, and became an ordained Nondenominational Christian minister, was because I became increasingly disturbed at what I heard coming from the pulpits of the various churches I attended. I had been studying the Scriptures for many years, and it amazed me that the congregations were not hearing the simple truths contained in God’s word. I felt the need to share with people the truth about what the Bible actually says about various things. All to often, people accept what the various members of the clergy state as fact, without questioning it and without taking the time to verify their statements.
Most of these truths are not difficult to understand. They are simple Scriptural facts that are not being conveyed to the people. One such truth is the fact that most English translations of the Bible refer to a “cross,” yet the fact is that the word “cross” is an inaccurate translation of the original Greek word stauros. Simply put, a “cross,” i.e., two intersecting beams of wood, is nowhere to be found in the Bible!
The cross has become the foremost symbol in Christendom, so this would obviously be disturbing news to many Christians who have crosses hanging on their walls, around their necks, on loved ones graves, in front of their churches, on the alter of their churches, and even mentioned in songs they sing.
The question, however, must be asked: “Since nothing in the ancient Greek manuscripts which were compiled to form the New Testament portion of the Bible, suggests nor implies an instrument composed of two intersecting beams of wood, then where did the term, image, and subsequent symbol come from?”
First, there is no doubt that the Greek word stauros has been inaccurately translated as “cross.” In Classical Greek literature, stauros simply meant “an upright stake or post.” The verb stauroo meant “to fence with pales (stakes), to form a stockade (a barrier constructed from stakes or timbers driven upright into the ground one beside the other).” There is nothing at all found in the Scriptures to suggest a crossbeam of any kind at any angle, therefore, staurosmeans the same thing in the Bible, as it did in Classical Greek writings.
Second, there is another Greek word used by the New Testament writers when describing the execution of Jesus. It is the word xylon, which means “timber,” and by implication “a stick, club or tree.” Notice again that there is nothing to suggest a crossbeam of any kind or at any angle. Consider the following references where xylon occurs, and notice that it is consistently translated “tree.”
Acts 5:30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 10:39 “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews,
and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”
Acts 13:29 “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down
from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse
for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.”
1 Peter 2:24 “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
Interestingly, when we read the Septuagint, which was the Greek translation of the Old Testament written in the same koine, i.e. “common” Greek as the New Testament, we find xylon at Ezra 6:11. There it is spoken of as “timber” on which the violator of the law was to be hanged.
“And a decree has been made by me, that every man who shall alter this word, timber
shall be pulled down from his house, and let him be lifted up and slain upon it, and his
house shall be confiscated.” (Ezra 6:11, The Septuagint – An English Translation)
If we were to read the Bible in the original languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek – we would NEVER have the mental picture of a “cross.” Even when the Bible began to be translated into Latin, translators used the Latin word crux, which also does not specifically suggest a two-beam intersecting instrument.
The Latin dictionary by Lewis and Short states that the meaning of crux was “a tree, frame, or other wooden instruments of execution, on which criminals were impaled or hanged.” In the writings of Livy, who was a Roman historian of the first century B.C., crux means merely a stake.
“[Crucifixion] was an ancient mode of capital punishment, and is said to have been devised by Semiramis. It was in use by the Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Carthaginians, Scythians, Greeks, Romans, and ancient Germans. It was a most shameful and degrading punishment, and among the Romans was the fate of robbers, assassins, and rebels. It was especially the punishment of criminal slaves. There were several kinds of crosses used.” (Manners And Customs Of The Bible, James M. Freeman, page 394, paragraph 2.) [Semiramis was a Mesopotamian queen.]
Since there were many kinds of impalement instruments used by the Romans and the other nations, to definitively identify any particular “cross,” and relate to others that it is the exact type of “cross” that Jesus died on, especially given the Scriptural evidence of simply a “stake” and “tree,” is for a clergy member or Bible teacher, irresponsible at best!
In writing to the believers in Galatia, Paul said, “though we [i.e., the apostles], or an angel
from heaven, publicly announce any other gospel to you than that which we have publicly
announced to you, let him be eternally condemned. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man publicly announce any other gospel to you than that you have received,
let him be eternally condemned.” (Galatians 1:8-9) Given Paul’s exhortation, we must
make every effort NEVER to add anything to God’s word by publicly announcing something
that simply is not what the Bible is announcing. The Bible speaks of the “stake” and the “tree,” NEVER a “cross.” [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.devotedservants.com/cross.htm ON 11/16/2013]
AND
Where was Jesus put on when he was crucified?
Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi (MENJ) has invested his creativity into creating the following little problem:
In Mark 15: 32, we are told that Jesus was put on a "cross" to be crucified:
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
The word for "cross" here in Greek is "stauros", which James Strong defined as:
(4716) from the base of 2476; a stake or post (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) a pole or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Yet in I Peter 2:24, we are told that Jesus was crucified on the "tree":
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
The word for "tree" in Greek is "xulon", and is defined by Strong as:
(3586)from another form of the base of 3582; timber (as fuel or material); by implication a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance: --staff, stocks, tree, wood.[2]
The error here is obvious. The Greek word "stauros" means definitively a "cross". There is no double meaning employed to the word. Whereas the word xulon can be translated interchangeably as "wood", "staff", "tree", etc. but in the case of I Peter 2:24, it is translated as "tree". Now we need to ask why would the word xulon was used in the first place when there is a more definitive word for it, "stauros", if the verse really intends to mean the "cross"?
It is therefore obvious that the word xulon is indeed used for "tree" in I Peter 2:24, and therefore there is a contradiction with Mark 15: 32.
RESPONSE:
The only obvious error is Menj's misreading and manhandling of both the biblical texts and his own lexical sources. He claims that "stauros" definitely means "cross", all the while ignoring the very own lexicon he quotes which states:
(4716) from the base of 2476; A STAKE OR POST (as set upright), i.e. (specifically) A POLE or cross (as an instrument of capital punishment); figuratively, exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication, the atonement of Christ: --cross.[1]
Furthermore, do notice the different meanings given by Thayer's Lexicon for "xulon":
3586 xulon {xoo'-lon}
1) wood
a) THAT WHICH IS MADE OF WOOD
1) AS A BEAM from which any one is suspended, a gibbet, A CROSS
2) a log or timber with holes in which the feet, hands, neck of prisoners were inserted and fastened with thongs
3) a fetter, or shackle for the feet
4) a cudgel, stick, staff
2) a tree
AV - tree 10, staff 5, wood 3, stocks 1; 19 (Source: Blueletter Bible)
Notice how this same word is used elsewhere in the NT:
"‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and CLUBS (xulon) to capture me?’" Mark 14:48
No one assumes that "xulon" here means tree, that is unless of course one wants to claim that the soldiers were armed with actual trees! And:
"Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the STOCKS (xulon)." Acts 16:24
"If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, WOOD (xula), hay or straw." 1 Corinthians 3:12
This demonstrates that "xulon" means different things in different contexts and doesn't always refer to an actual tree. Since Strong's lists "cross" as a plausible meaning of "xulon", this in itself refutes Menj's alleged contradiction.
Second, 1 Peter 2:24 is not the only place where Peter refers to Christ being crucified on ‘a tree’:
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead - whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 5:30
"We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree (epi xulou)." Acts 10:39
Interestingly, Luke who recorded Peter's speeches in Acts also wrote that Jesus was crucified on a cross (stauros):
"But they kept shouting, ‘Crucify him (staurou)! Crucify him (staurou auton)!’ ... As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross (ton stauron) on him and made him carry it behind Jesus ... When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him (estaurosan auton), along with the criminals - one on his right, the other on his left." Luke 23:21,26,33
That Luke could mention Jesus being crucified on a cross while recording Peter's statements that Jesus was hanged on a "tree" demonstrates that these Christians saw no problem with these statements. Unlike Menj, they realized that both "stauros" and "xulon" could be used interchangeably in referring to Christ's crucifixion. This is further seen from the Apostle Paul:
"When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree (tou xulou) and laid him in a tomb." Acts 13:29
Paul says that Christ was brought down from the tree. Yet the same Paul speaks of Jesus being crucified on a cross:
"For the message of the cross (tou staurou) is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18
quot;Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross (to skandalon tou staurou) has been abolished." Galatians 5:11
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (en to stauro tou Kuriou hemon 'Iesou Christou ), through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Galatians 6:14
Paul clues us in as to why both Peter and he could speak of Christ hanging on a tree:
"All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree (epi xulou).’ He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." Galatians 3:10-14
The phrase refers to one who is accursed of God for failing to obey the commands. Christ being crucified on a cross was a sign that Christ had become a curse for us since he had become our sin bearer, taking upon himself the punishment that we deserved in order that we who believe may be forgiven by God. In the words of the Apostle Peter:
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree (to xulon), so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:21-25
Messianic Jewish believer, Dr. David H. Stern sums it up best. In his comments on Acts 5:30, Stern writes:
Stake. Greek xulon, which KJV renders "tree" here and four other places (10:39, 13:29; Ga. 3:13; I Ke [Sam- Peter] 2:24), all referring to what Yeshua was hanged on until he died. Yeshua was not hanged on a tree, but on a stavros, usually translated "cross" and in the JNT translated "execution-stake," as explained in Mt 10:38N. The word "xulon" is used instead of stavros in these five placesbecause all of them quote or allude to Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the Hebrew word is "'etz," normally rendered into Septuagint Greek as "xulon." Both Hebrew 'etz and Greekxulon can mean "tree, wood, stake, stick" depending on context. In Deuteronomy 21:22-23, where the subject is hanging, an 'etz is any piece of wood which a person can be hanged, i.e. a stake (perhaps if metal gallows had existed, a different word would have been used). If Luke had meant a tree and not a stake, the Greeks had a word for it, "dendron," which he could have used but didn't. Therefore, while at Mt 26:47 and Mk 14:48 xulon means "stick," at Lk 23:31 and Rv 18:12 it means "wood," and at Rv 2:7 it has to mean "tree," here it means "stake"... (Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary [Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc., Clarksville Maryland, 1996], p. 237; bold emphasis ours)
In light of the preceding considerations, we once again see that Menj has failed to prove a real bonafide contradiction in the Scriptures. His criticisms only expose his lack of understanding regarding the historical and cultural context in which the New Testament was written.
In the service of King Jesus forever, the crucified and risen Lord of eternal glory. Amen. [source - retrieved from http://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Menj/stauros.htm on 11/16/2013]
AND,
ull Definition of STAURO-
: cross <stauromedusae> <stauroscope>
Origin of STAURO-
LL, fr. LGk, fr. Gk stauros pale, stake, cross
This word doesn't usually appear in our free dictionary, but the definition from our premium Unabridged Dictionary is offered here on a limited basis. Note that some information is displayed differently in the Unabridged.
To access the complete Unabridged Dictionary, with an additional 300,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary, [SOURCE - RETRIEVED FROM http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stauro- ON 11/16/2013]
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] EVOLUTION DISPROVED BY MATHEMATICS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 278A]
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. Ezekiel 37:15 – 17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This may seem strange and cause individuals to ask what is the meaning of joining together of the two sticks. Actually this was a message of hope given to the Prophet Ezekiel to let him know that the unification of Israel at that time was to take place where Israel was being restored to Israel. To understand this message, we must understand what the two sticks signified and what Ezekiel wrote on them. On one he wrote, “For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions,” and on the other, “For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.” The symbolic significance of joining the two sticks together symbolized the coming together once more of the ancient nation of Israel
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] EVOLUTION DISPROVED BY MATHEMATICS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE:
Let's face the fact that you must have a support system there to sustain life once it arrives, and this would be another system that must come into existence simultaneously with life for it to continue once it was created in some manner. As shown, just the possibility of life coming into existence is, as shown by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, is 10 to the 123 a number so large as to stagger the imagination. Or consider: 103 means 1,000, a thousand. 10 to 103 zerosis a number that that has 1 followed by 1000 zeros. If there are six zeros, it's called a million; if nine, a billion; if twelve, a trillion and so on. There is not even a name for a number that has 1 followed by 10 to 123 zeros. And that it is a well known in practical mathematical probability reality that, a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros means "zero probability". Penrose's number is more than trillion trillion trillion times less than that. In short, Penrose's number tells us that the 'accidental" or "coincidental" creation of our universe is an impossibility.
Now let's consider in light of this the possibility of the support system to sustain life once it arrives would also have the same probability and what this means in overall probability terms under mathematical permeations and combinations. If life only has one chance in 10 to 123 zeros of arriving and one chance of the support system being there to sustain it of the same probability, this would mean a joint probability of 10 to 15129 zeros. Therefore, if we have a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros meaning "zero probability" which would mean zero (0) probability of life arriving given that it has 10 to 123 possibility, the possibility of both being there, that is life arriving along with the infrastructure to support it of 10 to 15129 zeros, it is absurd to even consider this even a remote possibility even given infinite time, even more so than 10 to 123 zeros.
Therefore, we can clued at Dr. Roger Pemrose did that that life is the product specific of a Creator (YHWH). How precise the Creator's aim must have been, namely to an accuracy of one part in 10 to123. As Dr. Roger Pemrose noted in his research article on the subject that this is an extraordinary figure. As another writer, Harun Yahya, noted, One could not possibly even write the number down in full in the ordinary denary notation: it would be 1 followed by 10 to 123 successive 0's. Even if we were to write a 0 on each separate proton and on each separate neutron in the entire universe- and we could throw in all the other particles for good measure- we should fall far short of writing down the figure needed.
In fact in order to recognize that the universe is not a "product of coincidences" one does not really need any of these calculations at all. Simply by looking around himself, a person can easily perceive the fact of creation in even the tiniest details of what he sees. How could a universe like this, perfect in its systems, the sun, the earth, people, houses, cars, trees, flowers, insects, and all the other things in it ever have come into existence as the result of atoms falling together by chance after an explosion? Every detail we peer at shows the evidence of God's existence and supreme power. Only people who reflect can grasp these signs.[source - The Equilibrium in the Explosion, by Harun Yahya ]
For further visual proof, just look at the common fig tree, a part of the necessary infrastructure to support life as we know it. The Bible says the following with respect the fig tree in the old testament:
Deuteronomy 8:8 - (Authorized King James; AV)
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
Judges 9:10 - (AV)
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
Judges 9:11 - (AV)
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
1Kings 4:24 - (AV)
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
2Kings 18:31 - (AV)
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
Psalms 105:33 - (AV)
He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
Proverbs 27:18 - (AV)
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
Song of Soloman 2:13 - (AV)
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Isaiah 34:4 - (AV)
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
Isaiah 36:16 - (AV)
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
Jermiah 5:17 - (AV)
And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
Jermiah 8:13 - (AV)
I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
Hosea 2:12 - (AV)
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
Hosea 9:10 - (AV)
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
Joel 1:7 - (AV)
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joel 1:12 - (AV)
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joel 2:22 - (AV)
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Amos 4:9 - (AV)
I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
Micah 4:4 - (AV)
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
The fig tree is one of the marvels of creation that shows that the Creator (YHWH) provided an amazing infrastructure for human life before he created man as stated at Genesis 1:11-12, "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, F3 the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." (AV).
The fig tree is one of the marvels of creation by Almighty God (YHWH). Many evolutionist claim life came about by chance reaction of elements to form low levels of life, but forget that the food for any life form must also be present for life to be sustained. Therefore, the fact that food sources, plants, were available at the right time, when an animal or reptile life form came into existence proves a higher power or intelligence was behind the appearance of life on the planet earth. Also, the right atmosphere must be present or the life form can not continue to exist; many other things must be present for a life form to succeed which the evolutionist conveniently forgot about or failed to take into account; therefore, the only answer is God (YHWH) as stated at Genesis 1:20, "And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." (American Standard Version; ASV).
The fig tree played a major part in life at the time of Jesus (Yeshua) and he used it in several powerful illustrations such as at Matthew 21:19-21, "And seeing a fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and he saith unto it, Let there be no fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree immediately wither away? 21 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done." (ASV)
The cursing of the fig tree, in Matthew 21:19, is explained by the fact that the fruit of this tree appears before the leaves, and a tree so full of leaves indicated that ripe figs should be there even though it was not yet the regular season. The meaning is then, that when one has the outward show of a good character, without its fruits, he is but a hypocrite, and of no value to the kingdom of God.
The fig tree and its fruit are well known; they were very common in Palastine, and there is mention often made of then in scripture. Our first parents clothed themselves with fig leaves, Genesis 3:7, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (ASV). The prophet Isaiah gave orders to apply a clump of figs to Hezekiah's boil: at 2 Kings 20:7, "And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs, And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." (ASV).
Scientifically the fig is ficus carica. It is a somewhat strange fruit since it is actually a collection of many fruits which grow, not in a flat umbel or from a cluster of stems as many fruits do, but inside of a fleshly receptacle. The outer wall of the fig is actually a stem with a specialized shape. It forms a cavity, in some cases almost closed, in which sprout a number of tiny flowers, some male and some female. In the Smyrna fig, this cavity is almost closed at the bottom end-the end which, in apples or pears, would correspond to the blossom end. And since Smyrnas bear only female flowers, it would seem that they would be doomed to falling, infertile, from the tree each year, for lack of pollination. Which is exactly what does happen without the aid of a specialized wasp, the fig wasp, or Blastophaga psenes, which has been busy fertilizing this type of fig for many centuries in the Old world. It was not unto this was understood and the wasp was imported to this country, that Smyrna figs were successfully grown here.
However the climate which favors the culture of fig trees is not always cogenial to the fig wasp. In this country the trees may be grown where the temperature does not go below 20 degrees for extended periods. While in its completely dormant state, the tree will sometimes even survive temperatures as low as 10 to 15 degrees, though after the buds start to swell, they will be damaged at 28 to 30 degrees. The wasps, unfortunately cannot stand this cold.
However, the common fig, in contrast to the Smyrnas fig, produces its fruit asexually and any pollination or seed development which follows is not necessary to the production of fruit. Trees of the San Pedro group produce two crops, the first asexually and the second which must be fertilized by pollen from the caprifig. These two types of trees are recommended for home gardeners, even those who live in mild climates where the wasps can grow.
Fig trees are rapid growing like many tropical plants. Under favorable conditions, cuttings of certain varieties may be raised to tree size and bear a crop in the first year. I believe the easiest to grow for the home gardener are the Brown Turkey, Celeste, and the Green Ischia. When I lived in Charleston, South Carolina, I had two wonderful Celeste fig trees. One grew 20 ft. high and covered one side of a not so beautiful shead.
Besides producing a bountiful crop, fig trees, especially the Brown Turkey and the Celeste make very beautiful additions to the landscape with their large green leaves giving a tropical garden effect; however they will not grow much further north than Durham, North Carolina. If you decide to grow figs, please do NOT give them too much fertilizer, because if you do you will get plenty of leaves, but very little fruit. Also, do NOT grow on soil where cotton has ever been grown as a disease that cotton puts into the ground, cotton root rot, will kill the plant in time. Also supply sufficient water in hot dry weather, but not too much. In reality the tree does not require a lot of attention and few insects bother it extensively.
Once more, with the need of the Smyrnas fig for its relationship with the fig wasp shows the marvels of creation and that evolutionist are in error.
If you decide to grow figs or any of the other fruits I write about, please post your results and suggestions for all to see.
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 278A]
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand. Ezekiel 37:15 – 17, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
This may seem strange and cause individuals to ask what is the meaning of joining together of the two sticks. Actually this was a message of hope given to the Prophet Ezekiel to let him know that the unification of Israel at that time was to take place where Israel was being restored to Israel. To understand this message, we must understand what the two sticks signified and what Ezekiel wrote on them. On one he wrote, “For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions,” and on the other, “For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.” The symbolic significance of joining the two sticks together symbolized the coming together once more of the ancient nation of Israel
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
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5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] EVOLUTION DISPROVED BY MATHEMATICS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE:
Let's face the fact that you must have a support system there to sustain life once it arrives, and this would be another system that must come into existence simultaneously with life for it to continue once it was created in some manner. As shown, just the possibility of life coming into existence is, as shown by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, is 10 to the 123 a number so large as to stagger the imagination. Or consider: 103 means 1,000, a thousand. 10 to 103 zerosis a number that that has 1 followed by 1000 zeros. If there are six zeros, it's called a million; if nine, a billion; if twelve, a trillion and so on. There is not even a name for a number that has 1 followed by 10 to 123 zeros. And that it is a well known in practical mathematical probability reality that, a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros means "zero probability". Penrose's number is more than trillion trillion trillion times less than that. In short, Penrose's number tells us that the 'accidental" or "coincidental" creation of our universe is an impossibility.
Now let's consider in light of this the possibility of the support system to sustain life once it arrives would also have the same probability and what this means in overall probability terms under mathematical permeations and combinations. If life only has one chance in 10 to 123 zeros of arriving and one chance of the support system being there to sustain it of the same probability, this would mean a joint probability of 10 to 15129 zeros. Therefore, if we have a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros meaning "zero probability" which would mean zero (0) probability of life arriving given that it has 10 to 123 possibility, the possibility of both being there, that is life arriving along with the infrastructure to support it of 10 to 15129 zeros, it is absurd to even consider this even a remote possibility even given infinite time, even more so than 10 to 123 zeros.
Therefore, we can clued at Dr. Roger Pemrose did that that life is the product specific of a Creator (YHWH). How precise the Creator's aim must have been, namely to an accuracy of one part in 10 to123. As Dr. Roger Pemrose noted in his research article on the subject that this is an extraordinary figure. As another writer, Harun Yahya, noted, One could not possibly even write the number down in full in the ordinary denary notation: it would be 1 followed by 10 to 123 successive 0's. Even if we were to write a 0 on each separate proton and on each separate neutron in the entire universe- and we could throw in all the other particles for good measure- we should fall far short of writing down the figure needed.
In fact in order to recognize that the universe is not a "product of coincidences" one does not really need any of these calculations at all. Simply by looking around himself, a person can easily perceive the fact of creation in even the tiniest details of what he sees. How could a universe like this, perfect in its systems, the sun, the earth, people, houses, cars, trees, flowers, insects, and all the other things in it ever have come into existence as the result of atoms falling together by chance after an explosion? Every detail we peer at shows the evidence of God's existence and supreme power. Only people who reflect can grasp these signs.[source - The Equilibrium in the Explosion, by Harun Yahya ]
For further visual proof, just look at the common fig tree, a part of the necessary infrastructure to support life as we know it. The Bible says the following with respect the fig tree in the old testament:
Deuteronomy 8:8 - (Authorized King James; AV)
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
Judges 9:10 - (AV)
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
Judges 9:11 - (AV)
But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
1Kings 4:24 - (AV)
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
2Kings 18:31 - (AV)
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his cistern:
Psalms 105:33 - (AV)
He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
Proverbs 27:18 - (AV)
Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.
Song of Soloman 2:13 - (AV)
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Isaiah 34:4 - (AV)
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
Isaiah 36:16 - (AV)
Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria, Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern;
Jermiah 5:17 - (AV)
And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
Jermiah 8:13 - (AV)
I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
Hosea 2:12 - (AV)
And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.
Hosea 9:10 - (AV)
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.
Joel 1:7 - (AV)
He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.
Joel 1:12 - (AV)
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joel 2:22 - (AV)
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.
Amos 4:9 - (AV)
I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.
Micah 4:4 - (AV)
But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.
The fig tree is one of the marvels of creation that shows that the Creator (YHWH) provided an amazing infrastructure for human life before he created man as stated at Genesis 1:11-12, "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, F3 the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." (AV).
The fig tree is one of the marvels of creation by Almighty God (YHWH). Many evolutionist claim life came about by chance reaction of elements to form low levels of life, but forget that the food for any life form must also be present for life to be sustained. Therefore, the fact that food sources, plants, were available at the right time, when an animal or reptile life form came into existence proves a higher power or intelligence was behind the appearance of life on the planet earth. Also, the right atmosphere must be present or the life form can not continue to exist; many other things must be present for a life form to succeed which the evolutionist conveniently forgot about or failed to take into account; therefore, the only answer is God (YHWH) as stated at Genesis 1:20, "And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." (American Standard Version; ASV).
The fig tree played a major part in life at the time of Jesus (Yeshua) and he used it in several powerful illustrations such as at Matthew 21:19-21, "And seeing a fig tree by the way side, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only; and he saith unto it, Let there be no fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And immediately the fig tree withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree immediately wither away? 21 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do what is done to the fig tree, but even if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea, it shall be done." (ASV)
The cursing of the fig tree, in Matthew 21:19, is explained by the fact that the fruit of this tree appears before the leaves, and a tree so full of leaves indicated that ripe figs should be there even though it was not yet the regular season. The meaning is then, that when one has the outward show of a good character, without its fruits, he is but a hypocrite, and of no value to the kingdom of God.
The fig tree and its fruit are well known; they were very common in Palastine, and there is mention often made of then in scripture. Our first parents clothed themselves with fig leaves, Genesis 3:7, "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (ASV). The prophet Isaiah gave orders to apply a clump of figs to Hezekiah's boil: at 2 Kings 20:7, "And Isaiah said, Take a cake of figs, And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." (ASV).
Scientifically the fig is ficus carica. It is a somewhat strange fruit since it is actually a collection of many fruits which grow, not in a flat umbel or from a cluster of stems as many fruits do, but inside of a fleshly receptacle. The outer wall of the fig is actually a stem with a specialized shape. It forms a cavity, in some cases almost closed, in which sprout a number of tiny flowers, some male and some female. In the Smyrna fig, this cavity is almost closed at the bottom end-the end which, in apples or pears, would correspond to the blossom end. And since Smyrnas bear only female flowers, it would seem that they would be doomed to falling, infertile, from the tree each year, for lack of pollination. Which is exactly what does happen without the aid of a specialized wasp, the fig wasp, or Blastophaga psenes, which has been busy fertilizing this type of fig for many centuries in the Old world. It was not unto this was understood and the wasp was imported to this country, that Smyrna figs were successfully grown here.
However the climate which favors the culture of fig trees is not always cogenial to the fig wasp. In this country the trees may be grown where the temperature does not go below 20 degrees for extended periods. While in its completely dormant state, the tree will sometimes even survive temperatures as low as 10 to 15 degrees, though after the buds start to swell, they will be damaged at 28 to 30 degrees. The wasps, unfortunately cannot stand this cold.
However, the common fig, in contrast to the Smyrnas fig, produces its fruit asexually and any pollination or seed development which follows is not necessary to the production of fruit. Trees of the San Pedro group produce two crops, the first asexually and the second which must be fertilized by pollen from the caprifig. These two types of trees are recommended for home gardeners, even those who live in mild climates where the wasps can grow.
Fig trees are rapid growing like many tropical plants. Under favorable conditions, cuttings of certain varieties may be raised to tree size and bear a crop in the first year. I believe the easiest to grow for the home gardener are the Brown Turkey, Celeste, and the Green Ischia. When I lived in Charleston, South Carolina, I had two wonderful Celeste fig trees. One grew 20 ft. high and covered one side of a not so beautiful shead.
Besides producing a bountiful crop, fig trees, especially the Brown Turkey and the Celeste make very beautiful additions to the landscape with their large green leaves giving a tropical garden effect; however they will not grow much further north than Durham, North Carolina. If you decide to grow figs, please do NOT give them too much fertilizer, because if you do you will get plenty of leaves, but very little fruit. Also, do NOT grow on soil where cotton has ever been grown as a disease that cotton puts into the ground, cotton root rot, will kill the plant in time. Also supply sufficient water in hot dry weather, but not too much. In reality the tree does not require a lot of attention and few insects bother it extensively.
Once more, with the need of the Smyrnas fig for its relationship with the fig wasp shows the marvels of creation and that evolutionist are in error.
If you decide to grow figs or any of the other fruits I write about, please post your results and suggestions for all to see.
LEARN MORE AT WWW.JW.ORG
Admin- Admin
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Join date : 2012-11-14 -
Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sat Oct 01, 2016 10:37 am
COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] COLLECTION OF STATEMENTS BY SCIENTIST AGAINST EVOLUTION.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 279A]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
A warning is given to the wicked to leave alone the righteous at Proverbs 24:15, [AV] “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:” We must remain in the faith and encourage others to do the same as shown at Acts 14:22, [AV] “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
And all that lead righteous lives will receive persecution just as Jesus (Yeshua) did as told at 2 Timothy 3:12, [AV] “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” But we will not suffer more persecution than we can endure per 1 Corinthians 10:13, [AV] “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] A COLLECTION OF STATEMENTS BY SCIENTIST AGAINST EVOLUTION.
FIRST - Commentary on Sstudy of Homology
You might be interested in one hole in evolution blown wide open by Dr. Michael Denton as pointed out in a book by Luther D. Sunderland, with respect the study of homology and its impact on showing the short comings of Evolution theory, and it is of course nothing but a theory. What is homology? It is the study of similarities in structures between different types of organisms. Bus as Sunderland makes clear that when the concentration of red blood cells is used, the homology that is man's is more closely related to fish, frogs, and birds than to sheep for example. Therefore the study and development of molecular biology has made possible a comparison of the same cell types in different species thus adding a entire new dimension to homology. This has proved unfortunate for the evolutionist as molecular biology presents great evidence against the arguments for the evolution theory.
Quote:
In molecular biology, proteins of the same type in different organisms can be tested for difference in amino acid makeup. The figure resulting is converted into a percentage. The lower the percentage, the less difference there is between the proteins. Dr. Michael Denton, in experiments with Cytochrome C, a protein that converts food into energy, and hemoglobin, found the following. Cytochrome C Differences Cytochrome C DifferencesBacterium to Six Organisms Silkmoth to Vertebratesto yeast . . . . . . . 69% to lamprey . . . . .27%to wheat . . . . . . . 66% to carp. . . . . . .25%to silkmoth. . . . . . 65% to pigeon. . . . . .26%to tuna. . . . . . . . 65% to turtle. . . . . .25%to pigeon. . . . . . . 64% to horse . . . . . .30%to horse . . . . . . . 64%Cytochrome C Differences Hemoglobin DifferencesCarp to Terrestrial Vertebrates Lamprey to Other Vertebratesto bullfrog. . . . . . 13% to human . . . . . .73%to turtle. . . . . . . 13% to kangaroo. . . . .76%to chicken . . . . . . 14% to chicken . . . . .78%to rabbit. . . . . . . 13% to frog. . . . . . .76%to horse . . . . . . . 13% to carp. . . . . . .75%Dr. Denton states, "There is not a trace at a molecular level of the traditional evolutionary series: fish to amphibian to reptile to mammal. Incredibly man is closer to lamprey than are fish."[sources - Sunderland, Luther D., Darwin's Enigma, Fossils and Other Problems (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1988), and EVIDENCES AGAINST EVOLUTION by By Kevin Martin]
As you can readily see you are quite correct when you say the theory of evolution has holes in it.
SECOND - A BIOLOGIST LOOKS AT EVOLUTION/CREATION:
A biologist sent me an email on how he looks at evolution/creation that all should read and learn from as it shows why from a point of reason that he believes in Creation and NOT Evolution:
As a biologist i am often saturated by evolutionary teachings. i dont know much about textual criticism but i do know evolution/creation. so i thought i would share thoughts about what i know:
according to some evolutionary theories our ancestor that branched into the human lineage and chimp lineage existed seven million yrs ago. it is also stated that we have about 3 billion base pairs in our dna which 3% or 90 million is expressed or used. compared to chimps there is only about a 1% difference from our base pairs to theirs.in other words their dna matches ours
by about 99% which accounts for similarities.so only only 1% of 90 mill or about 90,000 base pairs in our dna is really what makes us human.
well to many this proves evolution.it doesn't.according to this there were 90,000 mutations in only 7 mill yrs. all these mutations had to be profitable (mutations are harmful the majority of the time i.e.cancer)they had to be retained and passed on to the next generation.this is so unlikely. if we had a mutation in our pelvis/spinal column that favored pernament upright mvt or a mutation is our skin cells that shed all our chimp hair how did the mutations migraten into our sperm/ovaries. mutations anywhere else would simply die with us. they would have to occur in the sex cells to be passed on. not to mention the present rate of mutation in our sex cells is about 1/10,000 or 1/100,000 generations so it is impossible to have occured in 7 mill yrs. some who try and say evolution is a product of god use this to show only divine intervention could of made such mutations.........i feel this proves it is impossible.
so why do we resemble lower animals? it is simple: we all came from the SAME god and were created by the SAME elements and live in the SAME environment so we should expect such similarities.
now my question: could someone give me a pretty good list of stative verbs or is "was" and "is" the only ones? and what exactly qualifies something as a predicate nominative ? is it simply they are connected by stative verbs? my question stems from a point Broth Stafford made that many examples people use to show the nwt is not faithful to there translation principle of an anarthrous theos are not predicate nominatives and so i want to know what makes something such?................................................thanx
Thus, we see even reasonable men of science thou not knowing much with respect know much about textual criticism still discerns the Truth with respect Creation from what he knows about science and mathmatics.
THIRD – Discovery on Darwin
There are many that think evolution is fact, but many leading scientist strongly disagree with Darwin. Why? Because he is wrong. To learn the truth, go to the following web site:
www.dissentfromdarwin.org
Once you visit this site you will see I am absolutely correct with respect what I posted on creation.
Also, check out the over 500 top scientist that disagree with Darwin and with my contention about creation, go to:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2732
and learn who they are from the "Discovery Institute News"
To learn the facts with respect to whether microevolution can account for macroevolution, go to:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?id=118
Finally, the Discovery Institute says, "Finally, if you have a Ph.D. in engineering, mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry, or one of the other natural sciences, and you agree with the following statement, "We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged," then please contact us at cscinfo@discovery.org. "
If you have questions you wish to ask of the Discovery Institute, you can reach them on the phone at
206-292-0401
TO LEARN MORE, GO TO WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 279A]
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. Psalms 34:19, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
A warning is given to the wicked to leave alone the righteous at Proverbs 24:15, [AV] “Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:” We must remain in the faith and encourage others to do the same as shown at Acts 14:22, [AV] “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
And all that lead righteous lives will receive persecution just as Jesus (Yeshua) did as told at 2 Timothy 3:12, [AV] “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” But we will not suffer more persecution than we can endure per 1 Corinthians 10:13, [AV] “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] A COLLECTION OF STATEMENTS BY SCIENTIST AGAINST EVOLUTION.
FIRST - Commentary on Sstudy of Homology
You might be interested in one hole in evolution blown wide open by Dr. Michael Denton as pointed out in a book by Luther D. Sunderland, with respect the study of homology and its impact on showing the short comings of Evolution theory, and it is of course nothing but a theory. What is homology? It is the study of similarities in structures between different types of organisms. Bus as Sunderland makes clear that when the concentration of red blood cells is used, the homology that is man's is more closely related to fish, frogs, and birds than to sheep for example. Therefore the study and development of molecular biology has made possible a comparison of the same cell types in different species thus adding a entire new dimension to homology. This has proved unfortunate for the evolutionist as molecular biology presents great evidence against the arguments for the evolution theory.
Quote:
In molecular biology, proteins of the same type in different organisms can be tested for difference in amino acid makeup. The figure resulting is converted into a percentage. The lower the percentage, the less difference there is between the proteins. Dr. Michael Denton, in experiments with Cytochrome C, a protein that converts food into energy, and hemoglobin, found the following. Cytochrome C Differences Cytochrome C DifferencesBacterium to Six Organisms Silkmoth to Vertebratesto yeast . . . . . . . 69% to lamprey . . . . .27%to wheat . . . . . . . 66% to carp. . . . . . .25%to silkmoth. . . . . . 65% to pigeon. . . . . .26%to tuna. . . . . . . . 65% to turtle. . . . . .25%to pigeon. . . . . . . 64% to horse . . . . . .30%to horse . . . . . . . 64%Cytochrome C Differences Hemoglobin DifferencesCarp to Terrestrial Vertebrates Lamprey to Other Vertebratesto bullfrog. . . . . . 13% to human . . . . . .73%to turtle. . . . . . . 13% to kangaroo. . . . .76%to chicken . . . . . . 14% to chicken . . . . .78%to rabbit. . . . . . . 13% to frog. . . . . . .76%to horse . . . . . . . 13% to carp. . . . . . .75%Dr. Denton states, "There is not a trace at a molecular level of the traditional evolutionary series: fish to amphibian to reptile to mammal. Incredibly man is closer to lamprey than are fish."[sources - Sunderland, Luther D., Darwin's Enigma, Fossils and Other Problems (El Cajon, CA: Master Books, 1988), and EVIDENCES AGAINST EVOLUTION by By Kevin Martin]
As you can readily see you are quite correct when you say the theory of evolution has holes in it.
SECOND - A BIOLOGIST LOOKS AT EVOLUTION/CREATION:
A biologist sent me an email on how he looks at evolution/creation that all should read and learn from as it shows why from a point of reason that he believes in Creation and NOT Evolution:
As a biologist i am often saturated by evolutionary teachings. i dont know much about textual criticism but i do know evolution/creation. so i thought i would share thoughts about what i know:
according to some evolutionary theories our ancestor that branched into the human lineage and chimp lineage existed seven million yrs ago. it is also stated that we have about 3 billion base pairs in our dna which 3% or 90 million is expressed or used. compared to chimps there is only about a 1% difference from our base pairs to theirs.in other words their dna matches ours
by about 99% which accounts for similarities.so only only 1% of 90 mill or about 90,000 base pairs in our dna is really what makes us human.
well to many this proves evolution.it doesn't.according to this there were 90,000 mutations in only 7 mill yrs. all these mutations had to be profitable (mutations are harmful the majority of the time i.e.cancer)they had to be retained and passed on to the next generation.this is so unlikely. if we had a mutation in our pelvis/spinal column that favored pernament upright mvt or a mutation is our skin cells that shed all our chimp hair how did the mutations migraten into our sperm/ovaries. mutations anywhere else would simply die with us. they would have to occur in the sex cells to be passed on. not to mention the present rate of mutation in our sex cells is about 1/10,000 or 1/100,000 generations so it is impossible to have occured in 7 mill yrs. some who try and say evolution is a product of god use this to show only divine intervention could of made such mutations.........i feel this proves it is impossible.
so why do we resemble lower animals? it is simple: we all came from the SAME god and were created by the SAME elements and live in the SAME environment so we should expect such similarities.
now my question: could someone give me a pretty good list of stative verbs or is "was" and "is" the only ones? and what exactly qualifies something as a predicate nominative ? is it simply they are connected by stative verbs? my question stems from a point Broth Stafford made that many examples people use to show the nwt is not faithful to there translation principle of an anarthrous theos are not predicate nominatives and so i want to know what makes something such?................................................thanx
Thus, we see even reasonable men of science thou not knowing much with respect know much about textual criticism still discerns the Truth with respect Creation from what he knows about science and mathmatics.
THIRD – Discovery on Darwin
There are many that think evolution is fact, but many leading scientist strongly disagree with Darwin. Why? Because he is wrong. To learn the truth, go to the following web site:
www.dissentfromdarwin.org
Once you visit this site you will see I am absolutely correct with respect what I posted on creation.
Also, check out the over 500 top scientist that disagree with Darwin and with my contention about creation, go to:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2732
and learn who they are from the "Discovery Institute News"
To learn the facts with respect to whether microevolution can account for macroevolution, go to:
http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/filesDB-download.php?id=118
Finally, the Discovery Institute says, "Finally, if you have a Ph.D. in engineering, mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry, or one of the other natural sciences, and you agree with the following statement, "We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged," then please contact us at cscinfo@discovery.org. "
If you have questions you wish to ask of the Discovery Institute, you can reach them on the phone at
206-292-0401
TO LEARN MORE, GO TO WWW.JW.ORG
Admin- Admin
- Posts : 3717
Join date : 2012-11-14 -
Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:54 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 280A]
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Psalms 94:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
It is important to learn Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) statues as testified to by Psalms 119:71 – 72, [AV] “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” If we are counted as among the righteous ones loved by God, He will per Hebrews 12:6 - 7, [AV] “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” And Isaiah 54:13, [AV] says, “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Always remember that, 2 Peter 2:9, [AV] “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Medlar, is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae. One, Mespilus germanica, is a long-known native of southwest Asia and possibly also southeastern Europe, and the other, Mespilus canescens, was discovered in North America in 1990.
Mespilus germanica features an unusual apple-like fruit that requires bletting to eat; they are not widely eaten today, but were more frequently consumed in the past.
Plant
Mespilus are deciduous large shrubs to small trees growing up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall. The leaves are dark green and elliptic, 6–15 centimetres (2.4–5.9 in) long and 3–4 centimetres (1.2–1.6 in) wide. The leaves turn red in autumn before falling. The five-petaled white flowers, produced in late spring, are hermaphrodite and pollinated by bees. The fruit is a pome, 2–3 centimetres (0.79–1.2 in) in diameter, with wide-spreading persistent sepals giving a "hollow" appearance to the fruit; it is matte brown in M. germanica and glossy red in M. canescens.
History
Mespilus germanica is apparently native only to Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe, i.e. near the Black Sea coast and western Mediterranean, and Asia Minor, as well as the Caucasus and Northern Iran, but it has an ancient history of cultivation and wild plants exist in a much wider area; it was grown by the ancient Greeks and Romans, beginning in the 2nd century BCE. Mespilus germanica was a very popular fruit in Western Europe during the Victorian era;[citation needed] but has fallen out of favour there.
Related plants
Within subfamily Amygdaloideae, Mespilus is most closely related to Crataegus, Amelanchier, Peraphyllum, and Malacomeles.[2]
The genus Eriobotrya was once considered to be closely related to Mespilus. The loquat, one of several Eriobotrya species, was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known in some European countries as a medlar and is still sometimes called the "Japanese Medlar".
Many authors group Mespilus together with Crataegus in a single genus, with species names Crataegus germanica (L.) Kuntze, and Crataegus ×canescens (J. B. Phipps) T. A. Dickinson & E. Y. Y. Lo.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Availability
Medlars are not widely available at present, though one can purchase the fruit and trees of Mespilus germanica from specialists.
Trees
The trees are self-fertilizing and long-lived (they can be hundreds of years old), and saplings are cheaply available by mail order in the UK.
Notes
1. ^ Potter, D., et al. (2007). Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 5–43. [Referring to the subfamily by the name "Spiraeoideae"]
2. ^ Campbell, C.S.; Evans, R.C.; Morgan, D.R.; Dickinson, T.A.; Arsenault, M.P. (2007). Phylogeny of subtribe Pyrinae (formerly the Maloideae, Rosaceae): Limited resolution of a complex evolutionary history. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 119–145.
3. ^ Scopoli, G.A. 1760. Flora Carniolica Exhibens Plantas Carniolae Indigenas et Distributas in Classes Naturales cum Differentiis Specificis, Synonymis Recentiorum, Locis Natalibus, Nominibus Incolarum, Observationibus Selectis, Viribus Medicis..
4. ^ Castiglioni, L.G. 1790. Luigi Castiglioni's Viaggio travels in the United States of North America 1785-1787 with natural history commentary and Luigi Castiglioni's Botanical Observations: Viaggio negli Stati Uniti dell' America Settentrionalle fatto negli Anni 1785, 1786 e 1787....
5. ^ Moench, C. 1794. Methodus Plantas Horti Botanici et Agri Marburgensis: Reprint with introduction and biography by William T. Stearn. Otto Koeltz Antiquariat, Koenigstein-Taunus.
6. ^ Koch, K. 1869. Dendrologie: Bäume, Sträucher und Halbsträucher, welche in Mittel- un Nord- Europa in Freien kultivirt werden. Verlag von Ferdinand Enke, Erlangen.
7. ^ Kuntze, O. 1891. Revisio generum plantarum. A. Felix, Leipzig.
* ^ Lo, E.; Stefanovi?, S.; Dickinson, T.A. (2007). Molecular reapprasial of relationships between Crataegus and Mespilus (Rosaceae, Pyreae) – Two genera or one? Systematic Botany. 32(3): 596–616. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus on 2/23/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)
To learn more about the Medlar and see pictures of the fruit, go to, http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/376/
Now to know the truth, go to:
1) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 280A]
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; 13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Psalms 94:12 – 13, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
It is important to learn Almighty God’s (YHWH’s) statues as testified to by Psalms 119:71 – 72, [AV] “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. 72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” If we are counted as among the righteous ones loved by God, He will per Hebrews 12:6 - 7, [AV] “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” And Isaiah 54:13, [AV] says, “And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Always remember that, 2 Peter 2:9, [AV] “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Medlar, is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the family Rosaceae. One, Mespilus germanica, is a long-known native of southwest Asia and possibly also southeastern Europe, and the other, Mespilus canescens, was discovered in North America in 1990.
Mespilus germanica features an unusual apple-like fruit that requires bletting to eat; they are not widely eaten today, but were more frequently consumed in the past.
Plant
Mespilus are deciduous large shrubs to small trees growing up to 8 metres (26 ft) tall. The leaves are dark green and elliptic, 6–15 centimetres (2.4–5.9 in) long and 3–4 centimetres (1.2–1.6 in) wide. The leaves turn red in autumn before falling. The five-petaled white flowers, produced in late spring, are hermaphrodite and pollinated by bees. The fruit is a pome, 2–3 centimetres (0.79–1.2 in) in diameter, with wide-spreading persistent sepals giving a "hollow" appearance to the fruit; it is matte brown in M. germanica and glossy red in M. canescens.
History
Mespilus germanica is apparently native only to Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe, i.e. near the Black Sea coast and western Mediterranean, and Asia Minor, as well as the Caucasus and Northern Iran, but it has an ancient history of cultivation and wild plants exist in a much wider area; it was grown by the ancient Greeks and Romans, beginning in the 2nd century BCE. Mespilus germanica was a very popular fruit in Western Europe during the Victorian era;[citation needed] but has fallen out of favour there.
Related plants
Within subfamily Amygdaloideae, Mespilus is most closely related to Crataegus, Amelanchier, Peraphyllum, and Malacomeles.[2]
The genus Eriobotrya was once considered to be closely related to Mespilus. The loquat, one of several Eriobotrya species, was formerly thought to be closely related to the genus Mespilus, and is still sometimes known in some European countries as a medlar and is still sometimes called the "Japanese Medlar".
Many authors group Mespilus together with Crataegus in a single genus, with species names Crataegus germanica (L.) Kuntze, and Crataegus ×canescens (J. B. Phipps) T. A. Dickinson & E. Y. Y. Lo.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Availability
Medlars are not widely available at present, though one can purchase the fruit and trees of Mespilus germanica from specialists.
Trees
The trees are self-fertilizing and long-lived (they can be hundreds of years old), and saplings are cheaply available by mail order in the UK.
Notes
1. ^ Potter, D., et al. (2007). Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 5–43. [Referring to the subfamily by the name "Spiraeoideae"]
2. ^ Campbell, C.S.; Evans, R.C.; Morgan, D.R.; Dickinson, T.A.; Arsenault, M.P. (2007). Phylogeny of subtribe Pyrinae (formerly the Maloideae, Rosaceae): Limited resolution of a complex evolutionary history. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 119–145.
3. ^ Scopoli, G.A. 1760. Flora Carniolica Exhibens Plantas Carniolae Indigenas et Distributas in Classes Naturales cum Differentiis Specificis, Synonymis Recentiorum, Locis Natalibus, Nominibus Incolarum, Observationibus Selectis, Viribus Medicis..
4. ^ Castiglioni, L.G. 1790. Luigi Castiglioni's Viaggio travels in the United States of North America 1785-1787 with natural history commentary and Luigi Castiglioni's Botanical Observations: Viaggio negli Stati Uniti dell' America Settentrionalle fatto negli Anni 1785, 1786 e 1787....
5. ^ Moench, C. 1794. Methodus Plantas Horti Botanici et Agri Marburgensis: Reprint with introduction and biography by William T. Stearn. Otto Koeltz Antiquariat, Koenigstein-Taunus.
6. ^ Koch, K. 1869. Dendrologie: Bäume, Sträucher und Halbsträucher, welche in Mittel- un Nord- Europa in Freien kultivirt werden. Verlag von Ferdinand Enke, Erlangen.
7. ^ Kuntze, O. 1891. Revisio generum plantarum. A. Felix, Leipzig.
* ^ Lo, E.; Stefanovi?, S.; Dickinson, T.A. (2007). Molecular reapprasial of relationships between Crataegus and Mespilus (Rosaceae, Pyreae) – Two genera or one? Systematic Botany. 32(3): 596–616. (source - retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mespilus on 2/23/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)
To learn more about the Medlar and see pictures of the fruit, go to, http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/376/
Now to know the truth, go to:
1) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religious-truths.forums.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DISCOURSE ON THE LATEST FLAVOR OF WORLDLY WISDOM - EVOLUTION:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 281A]
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As the Psalmist said at Psalms 3:3, [AV] “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Clearly showing that Almighty God (YHWH) is a shield to the righteous, and will lift them up. Yes, He will deliver them per Psalms 37:40, [AV] “And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” And this is amplified at Psalms 96:11 - 9, [AV] “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” Yes,per Proverbs 2:7, [AV] “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] DISCOURSE ON THE LATEST FLAVOR OF WORLDLY WISDOM - EVOLUTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout all the ages so called intellectuals have NOT been able to accept the simple fact found at Genesis 1:1, " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (American Standard Version; ASV). They have continually come up with all kinds of theories through the ages that sound plausible at the time, but centuries later are proven false, to deny the obvious that both the earth and all that is on it was the result of creation by intelligent being either directly and/or through is only begotten son as a master worker. Why? They either consciously or unconsciously do not want to admit and/or acknowledge that their very existence is due to special creation by a Creator (YHWH) that we call Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at Genesis 28:3, "And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples." (ASV).
Why is this? Because men want to make sense of the world around them, but many do NOT want to admit that there is an intelligent being greater than they are due to pride and ego. As mentioned previously, they have come up with all kinds of theories to explain their existence and the existence and substance of the earth through the centuries. Early on some individuals speculated that mankind came from elsewhere and/or were produced by plants as a form of living 'fruit'; strange as it may seem, even today there are those who still theorize that we came from other planets. In fact, at this very point in time, NASA of the US government is spending a fortune in an attempt to determine if life ever existed on Mars. This is nothing but a veiled attempt to try and prove the Bible in error as they can not state their real purpose publically as the US Constitution's First Amendment states that the government can NOT state or determine religious beliefs, and wisely so.
WITH RESPECT THE EARTH:
With respect the earth, so called intellectuals early on stated that a great turtle gave existence to it and carried it on his back, foolishness true, but this foolish theory was believed by many for centuries and gave birth to a later theory that the earth was flat. This caused most sailors to not stray far from land for fear of falling off of the earth. However, one daring admiral, Christopher Clumbus challenged this theory and found the so called new world. Yet even to this day, there exist a society that still argues the earth is flat, The Flat Earth Society. This group says the following, (1) Why we don't believe the world is round , (2) Scientific data and measurements backing up our claims, and they are now located in California the last I heard. Yet the Bible clearly showed at Isaiah 40:22, "[It is] he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;" (ASV) . Here God (YHWH) is spoken of as viewing the earth from heaven in terms that are quite similar to the views sent back to earth by the Hubble Space Telescope. Of course, there are the so called intellectuals that will say this scripture is speaking of a flat plane in the form of a circle or otherwise the word globe or sphere would have been used here, but they overlook what the original word was here was the ancient Hebrew word "chug" which means circle or sphere as they had one word for both. One commentator on this said, "Before the time of Columbus, many scientists taught that the earth was flat. However, the Bible contained the truth more than 2,100 years before Columbus. Isaiah the prophet wrote the word of God:
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, . . . Isaiah 40:22. (KJV) (See also Proverbs 8:27.)
Did you notice the expression "circle of the earth?" The original Hebrew word is (chug), which means circle and sphere.5 This Hebrew word contains the scientific truth that the earth is round and is a sphere. Obviously, Isaiah did not" [source - www.oldpaths.com/Archive/.../ch09.html].
PRESENT PSEUDO-SCIENCE MASQUERADING AS TRUE SCIENCE:
Of course this foolish pseudo-science masquerading under the label scientific continues into the present time, and continues to mislead and deceive the gullible. The latest flavor of this so called worldly scientific wisdom, really foolishness, is called the theory of evolution. It has more holes in it, of course, than a sieve. What is this latest theory of pseudo-science? Well the American Heritage Dictionary defines evolution as, "A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. See synonyms at development. 2a. The process of developing. b. Gradual development. 3. Biology a. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species. b. The historical development of a related group of organisms; phylogeny. 4. A movement that is part of a set of ordered movements. 5. Mathematics The extraction of a root of a quantity." (source - American Heritage Dictionary, 4 edition), but starting with Charles Darwin it became a theory not for incremental changes in life forms, but for the origin of life itself. He postulated that over very long periods of time that by chance occurrence the necessary elements that exist in all life forms came together and life came into existence which of course makes as much sense as saying the necessary elements came together and presto you have a new Ford sedan.
Of course this theory is easily blown to bits with the mathematics of probability as was done by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, and other mathematicians such as Dr. James Coppedge, of the Center for Probability Research in Biology in California, made some amazing calculations like those of Dr. Roger Penrose proved this pseudo-scientific theory impossible. Also, Sir Fred Hoyle, British mathematician and astronomer, was quoted in Nature magazine, November 12, 1981, as saying "The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way (evolution) is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein."[source - Nature Magazine, November 12, 1981]. If this is not enough mathematical holes for this pseudo-scientific theory, Emile Borel, a French scientist and expert in the area of probability, an event on the cosmic level with a probability of less than 1 out of 10, to the 50th power, will not happen, which agrees exactly with the findings of Dr. Roger Penrose. As one can readily be see, evolution theory has flunked based on mathematics alone.
But let's face the fact that you must have a support system there to sustain life once it arrives, and this would be another system that must come into existence simultaneously with life for it to continue once it was created in some manner. As shown, just the possibility of life coming into existence is, as shown by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, previously mentioned, is 10 to the 123 a number so large as to stagger the imagination. Or consider: 103 means 1,000, a thousand. 10 to 103 zeros is a number that that has 1 followed by 1000 zeros. If there are six zeros, it's called a million; if nine, a billion; if twelve, a trillion and so on. There is not even a name for a number that has 1 followed by 10 to 123 zeros. And that it is a well known in practical mathematical probability reality that, a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros means "zero probability". Penrose's number is more than trillion trillion trillion times less than that. In short, Penrose's number tells us that the 'accidental" or "coincidental" creation of our universe is an impossibility.
In fact, one believer in this false pseudo-science even once went so far as to say, "First things first - can people please stop posting this c**p about evolution being scientifically impossible. If ", clearly showing that some have their mind made up, and do not wish to be confused with the facts when they threaten their security blanket of false belief(s).
THE BIBLE ON CREATION:
FIRST, The Bible at Genesis makes the clear comment on how all came into existence in chapter 1 of Genesis, but the believers in pseudo-science say this is metaphorical and not literal like the parables spoken by Jesus (Yeshua) to illustrate points. However, there is NOTHING in the style of text of Genesis chapter 1 to indicate this contention of the believers in pseudo-science as it is clear and straight-forward and not metaphorical. Let's look at Genesis chapter 1 in detail.
Genesis 1:1 says, "n the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (ASV), clearly straight-forward and not metaphorical which is defined as, "a figure of speech which makes an implied comparison between things which are not literally alike," [source - Webster"s New Standard Dictionary published by McLoughlin Brothers, Inc.]. The fact that this chapter is obviously literal and NOT metaphorical can also clearly be seen in the following factual verses showing the creative days, The first creative day, Day 1, being when God (YHWH) caused light to shine on the watery deep that covered the earth, note, the earth as featureless sphere in space had existed for unknown eons of time before God (YHWH) started his creation of it and/or transformation of it into a livable planet, Genesis 1:2-31, "And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
The second creative day, Day 2, being when God (YHWH) caused an expanse to come to be between the earth and the water canopy above, 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
The third creative day, Day 3, being when God (YHWH) caused the dry land to appear above the water and had vegetation created to provide the infrastructure for later higher life forms such as humans.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, [and] fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
The fourth creative day, Day 4, being when God (YHWH) caused the heavenly luminaries to become discernable within the expanse, through the water canopy. 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
The fifth creative day, Day 5, being when God (YHWH) caused the creation of marine and flying creatures. 20 And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.
The sixth creative day, Day 6, being when God (YHWH) caused the creation of land animals and mankind. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: 30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, [I have given] every green herb for food: and it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (ASV). Clearly God (YHWH) inspired his scribe, the faithful man Moses (Mosche) to put the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of man to literally describe in the words of men the thoughts of God (YHWH).
Of course some pseudo-science scoffers will say this could not have happened within a day, but they overlook what the ancient Hebrew word commonly translated 'day' in English means. But let's us find about the ancient Hebrew often translated 'day' in English, da (yom; hemera):
"DAY - da (yom; hemera), from the International Encyclopedia of the Bible:
This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Genesis 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Psalms 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see Matthew 20:1-12; John 11:9; Acts 23:23); 6 a. m. would correspond to the first hour, 9 a. m. to the third; 12 noon to the sixth, etc. The hours were longer during the longer days and shorter during the shorter days, since they always counted 12 hours between sunrise and sunset.
(2) Day also means a period of 24 hours, or the time from sunset to sunset. In Bible usage the day begins with sunset (see Leviticus 23:32; Exodus 12:15-20; 2 Corinthians 11:25, where night is put before day). See DAY AND NIGHT.
(3) The word "day" is also used of an indefinite period, e. g "the day" or "day that" means in general "that time" (see Genesis 2:4; Leviticus 14:2); "day of trouble" (Psalms 20:1); "day of his wrath" (Job 20:28); "day of Yahweh" (Isaiah 2:12); "day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10); "day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2);. "day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
(4) It is used figuratively also in John 9:4, where "while it is day" means "while I have opportunity to work, as daytime is the time for work." In 1 Thessalonians 5:5,8, "sons of the day" means spiritually enlightened ones.
(5) We must also bear in mind that with God time is not reckoned as with us (see Psalms 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).
(6) The apocalyptic use of the word "day" in Daniel 12:11; Revelation 2:10, etc., is difficult to define. It evidently does not mean a natural day. See APOCALYPSE.
(7) On the meaning of "day" in the story of Creation we note (a) the word "day" is used of the whole period of creation (Genesis 2:4); (b) these days are days of God, with whom one day is as a thousand years; the whole age or period of salvation is called "the day of salvation"; see above. So we believe that in harmony with Bible usage we may understand the creative days as creative periods"[source - International Encyclopedia of the Bible]
As can readily be seen, these pseudo-science critics of what the Bible says do not have and/or do not want to admit the facts on the creative day as being a period of time NOT otherwise defined, but definitely a period of thousands of years or longer as shown by meanings #6 and #7 from the International Encyclopedia of the Bible. It literally means a period of time..
This fact, that a creative day is a long period of time is clearly shown by the fact that we are living in the seventh creative day, Day 7, in which God (YHWH) proceeded to rest or desist from his creative works on earth as testified to at Genesis 2:1-3, "And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made." (ASV).
This fact, that we are still in the 7 th day is clearly shown at Hebrews 4:3-11, " For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; 5 and in this [place] again, They shall not enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7 he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts. 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience." (ASV); and at Hebrews 3:17-18, " And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient?" (ASV).
NOT CHANCE CREATION, BUT ORDERLY WELL PLANNED CREATION.
Whereas, the pseudo-sciences put forth chance occurrence of life which mathematics and other sciences have clearly shown as impossible, the Bible shows an orderly, not chaotic, creation where life forms did not evolve from one type to another but were created suddenly. This is testified to at Job 38:1-11 & 33, "Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon were 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? 8 Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb; 9 When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it, 10 And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?" & "Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? " (ASV); and at 1 Corinthians 14:33, "for God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, " (ASV).
Also, this order of creation shows intelligent planning in that the heavenly angels were created before the earth as shown at Job 38:4 & 7, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding." & "When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (ASV).
Clearly, the claim by some pseudo-science believers that the creation account of Genesis chapter 1 is metaphorical is shown to be nothing but wishful thinking on their part by Psalms 33:6, "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the deeps in store-houses. 8 Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." (ASV); and also by Nehemiah 9:6, "Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." (ASV); and by Revelation 10:6, "and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer:" (ASV); and Psalms 136:1-9, "Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; For he is good; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever. 2 Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever. 3 Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 5 To him that by understanding made the heavens; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 6 To him that spread forth the earth above the waters; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 7 To him that made great lights; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever:" (ASV).
WHO DID GOD (YHWH) USE AS HIS MASTER WORKER TO ASSIST HIM IN CREATING ALL?
Some believers in the false pseudo-sciences of evolution and the flat earth point to Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (ASV), and attempt to use this to back up their false claim that this shows that the account is not literal but metaphorical. But this shows nothing of the kind, he was here speaking with his only begotten son, his first of creation, who God (YHWH) later put his life into the womb of the virgin Mary to be born as our savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ.
This fact is clearly shown in the Bible in many places, In Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV) which clearly shows that God (YHWH) used him as his MASTER WORKMAN with respect to the creation of the heavens and the earth and all living things that are upon the earth.
This fact, that Jesus (YHWH) served as his master worker is clearly and literally testified to at Colossians 1:12-17, "giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist." (ASV) which clearly shows him as "before all things, and in him all things consist" and that his Father (YHWH) used him in the "all things have been created through him, and unto him." And this fact that all things were made through him by God (YHWH) is testified to at Hebrews 1:1-2, "God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds" (ASV); and John 1:3 & 10, "All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made." & "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not." (ASV).
Clearly these verses show that God (YHWH) created all that exist and used his only begotten son, the first of creation, as his master worker with respect the creation of all else that exist, and not the theory of pseudo-science evolution, and that he created the earth as a sphere and not flat as claimed by another theory of pseudo-science.
However, some of the believers in these false theories of pseudo-science claim the Bible contradicts itself since Isaiah 45:18 says, "For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else." (ASV) which says God (YHWH) created all, or point to Revelation 4:11, "Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created." (ASV); or to Ephesians 3:9, "and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;" (ASV); or Amos 4:13, " For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought; that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the Earth--jehovah, the God of hosts, is his name." (ASV). But is their foolish contention reasonable? NO. This is even actually clearly shown in Revelation 4:11 if one stops to think about it as it says, ", and because of thy will they were, and were created," which clearly shows that others may have done some of the work at his direction. Now what are the real facts on this?
To fully comprehend/understand these scriptures, we must understand Biblical law of agencies often called the Jewish Law of Agencies or Schaliach Principle or their error would probably be self evident to them. But his principle is clearly shown by example at 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus," (Confraternity Edition of The New Testament; CETNT).
Some may find this a difficult concept, but is is similar to someone giving another a Limited Power of Attorney making him an agent to carry out an assigned task as did His Father (YHWH) at 1 Corinthians 15:22-28, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." (Authorized King James Bible; AV), testifies that God (YHWH) had given his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) over all except himself when the scripture says "it is manifest that he is excepted." Clearly showing they were distinct individuals and that the Father (YHWH) was the superior one; hence they are not co-equal.
Actually this is in keeping with an ancient law or custom commonly known as the Jewish Law of Agencies as follows, "Jesus (Yeshua) was God's (YHWH's) appointed agent in accordance with the 'Biblical law of agency' described as, "Scripture mentions something being done by Person A, whilst another mentions it being done by Person B. This is best understood when we grasp the Schaliach Principle, or the Jewish Law of Agency, which is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." [source - The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder]
It is important to understand this law of agencies since this will enhance our understanding of many key texts and protect you from the pseudo-intellegent arguments of evolutionist and flat earthers, such as why the Judges and angels were called "God" (Ex. 21:6; 22:8; Ps. 8:5; 82:1). Many more instances could be provided, but brevity is in order here. John 8:54 drives this law of agency home, "Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God." (CETNT), showing that Jesus (Yeshua) was his Father's (YHWH's) agent, and he sought not his own glory, but glory from his Father (YHWH). Therefore, Jesus (Yeshua) could say as he did at John 11:40, "Jesus said to her, 'Have I not told thee that if thou believe thou shalt behold the glory of God?'" (CETNT). Even Satan the Devil recognized this, Jesus (Yeshua), as God's (YHWH's) agent, 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In their case, the god of this world has blinded their unbelieving minds, that they should not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible); thus he is trying to blind the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from recognizing this truth with such pseudo-science as evolution and the flat earth, and other like false claims and theories. We must be constantly on guard against the imaginations of Satan the Devil and his attempts to get all men to believe God (YHWH) dishonoring doctrines of men such as the pseudo-science theories put forth by claimed intellectual individuals such as evolution and the flat earth, and be noble like the Beroeans, Acts 17:11, "Now these were of a nobler character than those of Thessalonica and they received the word with great eagerness, studying the Scriptures every day to see whether these things were so." (CETNT).
CONCLUSION:
From the foregoing it is clear that God (YHWH) caused all to be created by direct creation as clearly shown by the Bible and by the spontaneous arrival of different life forms on earth. The pseudo-science claims falsely that this came about by evolution over long periods of time and that one form of life evolved into another form. However, neither the Bible and/or physical facts support this theory. As Psalms 10:1-4 states, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun," (ASV).
Of course, man can not fully understand the creative works of God (YHWH), and God's (YHWH's) arch enemy makes use of this fact to mislead many with pseudo-science which comes as no surprise as it was foretold at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (ASV) . In fact Ecclesiastes 8:17 says, " then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it." (ASV); and Ecclesiastes 11:5 brings this fact 'home', "As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all." (ASV); and Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end." (ASV)
Last, the most exacting of the true sciences, mathematics, as previously mentioned proves the false science of the pseudo-science group to be foolishness as previously stated and here now repeated, the mathematics of probability as was done by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, and other mathematicians such as Dr. James Coppedge, of the Center for Probability Research in Biology in California, made some amazing calculations like those of Dr. Roger Penrose proved this pseudo-scientific theory impossible. Also, Sir Fred Hoyle, British mathematician and astronomer, was quoted in Nature magazine, November 12, 1981, as saying "The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way (evolution) is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein."[source - Nature Magazine, November 12, 1981]. If this is not enough mathematical holes for this pseudo-scientific theory, Emile Borel, a French scientist and expert in the area of probability, an event on the cosmic level with a probability of less than 1 out of 10, to the 50th power, will not happen, which agrees exactly with the findings of Dr. Roger Penrose. As one can readily be see, evolution theory has flunked based on mathematics alone.
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 281A]
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalms 18:2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As the Psalmist said at Psalms 3:3, [AV] “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Clearly showing that Almighty God (YHWH) is a shield to the righteous, and will lift them up. Yes, He will deliver them per Psalms 37:40, [AV] “And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” And this is amplified at Psalms 96:11 - 9, [AV] “O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. 2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. 4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” Yes,per Proverbs 2:7, [AV] “He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”
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[2] DISCOURSE ON THE LATEST FLAVOR OF WORLDLY WISDOM - EVOLUTION:
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout all the ages so called intellectuals have NOT been able to accept the simple fact found at Genesis 1:1, " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (American Standard Version; ASV). They have continually come up with all kinds of theories through the ages that sound plausible at the time, but centuries later are proven false, to deny the obvious that both the earth and all that is on it was the result of creation by intelligent being either directly and/or through is only begotten son as a master worker. Why? They either consciously or unconsciously do not want to admit and/or acknowledge that their very existence is due to special creation by a Creator (YHWH) that we call Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at Genesis 28:3, "And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples." (ASV).
Why is this? Because men want to make sense of the world around them, but many do NOT want to admit that there is an intelligent being greater than they are due to pride and ego. As mentioned previously, they have come up with all kinds of theories to explain their existence and the existence and substance of the earth through the centuries. Early on some individuals speculated that mankind came from elsewhere and/or were produced by plants as a form of living 'fruit'; strange as it may seem, even today there are those who still theorize that we came from other planets. In fact, at this very point in time, NASA of the US government is spending a fortune in an attempt to determine if life ever existed on Mars. This is nothing but a veiled attempt to try and prove the Bible in error as they can not state their real purpose publically as the US Constitution's First Amendment states that the government can NOT state or determine religious beliefs, and wisely so.
WITH RESPECT THE EARTH:
With respect the earth, so called intellectuals early on stated that a great turtle gave existence to it and carried it on his back, foolishness true, but this foolish theory was believed by many for centuries and gave birth to a later theory that the earth was flat. This caused most sailors to not stray far from land for fear of falling off of the earth. However, one daring admiral, Christopher Clumbus challenged this theory and found the so called new world. Yet even to this day, there exist a society that still argues the earth is flat, The Flat Earth Society. This group says the following, (1) Why we don't believe the world is round , (2) Scientific data and measurements backing up our claims, and they are now located in California the last I heard. Yet the Bible clearly showed at Isaiah 40:22, "[It is] he that sitteth above the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in;" (ASV) . Here God (YHWH) is spoken of as viewing the earth from heaven in terms that are quite similar to the views sent back to earth by the Hubble Space Telescope. Of course, there are the so called intellectuals that will say this scripture is speaking of a flat plane in the form of a circle or otherwise the word globe or sphere would have been used here, but they overlook what the original word was here was the ancient Hebrew word "chug" which means circle or sphere as they had one word for both. One commentator on this said, "Before the time of Columbus, many scientists taught that the earth was flat. However, the Bible contained the truth more than 2,100 years before Columbus. Isaiah the prophet wrote the word of God:
It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, . . . Isaiah 40:22. (KJV) (See also Proverbs 8:27.)
Did you notice the expression "circle of the earth?" The original Hebrew word is (chug), which means circle and sphere.5 This Hebrew word contains the scientific truth that the earth is round and is a sphere. Obviously, Isaiah did not" [source - www.oldpaths.com/Archive/.../ch09.html].
PRESENT PSEUDO-SCIENCE MASQUERADING AS TRUE SCIENCE:
Of course this foolish pseudo-science masquerading under the label scientific continues into the present time, and continues to mislead and deceive the gullible. The latest flavor of this so called worldly scientific wisdom, really foolishness, is called the theory of evolution. It has more holes in it, of course, than a sieve. What is this latest theory of pseudo-science? Well the American Heritage Dictionary defines evolution as, "A gradual process in which something changes into a different and usually more complex or better form. See synonyms at development. 2a. The process of developing. b. Gradual development. 3. Biology a. Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species. b. The historical development of a related group of organisms; phylogeny. 4. A movement that is part of a set of ordered movements. 5. Mathematics The extraction of a root of a quantity." (source - American Heritage Dictionary, 4 edition), but starting with Charles Darwin it became a theory not for incremental changes in life forms, but for the origin of life itself. He postulated that over very long periods of time that by chance occurrence the necessary elements that exist in all life forms came together and life came into existence which of course makes as much sense as saying the necessary elements came together and presto you have a new Ford sedan.
Of course this theory is easily blown to bits with the mathematics of probability as was done by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, and other mathematicians such as Dr. James Coppedge, of the Center for Probability Research in Biology in California, made some amazing calculations like those of Dr. Roger Penrose proved this pseudo-scientific theory impossible. Also, Sir Fred Hoyle, British mathematician and astronomer, was quoted in Nature magazine, November 12, 1981, as saying "The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way (evolution) is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein."[source - Nature Magazine, November 12, 1981]. If this is not enough mathematical holes for this pseudo-scientific theory, Emile Borel, a French scientist and expert in the area of probability, an event on the cosmic level with a probability of less than 1 out of 10, to the 50th power, will not happen, which agrees exactly with the findings of Dr. Roger Penrose. As one can readily be see, evolution theory has flunked based on mathematics alone.
But let's face the fact that you must have a support system there to sustain life once it arrives, and this would be another system that must come into existence simultaneously with life for it to continue once it was created in some manner. As shown, just the possibility of life coming into existence is, as shown by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, previously mentioned, is 10 to the 123 a number so large as to stagger the imagination. Or consider: 103 means 1,000, a thousand. 10 to 103 zeros is a number that that has 1 followed by 1000 zeros. If there are six zeros, it's called a million; if nine, a billion; if twelve, a trillion and so on. There is not even a name for a number that has 1 followed by 10 to 123 zeros. And that it is a well known in practical mathematical probability reality that, a probability of 1 in 10 to 50 zeros means "zero probability". Penrose's number is more than trillion trillion trillion times less than that. In short, Penrose's number tells us that the 'accidental" or "coincidental" creation of our universe is an impossibility.
In fact, one believer in this false pseudo-science even once went so far as to say, "First things first - can people please stop posting this c**p about evolution being scientifically impossible. If ", clearly showing that some have their mind made up, and do not wish to be confused with the facts when they threaten their security blanket of false belief(s).
THE BIBLE ON CREATION:
FIRST, The Bible at Genesis makes the clear comment on how all came into existence in chapter 1 of Genesis, but the believers in pseudo-science say this is metaphorical and not literal like the parables spoken by Jesus (Yeshua) to illustrate points. However, there is NOTHING in the style of text of Genesis chapter 1 to indicate this contention of the believers in pseudo-science as it is clear and straight-forward and not metaphorical. Let's look at Genesis chapter 1 in detail.
Genesis 1:1 says, "n the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (ASV), clearly straight-forward and not metaphorical which is defined as, "a figure of speech which makes an implied comparison between things which are not literally alike," [source - Webster"s New Standard Dictionary published by McLoughlin Brothers, Inc.]. The fact that this chapter is obviously literal and NOT metaphorical can also clearly be seen in the following factual verses showing the creative days, The first creative day, Day 1, being when God (YHWH) caused light to shine on the watery deep that covered the earth, note, the earth as featureless sphere in space had existed for unknown eons of time before God (YHWH) started his creation of it and/or transformation of it into a livable planet, Genesis 1:2-31, "And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
The second creative day, Day 2, being when God (YHWH) caused an expanse to come to be between the earth and the water canopy above, 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, a second day.
The third creative day, Day 3, being when God (YHWH) caused the dry land to appear above the water and had vegetation created to provide the infrastructure for later higher life forms such as humans.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, [and] fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
The fourth creative day, Day 4, being when God (YHWH) caused the heavenly luminaries to become discernable within the expanse, through the water canopy. 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years: 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: [he made] the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
The fifth creative day, Day 5, being when God (YHWH) caused the creation of marine and flying creatures. 20 And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. 23 And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.
The sixth creative day, Day 6, being when God (YHWH) caused the creation of land animals and mankind. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: 30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, [I have given] every green herb for food: and it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (ASV). Clearly God (YHWH) inspired his scribe, the faithful man Moses (Mosche) to put the thoughts of God (YHWH) into the words of man to literally describe in the words of men the thoughts of God (YHWH).
Of course some pseudo-science scoffers will say this could not have happened within a day, but they overlook what the ancient Hebrew word commonly translated 'day' in English means. But let's us find about the ancient Hebrew often translated 'day' in English, da (yom; hemera):
"DAY - da (yom; hemera), from the International Encyclopedia of the Bible:
This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Genesis 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Psalms 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Genesis 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see Matthew 20:1-12; John 11:9; Acts 23:23); 6 a. m. would correspond to the first hour, 9 a. m. to the third; 12 noon to the sixth, etc. The hours were longer during the longer days and shorter during the shorter days, since they always counted 12 hours between sunrise and sunset.
(2) Day also means a period of 24 hours, or the time from sunset to sunset. In Bible usage the day begins with sunset (see Leviticus 23:32; Exodus 12:15-20; 2 Corinthians 11:25, where night is put before day). See DAY AND NIGHT.
(3) The word "day" is also used of an indefinite period, e. g "the day" or "day that" means in general "that time" (see Genesis 2:4; Leviticus 14:2); "day of trouble" (Psalms 20:1); "day of his wrath" (Job 20:28); "day of Yahweh" (Isaiah 2:12); "day of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10); "day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2);. "day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).
(4) It is used figuratively also in John 9:4, where "while it is day" means "while I have opportunity to work, as daytime is the time for work." In 1 Thessalonians 5:5,8, "sons of the day" means spiritually enlightened ones.
(5) We must also bear in mind that with God time is not reckoned as with us (see Psalms 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8).
(6) The apocalyptic use of the word "day" in Daniel 12:11; Revelation 2:10, etc., is difficult to define. It evidently does not mean a natural day. See APOCALYPSE.
(7) On the meaning of "day" in the story of Creation we note (a) the word "day" is used of the whole period of creation (Genesis 2:4); (b) these days are days of God, with whom one day is as a thousand years; the whole age or period of salvation is called "the day of salvation"; see above. So we believe that in harmony with Bible usage we may understand the creative days as creative periods"[source - International Encyclopedia of the Bible]
As can readily be seen, these pseudo-science critics of what the Bible says do not have and/or do not want to admit the facts on the creative day as being a period of time NOT otherwise defined, but definitely a period of thousands of years or longer as shown by meanings #6 and #7 from the International Encyclopedia of the Bible. It literally means a period of time..
This fact, that a creative day is a long period of time is clearly shown by the fact that we are living in the seventh creative day, Day 7, in which God (YHWH) proceeded to rest or desist from his creative works on earth as testified to at Genesis 2:1-3, "And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it; because that in it he rested from all his work which God had created and made." (ASV).
This fact, that we are still in the 7 th day is clearly shown at Hebrews 4:3-11, " For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he hath said somewhere of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; 5 and in this [place] again, They shall not enter into my rest. 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7 he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts. 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9 There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11 Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience." (ASV); and at Hebrews 3:17-18, " And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient?" (ASV).
NOT CHANCE CREATION, BUT ORDERLY WELL PLANNED CREATION.
Whereas, the pseudo-sciences put forth chance occurrence of life which mathematics and other sciences have clearly shown as impossible, the Bible shows an orderly, not chaotic, creation where life forms did not evolve from one type to another but were created suddenly. This is testified to at Job 38:1-11 & 33, "Then Jehovah answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon were 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? 8 Or [who] shut up the sea with doors, When it brake forth, [as if] it had issued out of the womb; 9 When I made clouds the garment thereof, And thick darkness a swaddling-band for it, 10 And marked out for it my bound, And set bars and doors, 11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; And here shall thy proud waves be stayed?" & "Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens? Canst thou establish the dominion thereof in the earth? " (ASV); and at 1 Corinthians 14:33, "for God is not [a God] of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, " (ASV).
Also, this order of creation shows intelligent planning in that the heavenly angels were created before the earth as shown at Job 38:4 & 7, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding." & "When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (ASV).
Clearly, the claim by some pseudo-science believers that the creation account of Genesis chapter 1 is metaphorical is shown to be nothing but wishful thinking on their part by Psalms 33:6, "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the deeps in store-houses. 8 Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 9 For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast." (ASV); and also by Nehemiah 9:6, "Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." (ASV); and by Revelation 10:6, "and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer:" (ASV); and Psalms 136:1-9, "Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; For he is good; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever. 2 Oh give thanks unto the God of gods; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever. 3 Oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 4 To him who alone doeth great wonders; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 5 To him that by understanding made the heavens; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 6 To him that spread forth the earth above the waters; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 7 To him that made great lights; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever: 8 The sun to rule by day; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever; 9 The moon and stars to rule by night; For his lovingkindness [endureth] for ever:" (ASV).
WHO DID GOD (YHWH) USE AS HIS MASTER WORKER TO ASSIST HIM IN CREATING ALL?
Some believers in the false pseudo-sciences of evolution and the flat earth point to Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (ASV), and attempt to use this to back up their false claim that this shows that the account is not literal but metaphorical. But this shows nothing of the kind, he was here speaking with his only begotten son, his first of creation, who God (YHWH) later put his life into the womb of the virgin Mary to be born as our savior, Jesus (Yeshua) Christ.
This fact is clearly shown in the Bible in many places, In Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV) which clearly shows that God (YHWH) used him as his MASTER WORKMAN with respect to the creation of the heavens and the earth and all living things that are upon the earth.
This fact, that Jesus (YHWH) served as his master worker is clearly and literally testified to at Colossians 1:12-17, "giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; 13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; 14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: 15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist." (ASV) which clearly shows him as "before all things, and in him all things consist" and that his Father (YHWH) used him in the "all things have been created through him, and unto him." And this fact that all things were made through him by God (YHWH) is testified to at Hebrews 1:1-2, "God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in [his] Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds" (ASV); and John 1:3 & 10, "All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made." & "He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not." (ASV).
Clearly these verses show that God (YHWH) created all that exist and used his only begotten son, the first of creation, as his master worker with respect the creation of all else that exist, and not the theory of pseudo-science evolution, and that he created the earth as a sphere and not flat as claimed by another theory of pseudo-science.
However, some of the believers in these false theories of pseudo-science claim the Bible contradicts itself since Isaiah 45:18 says, "For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else." (ASV) which says God (YHWH) created all, or point to Revelation 4:11, "Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created." (ASV); or to Ephesians 3:9, "and to make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God who created all things;" (ASV); or Amos 4:13, " For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought; that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the Earth--jehovah, the God of hosts, is his name." (ASV). But is their foolish contention reasonable? NO. This is even actually clearly shown in Revelation 4:11 if one stops to think about it as it says, ", and because of thy will they were, and were created," which clearly shows that others may have done some of the work at his direction. Now what are the real facts on this?
To fully comprehend/understand these scriptures, we must understand Biblical law of agencies often called the Jewish Law of Agencies or Schaliach Principle or their error would probably be self evident to them. But his principle is clearly shown by example at 1 Timothy 2:5, "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus," (Confraternity Edition of The New Testament; CETNT).
Some may find this a difficult concept, but is is similar to someone giving another a Limited Power of Attorney making him an agent to carry out an assigned task as did His Father (YHWH) at 1 Corinthians 15:22-28, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." (Authorized King James Bible; AV), testifies that God (YHWH) had given his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) over all except himself when the scripture says "it is manifest that he is excepted." Clearly showing they were distinct individuals and that the Father (YHWH) was the superior one; hence they are not co-equal.
Actually this is in keeping with an ancient law or custom commonly known as the Jewish Law of Agencies as follows, "Jesus (Yeshua) was God's (YHWH's) appointed agent in accordance with the 'Biblical law of agency' described as, "Scripture mentions something being done by Person A, whilst another mentions it being done by Person B. This is best understood when we grasp the Schaliach Principle, or the Jewish Law of Agency, which is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." [source - The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder]
It is important to understand this law of agencies since this will enhance our understanding of many key texts and protect you from the pseudo-intellegent arguments of evolutionist and flat earthers, such as why the Judges and angels were called "God" (Ex. 21:6; 22:8; Ps. 8:5; 82:1). Many more instances could be provided, but brevity is in order here. John 8:54 drives this law of agency home, "Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God." (CETNT), showing that Jesus (Yeshua) was his Father's (YHWH's) agent, and he sought not his own glory, but glory from his Father (YHWH). Therefore, Jesus (Yeshua) could say as he did at John 11:40, "Jesus said to her, 'Have I not told thee that if thou believe thou shalt behold the glory of God?'" (CETNT). Even Satan the Devil recognized this, Jesus (Yeshua), as God's (YHWH's) agent, 2 Corinthians 4:4, "In their case, the god of this world has blinded their unbelieving minds, that they should not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible); thus he is trying to blind the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from recognizing this truth with such pseudo-science as evolution and the flat earth, and other like false claims and theories. We must be constantly on guard against the imaginations of Satan the Devil and his attempts to get all men to believe God (YHWH) dishonoring doctrines of men such as the pseudo-science theories put forth by claimed intellectual individuals such as evolution and the flat earth, and be noble like the Beroeans, Acts 17:11, "Now these were of a nobler character than those of Thessalonica and they received the word with great eagerness, studying the Scriptures every day to see whether these things were so." (CETNT).
CONCLUSION:
From the foregoing it is clear that God (YHWH) caused all to be created by direct creation as clearly shown by the Bible and by the spontaneous arrival of different life forms on earth. The pseudo-science claims falsely that this came about by evolution over long periods of time and that one form of life evolved into another form. However, neither the Bible and/or physical facts support this theory. As Psalms 10:1-4 states, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament showeth his handiwork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night showeth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language; Their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun," (ASV).
Of course, man can not fully understand the creative works of God (YHWH), and God's (YHWH's) arch enemy makes use of this fact to mislead many with pseudo-science which comes as no surprise as it was foretold at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn [upon them]." (ASV) . In fact Ecclesiastes 8:17 says, " then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it." (ASV); and Ecclesiastes 11:5 brings this fact 'home', "As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, [nor] how the bones [do grow] in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all." (ASV); and Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end." (ASV)
Last, the most exacting of the true sciences, mathematics, as previously mentioned proves the false science of the pseudo-science group to be foolishness as previously stated and here now repeated, the mathematics of probability as was done by Dr. Roger Penrose, a famous British mathematician and Oxford fellow, and other mathematicians such as Dr. James Coppedge, of the Center for Probability Research in Biology in California, made some amazing calculations like those of Dr. Roger Penrose proved this pseudo-scientific theory impossible. Also, Sir Fred Hoyle, British mathematician and astronomer, was quoted in Nature magazine, November 12, 1981, as saying "The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way (evolution) is comparable with the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein."[source - Nature Magazine, November 12, 1981]. If this is not enough mathematical holes for this pseudo-scientific theory, Emile Borel, a French scientist and expert in the area of probability, an event on the cosmic level with a probability of less than 1 out of 10, to the 50th power, will not happen, which agrees exactly with the findings of Dr. Roger Penrose. As one can readily be see, evolution theory has flunked based on mathematics alone.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] CREATION OR EVOLUTION?
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 282A]
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 24:19 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should not be envious of the wicked and their prosperity per Proverbs 23:17 – 18, [AV] “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” As on Psalmist wrote at Psalms 9:17, [AV] “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” And Psalms 73:27 – 28, [AV] makes the point on the end results of both the wicked and the righteous as follows, “For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” And the same point is made by Proverbs 13:9, [AV] “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] CREATION OR EVOLUTION?
Why are there no exceptions to the laws of physics? Why does night follow day, the seasons follow one another, the stars and planets continue on course?
Most Christians believe that the regularity, the design evident in the universe, points to God, a supreme creative Intelligence.
Some scientists believe the universe is pointless, without rhyme or reason; that the human race is not the center piece, but a freak accident, the by-product of pointless material forces in a back water of the universe.
Others believe it is reasonable to believe in God the Creator, concluding from a study of the scientific evidence that a Supreme Intelligence is at work.
We do not believe God is like a super clockmaker, who then wound up the universe and left it to itself. We do not believe only in a god of the gaps, whom we use when we have no scientific explanation. We see God in the laws of nature. We do not believe in God because we need to do so, nor because we prefer to believe, as we prefer spaghetti rather than roast lamb and mint sauce. God often helps us feel good, but that is not a good reason to believe
Many of us believe the universe has been fine-tuned for the existence of humans, that a place for humans was built into the universe from the beginning. In fact, we believe the cosmos was made with us in mind. What evidence is there for this?
An enormous number of coincidences enable human life to exist. If the earth was smaller, gravity would be too weak to retain an atmosphere. If it were much bigger there would be too much hydrogen. If we were much closer to the sun it would be too hot for liquid water; if we were much further away it would be too cold for us.
Almost one hundred chemical elements occur in nature, the smallest being hydrogen, which appeared soon after the Big Bang. Nearly all the other elements were forged later when giant stars exploded. Most of the elements in our bodies were made in explosions before our sun was born.
If the force holding the hydrogen nuclei together had been much weaker, the process could not have gone past hydrogen. If this force had been only a bit stronger, the stars would have burned themselves out in millions of years, not the billions of years needed to produce life.
The production of life has depended on a fantastic and delicate balance of forces. If the nature of space had been slightly different the universe could have collapsed a fraction of a second after it began; or undergone such ferocious expansion that all matter, even atoms, would have been torn apart quickly.
We know now that neither the earth nor the sun is the centre of the universe. Our sun is like a pebble on an immense beach. Why is the universe so large?
If the universe was the size of Europe it would have lasted a few milliseconds. A universe the size of our solar system would have lasted a few hours.
To claim these coincidences and many others are the product of chance is like claiming a runaway truck in a rubbish dump produced the Mona Lisa.
To sum it all up (E-equals-MxC2) shows energy and matter can not be created or destroyed by any mechanism known to man and yet one or the other or both had to come in existence at sometime or nothing we now know including mankind itself would exist. Therefore, even if a Bible that tells who created all did not exist, the universe and all in it would clearly show the existence of a Creator.
Useful links (not mine):
http://www.geocities.com/davidjayjordan/EvolutionisaBIGLIE.html
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 282A]
Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; 20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 24:19 – 20, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
We should not be envious of the wicked and their prosperity per Proverbs 23:17 – 18, [AV] “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” As on Psalmist wrote at Psalms 9:17, [AV] “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” And Psalms 73:27 – 28, [AV] makes the point on the end results of both the wicked and the righteous as follows, “For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.” And the same point is made by Proverbs 13:9, [AV] “The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] CREATION OR EVOLUTION?
Why are there no exceptions to the laws of physics? Why does night follow day, the seasons follow one another, the stars and planets continue on course?
Most Christians believe that the regularity, the design evident in the universe, points to God, a supreme creative Intelligence.
Some scientists believe the universe is pointless, without rhyme or reason; that the human race is not the center piece, but a freak accident, the by-product of pointless material forces in a back water of the universe.
Others believe it is reasonable to believe in God the Creator, concluding from a study of the scientific evidence that a Supreme Intelligence is at work.
We do not believe God is like a super clockmaker, who then wound up the universe and left it to itself. We do not believe only in a god of the gaps, whom we use when we have no scientific explanation. We see God in the laws of nature. We do not believe in God because we need to do so, nor because we prefer to believe, as we prefer spaghetti rather than roast lamb and mint sauce. God often helps us feel good, but that is not a good reason to believe
Many of us believe the universe has been fine-tuned for the existence of humans, that a place for humans was built into the universe from the beginning. In fact, we believe the cosmos was made with us in mind. What evidence is there for this?
An enormous number of coincidences enable human life to exist. If the earth was smaller, gravity would be too weak to retain an atmosphere. If it were much bigger there would be too much hydrogen. If we were much closer to the sun it would be too hot for liquid water; if we were much further away it would be too cold for us.
Almost one hundred chemical elements occur in nature, the smallest being hydrogen, which appeared soon after the Big Bang. Nearly all the other elements were forged later when giant stars exploded. Most of the elements in our bodies were made in explosions before our sun was born.
If the force holding the hydrogen nuclei together had been much weaker, the process could not have gone past hydrogen. If this force had been only a bit stronger, the stars would have burned themselves out in millions of years, not the billions of years needed to produce life.
The production of life has depended on a fantastic and delicate balance of forces. If the nature of space had been slightly different the universe could have collapsed a fraction of a second after it began; or undergone such ferocious expansion that all matter, even atoms, would have been torn apart quickly.
We know now that neither the earth nor the sun is the centre of the universe. Our sun is like a pebble on an immense beach. Why is the universe so large?
If the universe was the size of Europe it would have lasted a few milliseconds. A universe the size of our solar system would have lasted a few hours.
To claim these coincidences and many others are the product of chance is like claiming a runaway truck in a rubbish dump produced the Mona Lisa.
To sum it all up (E-equals-MxC2) shows energy and matter can not be created or destroyed by any mechanism known to man and yet one or the other or both had to come in existence at sometime or nothing we now know including mankind itself would exist. Therefore, even if a Bible that tells who created all did not exist, the universe and all in it would clearly show the existence of a Creator.
Useful links (not mine):
http://www.geocities.com/davidjayjordan/EvolutionisaBIGLIE.html
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 283A]
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? 10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? 11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Psalms 94:7 – 11, [AV]
Many of the wicked feel Almighty God who created all there is can not see or hear and by their actions completely give no regard to his existence and Psalms 73:11, [AV] says, “And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?” Yes, they even question his knowledge, but their end as testified to at Proverbs 1:22 - 27, [AV] “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” Yes, worldly wisdom of the wicked is foolishness to Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at 1 Corinthians 1:19 - 20, [AV] “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
INTRODUCTION:
Many religions claim to be exactly what they are NOT. Take for example Islam and apostate (counterfeit) Christians, they do NOT like each other, but in many ways they are so much alike.
Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.
For example, Islam yells about the wrongs of the apostate (counterfeit) Christian Crusades that started in 1095 with the First Crusade under the directions of Pope Urban II, and ended with the Ninth Crusade in 1289. Of course, the apostate (counterfeit) Christians committed many atrocities such as their wrong doing against the Jews in Jerusalem by the Franks, one of the groups making up the Crusader forces. However, in reality, Islam was responsible for all that occurred as they lit-the-fuse that caused the crusades to take place with their blood guilty war like ways as we shall see in this article with facts that can be checked by all.
Now let's look at the first example of Islam's war loving land stealing ways.
ISLAM ATTACKS AT PEACE SPAIN:
In 711 the Visigothic were ruling in Spain and in no way attacking Islam, yet Islam attacked them without any real provocation. Yes, of course they claimed they had provocation, i.e., they claimed that last Visigoth king, Roderick had seduced the young Florinda, daughter of Julian, Visigothic governor of Ceuta in north Africa an apostate (counterfeit) Christian and they were out to avenge this; but clearly two things stand out, First, it was none of their business, Second, there is no evidence that this ever occurred.
Now Let's look at proof that Islam is NOT a religion of peace from history,
<<" In 711 CE Tariq ibn Ziyad, the governor of Tangiers, landed in Gibraltar with around 10,000 men, mostly Berbers (indigenous North Africans). He had some of Roderick's Visigoth rivals as allies. In the same or following year in the Cadiz province, Roderick's army was decimated and he is thought to have drowned as he fled. The Visigothic survivors fled to the north of Spain, and within a few years, the Muslims had taken over the rest of the Iberian Peninsula bar a few areas in the Asturian Mountains bordering France.
[source - http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/seerah/0075_popup9.htm]
As can easily be seen, Islam was out for stealing land NOT belonging to them and used Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Muslim general, to accomplish this terrible wrong. This of course is not being peaceful in any way.
ISLAM'S FURTHER STEALING AND BLOODLETTING AND TAKEOVER OF SPANISH LAND:
Here is what history tells about the warlike ways of a religion that hypocritically claims to be peaceful in brief.
<<" Moorish invasion of Iberia
* 6th century - Visigothic noblemen had grown into territorial lords.
* 612 - Royal decree issued enjoining all Jews to be baptized under penalty of banishment and confiscation of property.
* 710 - Tarif ibn Malluk with 400 men and 100 horses landed on the tiny peninsula of the European continent now called isle of Tarifa after his name.
* 711 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of North Africa, dispatched his Berber freedman Tariq ibn Ziyad into the Iberian peninsula encouraged by the success of Tarif and the dynastic trouble in the Visigoth Kingdom of Hispania.
* July 19, 711 - Tariq ibn Ziyad, with 7000 men, and Julian, count of Ceuta, with 12000 men, confronted King Roderick, with 25000 men, by the Barbate River (now called Salado River) on the shore of a lagoon. Roderick's army was utterly routed.
* June 712 - Syrians rushed to Iberia and attacked towns and strongholds avoided by Tariq ibn Ziyad.
* February 715 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of North Africa, entered Damascus with the Visigoth kings and princes and for the first time hundreds of western royalty and thousands of European captives were seen offering homage to the commander of the believers in Damascus. Musa the Conqueror of North Africa and Iberia ended up as a beggar in a remote village in Al-Hijaz. His son Abd Al-Aziz was announced first Amir of Andalus and married the widow of King Roderick, Egilona Balthes. Seville became the Capital.
* 717-718 - Lured by the rich treasures of convents and churches of France and encouraged by the internal dissension between the chief officers of the Merovingian court and the dukes of Aquitaine, Al-Hurr ibn Abd Al-Rahman Al-Thaqafi invaded France.
* 719 - Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani, 4th Amir, transferred the seat of Governor from Seville to Córdoba.
* Spring 732 - Emir Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Ghafiqi advanced through the western Pyrenees, crossed it, and vanquished Duke Odo of Aquitaine on the banks of the Garonne. Tours was a sort of religious capital for Gaul, the resting-place of the body of St. Martin, the apostle of Gaul.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
Islam's greed and war lust was NOT to end with their wrongful takeover of Spain, but unbelievably they sought to steal Paris and other cities and lands of France as shall see.
ISLAMS GREED THAT KNEW NO BOUNDS UNTIL DEFEAT:
Let's look at the historical facts of their greed and war lust,
<<"* October 732 - Pavement of Martyrs (Balat Al Shuhada`) Battle. Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi, the Arab leader, met Charles Martel, Mayor at the Merovingian court. After seven days of waiting anxiously to join the battle, Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi took the initiative in the attack. Charles' army hewed the attackers with their swords. Among the victims was Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi. Under cover of night the Muslims had quietly vanished, and Charles came off victorious.">>
.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
Therefore, as can be seen, Islam driven by its greed had reached into Europe far beyond Spain, and the previously mentioned attack in France in 732 AD where the war loving greedy forces of Islam sought to take Paris, only to be stopped by the Frankish army under Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne, where they suffered defeat of their greedy forces near Tours, France.
ISLAM GREEDY SACKERS OF WHAT BELONGED TO OTHERS:
As previously mentioned, greedy Islam had reached into Europe far beyond Spain and in 846 AD had sacked Rome the headquarters of the largest apostate (counterfeit) Christian group. All this occurred long before the First Crusade of 1095.
As said previously, << Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.">>, and this article will show that the Crusades which Islam so protest were actually brought on by their actions which caused a counter reaction to their greedy war loving ways. This clearly shows they are NOT now or have ever been a peaceful religion as they falsely claim.
Now let's look at the First Crusade and its causes.
FIRST CRUSADE THE RESULT OF ISLAM'S LUST FOR WAR:
Now let's look at the facts of the First Crusade from history and see how the greed and war like ways of Islam brought it on.
<<"In 1009 the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah had sacked the pilgrimage hospice in Jerusalem and destroyed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was later rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor, but this event may have been remembered in Europe and may have helped spark the crusade. In 1063, Pope Alexander II had given papal blessing to Iberian Christians in their wars against the Muslims, granting both a papal standard (the vexillum sancti Petri) and an indulgence to those who were killed in battle. Pleas from the Byzantine Emperors, now threatened under by the Seljuks, first in 1074 from Emperor Michael VII to Pope Gregory VII and in 1095 from Emperor Alexius I Comnenus to Pope Urban II, thus fell on ready ears...
This background in the Christian West must be matched with that in the Muslim East. Muslim presence in the Holy Land goes back to the initial Arab conquest of Palestine in the 7th century. This did not interfere much with pilgrimage to Christian holy sites or the security of monasteries and Christian communities in the Holy Land of Christendom, and western Europeans were not much concerned with the loss of far-away Jerusalem when, in the ensuing decades and centuries, they were themselves faced with invasions by Muslims and other hostile non-Christians such as the Vikings and Magyars. However, the Muslim armies' successes were putting strong pressure on the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire.
A turning point in western attitudes towards the east came in the year 1009, when the Fatimid caliph of Cairo, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, had the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem destroyed. His successor permitted the Byzantine Empire to rebuild it under stringent circumstances, and pilgrimage was again permitted, but many stories began to be circulated in the West about the cruelty of Muslims toward Christian pilgrims; these stories then played an important role in the development of the crusades later in the century.
The immediate cause of the First Crusade was Alexius I's appeal to Pope Urban II for mercenaries to help him resist Muslim advances into territory of the Byzantine Empire. In 1071, at the Battle of Manzikert, the Byzantine Empire had been defeated, and this defeat led to the loss of all but the coastlands of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Although the East-West Schism was brewing between the Catholic Western church and the Greek Orthodox Eastern church, Alexius I expected some help from a fellow Christian. However, the response was much larger, and less helpful, than Alexius I desired, as the Pope called for a large invasion force to not merely defend the Byzantine Empire but also retake Jerusalem.
When the First Crusade was preached in 1095, the Christian princes of northern Iberia had been fighting their way out of the mountains of Galicia and Asturias, the Basque Country and Navarre, with increasing success, for about a hundred years. The fall of Moorish Toledo to the Kingdom of León in 1085 was a major victory, but the turning points of the Reconquista still lay in the future. The disunity of the Muslim emirs was an essential factor, and the Christians, whose wives remained safely behind, were hard to beat: they knew nothing except fighting, they had no gardens or libraries to defend, and they worked their way forward through alien territory populated by infidels, where the Christian fighters felt they could afford to wreak havoc. All these factors were soon to be replayed in the fighting grounds of the East. Spanish historians have traditionally seen the Reconquista as the molding force in the Castilian character, with its sense that the highest good was to die fighting for the Christian cause of one's country.
While the Reconquista was the most prominent example of Christian war against Muslim conquests, it is not the only such example. The Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard had conquered the "toe of Italy," Calabria, in 1057 and was holding what had traditionally been Byzantine territory against the Muslims of Sicily. The maritime states of Pisa, Genoa and Catalonia were all actively fighting Islamic strongholds in Majorca and Sardinia, freeing the coasts of Italy and Catalonia from Muslim raids. Much earlier, of course, the Christian homelands of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, and so on had been conquered by Muslim armies. This long history of losing territories to a religious enemy, as well as a powerful pincer movement on all of Western Europe, created a powerful motive to respond to Byzantine emperor Alexius I's call for holy war to defend Christendom, and to recapture the lost lands, starting at the most important one of all, Jerusalem itself.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
So as can be seen the apostate (counterfeit) Christians were pushed into the First Crusade by the greed and war lust of Islam which falsely bills itself as the peaceful religion which it is NOT.
THE OTHER CRUSADES:
Now here are the historical facts on the other Crusades:
<<" Second Crusade
Full article: Second Crusade
After a period of relative peace, in which Christians and Muslims co-existed in the Holy Land, Bernard of Clairvaux preached a new crusade when the town of Edessa was conquered by the Turks. French and German armies under Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, marched to Asia Minor in 1147, but failed to accomplish any major successes, and indeed endangered the survival of the Crusader states with a foolish attack on Damascus. By 1149, both leaders had returned to their countries without any result...
Third Crusade
Full article: Third Crusade
In 1187, Saladin, Sultan of Egypt, recaptured Jerusalem. Pope Gregory VIII called for a crusade, which was led by several of Europe's most important leaders: Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick drowned in Cilicia in 1190, leaving an unstable alliance between the English and the French. Philip left in 1191 after the Crusaders had recaptured Acre from the Muslims. The Crusader army headed down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. They defeated the Muslims near Arsuf and were in sight of Jerusalem. However, the inability of the Crusaders to thrive in the locale due to inadequate food and water resulted in an empty victory. Richard left the following year after establishing a truce with Saladin. On Richard's way home, his ship was wrecked and he ended up in Austria. In Austria his enemy Duke Leopold captured him, delivered him to Frederick's son Henry VI and Richard was held for, literally, a king's ransom. By 1197, Henry felt himself ready for a Crusade, but he died in the same year of malaria....
Fourth Crusade
Full article: Fourth Crusade
Jerusalem having fallen back into Muslim hands a decade earlier, the Fourth Crusade was initiated in 1202 by Pope Innocent III, with the intention of invading the Holy Land through Egypt. The Venetians, under Doge Enrico Dandolo, gained control of this crusade and diverted it to, first the Christian city of Zara, then to Constantinople where they attempted to place a Byzantine exile on the throne. After a series of misunderstandings and outbreaks of violence, the city was sacked in 1204...
Albigensian Crusade
Full article: Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade was launched in 1209 to eliminate the heretical Cathars of southern France. It was a decades-long struggle that had as much to do with the concerns of northern France to extend its control southwards as it did with heresy. In the end, both the Cathars and the independence of southern France were exterminated...
Children's Crusade
Full article: Children's Crusade
The Children's Crusade is a possibly fictitious or misinterpreted crusade of 1212. The story is that an outburst of the old popular enthusiasm led a gathering of children in France and Germany, which Pope Innocent III interpreted as a reproof from heaven to their unworthy elders. None of the children actually reached the Holy Land; they were all sold as slaves, settled along the route to Jerusalem, or died of hunger during the journey...
Fifth Crusade
Full article: Fifth Crusade
By processions, prayers, and preaching, the Church attempted to set another crusade on foot, and the Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) formulated a plan for the recovery of the Holy Land. A crusading force from Hungary, Austria, and Bavaria achieved a remarkable feat in the capture of Damietta in Egypt in 1219, but under the urgent insistence of the papal legate, Pelagius, they proceeded to a foolhardy attack on Cairo, and an inundation of the Nile compelled them to choose between surrender and destruction...
Sixth Crusade
Full article: Sixth Crusade
In 1228, Emperor Frederick II set sail from Brindisi for Syria, though laden with the papal excommunication. Through diplomacy he achieved unexpected success, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem being delivered to the Crusaders for a period of ten years. This was the first major crusade not initiated by the Papacy, a trend that was to continue for the rest of the century...
Seventh Crusade
Full article: Seventh Crusade
The papal interests represented by the Templars brought on a conflict with Egypt in 1243, and in the following year a Khwarezmian force summoned by the latter stormed Jerusalem. Although this provoked no widespread outrage in Europe as the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 had done, Louis IX of France organized a crusade against Egypt from 1248 to 1254, leaving from the newly constructed port of Aigues-Mortes in southern France. It was a failure and Louis spent much of the crusade living at the court of the Crusader kingdom in Acre. In the midst of this crusade was the first Shepherds' Crusade in 1251...
Eighth Crusade
Full article: Eighth Crusade
The eighth Crusade was organized by Louis IX in 1270, again sailing from Aigues-Mortes, initially to come to the aid of the remnants of the Crusader states in Syria. However, the crusade was diverted to Tunis, where Louis spent only two months before dying...
Ninth Crusade
Full article: Ninth Crusade
The future Edward I of England undertook another expedition in 1271, after having accompanied Louis on the Eighth Crusade. He accomplished very little in Syria and retired the following year after a truce. With the fall of Antioch (1268), Tripoli (1289), and Acre (1291) the last traces of the Christian rule in Syria disappeared. Most of Louis was buried in Syria, the pieces of his body thought able to last the journey were shipped back to France and interred there.">>[source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
ISLAM'S GREED AND LUST FOR WAR AND VIOLENCE IN MODERN TIMES:
A great example in modern times is Islam's unprovoked attack on the World Trade Center in New York and their land grab of land to which the Jews hold rightful title given to them by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham in Palestine.
On 09/11/2001 Islam under Osama bin Ladin launched an attack on the World Trade Center in New York just to fill his Islamic lust to murder and kill others. Yet many members of Islam, true to form, as previously mentioned, <<" Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.">>. They cried crocodile tears and protested when those who were attacked and had family murdered on 09/11/2001 struck back in defense against Afghanistan who was harboring and supporting the ones behind this terrible atrocity and against Iraq where bad intelligence indicated the leader was making weapons of mass destruction, in fact he had earlier used such against his own Kurdish population.
They shed crocodile tears over what allegedly may have occurred in a prison in Cuba, but ignore what crimes against humanity are committed daily in Iraq by members of Islam. People and soldiers are daily being murdered by members of Islam. They kill their own and apostate (counterfeit) Christians on a daily basis, but pay no attention to this wrong.
Likewise, they shed crocodile tears because these individuals in this prison have NOT been given a trial, but in the entire history of Islam, individuals captured on a battlefield were never given any real trial to establish their guilt or innocence; what hypocrisy! Also, they forget that NO German prisoner in WW2 was given a trial, either in apostate (counterfeit) Christian controlled nations nor in Muslim nations. Whereas, some have actually been released from this prison either due to finding them innocent or giving them to other governments to deal with, a first in warfare.
Also, Islamic squatters on lands to which the true God (YHWH) of Abraham gave clear title. Here is what one Bible dictionary had to say on the subject.
<<"Promised Land held in trust. Even the people Israel, to whom God had given the land for them to enjoy as landowners, were told by Jehovah that they were not actually owners of it but only held it in trust. He said concerning the sale of a family land estate: "So the land should not be sold in perpetuity, because the land is mine. For you are alien residents and settlers from my standpoint." (Le 25:23) God had ousted the Canaanites from the land for their disgusting practices. He warned he would also take away all title from Israel and drive them out of the land if they followed such practices, and when they later did, they were sent into exile. (Le 18:24-30; 25:18, 19; 26:27-33; Jer 52:27) After 70 years of desolation of their land, from 607 to 537 B.C.E., God mercifully reestablished them, but this time under Gentile domination. Eventually, in 70 C.E., the Romans completely destroyed Jerusalem and scattered its people.
Within the nation, tribes were assigned sections of the land or cities inside the boundaries of other tribes. Priests and Levites had cities with pasture grounds. (Jos 15-21) In turn, within the tribes families were allotted inheritances. These divisions became smaller as families subdivided their own allotments because of increase in numbers. This resulted in thorough cultivation and use of the land. Inheritances were not allowed to circulate from one tribe to another. To prevent this, women who inherited land (because there were no living brothers) had to marry within the tribe to hold their inheritance.-Nu 36:1-12.">>[source - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2]
So as can be seen, the Jews have clear title to all of Palestine and NOT the apostate (counterfeit) Christians Crusaders nor members of Islam. But what do the members of Islam squatters do, they seek to kill Jews dwelling on land to which they have rightful title because they want it for themselves as is usual for Islam. They send suicide bombers in to murder Jews, and send in military rockets to do the same evil thing - now how can anyone in his right mind call Islam a religion of peace. Witness the recent attack on 06/26/2006 on a Jewish military camp where members of Islam murdered two Jewish soldiers who were doing them no wrong and kidnapped a third whose whereabouts is unknown on 06/27/2006; this despite the fact that the Jews are willing to let the Islamic squatters dwell on a large area of their land, and only want peace, i.e., to be left alone and not attacked and murdered.
Does all of this indicate a religion of peace? Definitely not.
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 283A]
Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. 8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise? 9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? 10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? 11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. Psalms 94:7 – 11, [AV]
Many of the wicked feel Almighty God who created all there is can not see or hear and by their actions completely give no regard to his existence and Psalms 73:11, [AV] says, “And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?” Yes, they even question his knowledge, but their end as testified to at Proverbs 1:22 - 27, [AV] “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.” Yes, worldly wisdom of the wicked is foolishness to Almighty God (YHWH) as shown at 1 Corinthians 1:19 - 20, [AV] “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”
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[2] RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
INTRODUCTION:
Many religions claim to be exactly what they are NOT. Take for example Islam and apostate (counterfeit) Christians, they do NOT like each other, but in many ways they are so much alike.
Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.
For example, Islam yells about the wrongs of the apostate (counterfeit) Christian Crusades that started in 1095 with the First Crusade under the directions of Pope Urban II, and ended with the Ninth Crusade in 1289. Of course, the apostate (counterfeit) Christians committed many atrocities such as their wrong doing against the Jews in Jerusalem by the Franks, one of the groups making up the Crusader forces. However, in reality, Islam was responsible for all that occurred as they lit-the-fuse that caused the crusades to take place with their blood guilty war like ways as we shall see in this article with facts that can be checked by all.
Now let's look at the first example of Islam's war loving land stealing ways.
ISLAM ATTACKS AT PEACE SPAIN:
In 711 the Visigothic were ruling in Spain and in no way attacking Islam, yet Islam attacked them without any real provocation. Yes, of course they claimed they had provocation, i.e., they claimed that last Visigoth king, Roderick had seduced the young Florinda, daughter of Julian, Visigothic governor of Ceuta in north Africa an apostate (counterfeit) Christian and they were out to avenge this; but clearly two things stand out, First, it was none of their business, Second, there is no evidence that this ever occurred.
Now Let's look at proof that Islam is NOT a religion of peace from history,
<<" In 711 CE Tariq ibn Ziyad, the governor of Tangiers, landed in Gibraltar with around 10,000 men, mostly Berbers (indigenous North Africans). He had some of Roderick's Visigoth rivals as allies. In the same or following year in the Cadiz province, Roderick's army was decimated and he is thought to have drowned as he fled. The Visigothic survivors fled to the north of Spain, and within a few years, the Muslims had taken over the rest of the Iberian Peninsula bar a few areas in the Asturian Mountains bordering France.
[source - http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/seerah/0075_popup9.htm]
As can easily be seen, Islam was out for stealing land NOT belonging to them and used Tariq ibn Ziyad, a Muslim general, to accomplish this terrible wrong. This of course is not being peaceful in any way.
ISLAM'S FURTHER STEALING AND BLOODLETTING AND TAKEOVER OF SPANISH LAND:
Here is what history tells about the warlike ways of a religion that hypocritically claims to be peaceful in brief.
<<" Moorish invasion of Iberia
* 6th century - Visigothic noblemen had grown into territorial lords.
* 612 - Royal decree issued enjoining all Jews to be baptized under penalty of banishment and confiscation of property.
* 710 - Tarif ibn Malluk with 400 men and 100 horses landed on the tiny peninsula of the European continent now called isle of Tarifa after his name.
* 711 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of North Africa, dispatched his Berber freedman Tariq ibn Ziyad into the Iberian peninsula encouraged by the success of Tarif and the dynastic trouble in the Visigoth Kingdom of Hispania.
* July 19, 711 - Tariq ibn Ziyad, with 7000 men, and Julian, count of Ceuta, with 12000 men, confronted King Roderick, with 25000 men, by the Barbate River (now called Salado River) on the shore of a lagoon. Roderick's army was utterly routed.
* June 712 - Syrians rushed to Iberia and attacked towns and strongholds avoided by Tariq ibn Ziyad.
* February 715 - Musa ibn Nusair, Governor of North Africa, entered Damascus with the Visigoth kings and princes and for the first time hundreds of western royalty and thousands of European captives were seen offering homage to the commander of the believers in Damascus. Musa the Conqueror of North Africa and Iberia ended up as a beggar in a remote village in Al-Hijaz. His son Abd Al-Aziz was announced first Amir of Andalus and married the widow of King Roderick, Egilona Balthes. Seville became the Capital.
* 717-718 - Lured by the rich treasures of convents and churches of France and encouraged by the internal dissension between the chief officers of the Merovingian court and the dukes of Aquitaine, Al-Hurr ibn Abd Al-Rahman Al-Thaqafi invaded France.
* 719 - Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani, 4th Amir, transferred the seat of Governor from Seville to Córdoba.
* Spring 732 - Emir Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Ghafiqi advanced through the western Pyrenees, crossed it, and vanquished Duke Odo of Aquitaine on the banks of the Garonne. Tours was a sort of religious capital for Gaul, the resting-place of the body of St. Martin, the apostle of Gaul.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
Islam's greed and war lust was NOT to end with their wrongful takeover of Spain, but unbelievably they sought to steal Paris and other cities and lands of France as shall see.
ISLAMS GREED THAT KNEW NO BOUNDS UNTIL DEFEAT:
Let's look at the historical facts of their greed and war lust,
<<"* October 732 - Pavement of Martyrs (Balat Al Shuhada`) Battle. Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi, the Arab leader, met Charles Martel, Mayor at the Merovingian court. After seven days of waiting anxiously to join the battle, Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi took the initiative in the attack. Charles' army hewed the attackers with their swords. Among the victims was Abd Al-Rahman Al-Ghafiqi. Under cover of night the Muslims had quietly vanished, and Charles came off victorious.">>
.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
Therefore, as can be seen, Islam driven by its greed had reached into Europe far beyond Spain, and the previously mentioned attack in France in 732 AD where the war loving greedy forces of Islam sought to take Paris, only to be stopped by the Frankish army under Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne, where they suffered defeat of their greedy forces near Tours, France.
ISLAM GREEDY SACKERS OF WHAT BELONGED TO OTHERS:
As previously mentioned, greedy Islam had reached into Europe far beyond Spain and in 846 AD had sacked Rome the headquarters of the largest apostate (counterfeit) Christian group. All this occurred long before the First Crusade of 1095.
As said previously, << Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.">>, and this article will show that the Crusades which Islam so protest were actually brought on by their actions which caused a counter reaction to their greedy war loving ways. This clearly shows they are NOT now or have ever been a peaceful religion as they falsely claim.
Now let's look at the First Crusade and its causes.
FIRST CRUSADE THE RESULT OF ISLAM'S LUST FOR WAR:
Now let's look at the facts of the First Crusade from history and see how the greed and war like ways of Islam brought it on.
<<"In 1009 the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah had sacked the pilgrimage hospice in Jerusalem and destroyed the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was later rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor, but this event may have been remembered in Europe and may have helped spark the crusade. In 1063, Pope Alexander II had given papal blessing to Iberian Christians in their wars against the Muslims, granting both a papal standard (the vexillum sancti Petri) and an indulgence to those who were killed in battle. Pleas from the Byzantine Emperors, now threatened under by the Seljuks, first in 1074 from Emperor Michael VII to Pope Gregory VII and in 1095 from Emperor Alexius I Comnenus to Pope Urban II, thus fell on ready ears...
This background in the Christian West must be matched with that in the Muslim East. Muslim presence in the Holy Land goes back to the initial Arab conquest of Palestine in the 7th century. This did not interfere much with pilgrimage to Christian holy sites or the security of monasteries and Christian communities in the Holy Land of Christendom, and western Europeans were not much concerned with the loss of far-away Jerusalem when, in the ensuing decades and centuries, they were themselves faced with invasions by Muslims and other hostile non-Christians such as the Vikings and Magyars. However, the Muslim armies' successes were putting strong pressure on the Eastern Orthodox Byzantine Empire.
A turning point in western attitudes towards the east came in the year 1009, when the Fatimid caliph of Cairo, al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, had the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem destroyed. His successor permitted the Byzantine Empire to rebuild it under stringent circumstances, and pilgrimage was again permitted, but many stories began to be circulated in the West about the cruelty of Muslims toward Christian pilgrims; these stories then played an important role in the development of the crusades later in the century.
The immediate cause of the First Crusade was Alexius I's appeal to Pope Urban II for mercenaries to help him resist Muslim advances into territory of the Byzantine Empire. In 1071, at the Battle of Manzikert, the Byzantine Empire had been defeated, and this defeat led to the loss of all but the coastlands of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Although the East-West Schism was brewing between the Catholic Western church and the Greek Orthodox Eastern church, Alexius I expected some help from a fellow Christian. However, the response was much larger, and less helpful, than Alexius I desired, as the Pope called for a large invasion force to not merely defend the Byzantine Empire but also retake Jerusalem.
When the First Crusade was preached in 1095, the Christian princes of northern Iberia had been fighting their way out of the mountains of Galicia and Asturias, the Basque Country and Navarre, with increasing success, for about a hundred years. The fall of Moorish Toledo to the Kingdom of León in 1085 was a major victory, but the turning points of the Reconquista still lay in the future. The disunity of the Muslim emirs was an essential factor, and the Christians, whose wives remained safely behind, were hard to beat: they knew nothing except fighting, they had no gardens or libraries to defend, and they worked their way forward through alien territory populated by infidels, where the Christian fighters felt they could afford to wreak havoc. All these factors were soon to be replayed in the fighting grounds of the East. Spanish historians have traditionally seen the Reconquista as the molding force in the Castilian character, with its sense that the highest good was to die fighting for the Christian cause of one's country.
While the Reconquista was the most prominent example of Christian war against Muslim conquests, it is not the only such example. The Norman adventurer Robert Guiscard had conquered the "toe of Italy," Calabria, in 1057 and was holding what had traditionally been Byzantine territory against the Muslims of Sicily. The maritime states of Pisa, Genoa and Catalonia were all actively fighting Islamic strongholds in Majorca and Sardinia, freeing the coasts of Italy and Catalonia from Muslim raids. Much earlier, of course, the Christian homelands of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, and so on had been conquered by Muslim armies. This long history of losing territories to a religious enemy, as well as a powerful pincer movement on all of Western Europe, created a powerful motive to respond to Byzantine emperor Alexius I's call for holy war to defend Christendom, and to recapture the lost lands, starting at the most important one of all, Jerusalem itself.">> [source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
So as can be seen the apostate (counterfeit) Christians were pushed into the First Crusade by the greed and war lust of Islam which falsely bills itself as the peaceful religion which it is NOT.
THE OTHER CRUSADES:
Now here are the historical facts on the other Crusades:
<<" Second Crusade
Full article: Second Crusade
After a period of relative peace, in which Christians and Muslims co-existed in the Holy Land, Bernard of Clairvaux preached a new crusade when the town of Edessa was conquered by the Turks. French and German armies under Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany, marched to Asia Minor in 1147, but failed to accomplish any major successes, and indeed endangered the survival of the Crusader states with a foolish attack on Damascus. By 1149, both leaders had returned to their countries without any result...
Third Crusade
Full article: Third Crusade
In 1187, Saladin, Sultan of Egypt, recaptured Jerusalem. Pope Gregory VIII called for a crusade, which was led by several of Europe's most important leaders: Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor. Frederick drowned in Cilicia in 1190, leaving an unstable alliance between the English and the French. Philip left in 1191 after the Crusaders had recaptured Acre from the Muslims. The Crusader army headed down the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. They defeated the Muslims near Arsuf and were in sight of Jerusalem. However, the inability of the Crusaders to thrive in the locale due to inadequate food and water resulted in an empty victory. Richard left the following year after establishing a truce with Saladin. On Richard's way home, his ship was wrecked and he ended up in Austria. In Austria his enemy Duke Leopold captured him, delivered him to Frederick's son Henry VI and Richard was held for, literally, a king's ransom. By 1197, Henry felt himself ready for a Crusade, but he died in the same year of malaria....
Fourth Crusade
Full article: Fourth Crusade
Jerusalem having fallen back into Muslim hands a decade earlier, the Fourth Crusade was initiated in 1202 by Pope Innocent III, with the intention of invading the Holy Land through Egypt. The Venetians, under Doge Enrico Dandolo, gained control of this crusade and diverted it to, first the Christian city of Zara, then to Constantinople where they attempted to place a Byzantine exile on the throne. After a series of misunderstandings and outbreaks of violence, the city was sacked in 1204...
Albigensian Crusade
Full article: Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade was launched in 1209 to eliminate the heretical Cathars of southern France. It was a decades-long struggle that had as much to do with the concerns of northern France to extend its control southwards as it did with heresy. In the end, both the Cathars and the independence of southern France were exterminated...
Children's Crusade
Full article: Children's Crusade
The Children's Crusade is a possibly fictitious or misinterpreted crusade of 1212. The story is that an outburst of the old popular enthusiasm led a gathering of children in France and Germany, which Pope Innocent III interpreted as a reproof from heaven to their unworthy elders. None of the children actually reached the Holy Land; they were all sold as slaves, settled along the route to Jerusalem, or died of hunger during the journey...
Fifth Crusade
Full article: Fifth Crusade
By processions, prayers, and preaching, the Church attempted to set another crusade on foot, and the Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) formulated a plan for the recovery of the Holy Land. A crusading force from Hungary, Austria, and Bavaria achieved a remarkable feat in the capture of Damietta in Egypt in 1219, but under the urgent insistence of the papal legate, Pelagius, they proceeded to a foolhardy attack on Cairo, and an inundation of the Nile compelled them to choose between surrender and destruction...
Sixth Crusade
Full article: Sixth Crusade
In 1228, Emperor Frederick II set sail from Brindisi for Syria, though laden with the papal excommunication. Through diplomacy he achieved unexpected success, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Bethlehem being delivered to the Crusaders for a period of ten years. This was the first major crusade not initiated by the Papacy, a trend that was to continue for the rest of the century...
Seventh Crusade
Full article: Seventh Crusade
The papal interests represented by the Templars brought on a conflict with Egypt in 1243, and in the following year a Khwarezmian force summoned by the latter stormed Jerusalem. Although this provoked no widespread outrage in Europe as the fall of Jerusalem in 1187 had done, Louis IX of France organized a crusade against Egypt from 1248 to 1254, leaving from the newly constructed port of Aigues-Mortes in southern France. It was a failure and Louis spent much of the crusade living at the court of the Crusader kingdom in Acre. In the midst of this crusade was the first Shepherds' Crusade in 1251...
Eighth Crusade
Full article: Eighth Crusade
The eighth Crusade was organized by Louis IX in 1270, again sailing from Aigues-Mortes, initially to come to the aid of the remnants of the Crusader states in Syria. However, the crusade was diverted to Tunis, where Louis spent only two months before dying...
Ninth Crusade
Full article: Ninth Crusade
The future Edward I of England undertook another expedition in 1271, after having accompanied Louis on the Eighth Crusade. He accomplished very little in Syria and retired the following year after a truce. With the fall of Antioch (1268), Tripoli (1289), and Acre (1291) the last traces of the Christian rule in Syria disappeared. Most of Louis was buried in Syria, the pieces of his body thought able to last the journey were shipped back to France and interred there.">>[source - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]
ISLAM'S GREED AND LUST FOR WAR AND VIOLENCE IN MODERN TIMES:
A great example in modern times is Islam's unprovoked attack on the World Trade Center in New York and their land grab of land to which the Jews hold rightful title given to them by the true God (YHWH) of Abraham in Palestine.
On 09/11/2001 Islam under Osama bin Ladin launched an attack on the World Trade Center in New York just to fill his Islamic lust to murder and kill others. Yet many members of Islam, true to form, as previously mentioned, <<" Throughout history Islam which claims to be a religion of peace has attacked apostate (counterfeit) Christians and has attempted to steal land and people from them, and then cried fowl when they struck back. How ridicules and hypocritical that is for any group; to wit, to initiate blood guilt and then yell when the other group defends itself and strikes back.">>. They cried crocodile tears and protested when those who were attacked and had family murdered on 09/11/2001 struck back in defense against Afghanistan who was harboring and supporting the ones behind this terrible atrocity and against Iraq where bad intelligence indicated the leader was making weapons of mass destruction, in fact he had earlier used such against his own Kurdish population.
They shed crocodile tears over what allegedly may have occurred in a prison in Cuba, but ignore what crimes against humanity are committed daily in Iraq by members of Islam. People and soldiers are daily being murdered by members of Islam. They kill their own and apostate (counterfeit) Christians on a daily basis, but pay no attention to this wrong.
Likewise, they shed crocodile tears because these individuals in this prison have NOT been given a trial, but in the entire history of Islam, individuals captured on a battlefield were never given any real trial to establish their guilt or innocence; what hypocrisy! Also, they forget that NO German prisoner in WW2 was given a trial, either in apostate (counterfeit) Christian controlled nations nor in Muslim nations. Whereas, some have actually been released from this prison either due to finding them innocent or giving them to other governments to deal with, a first in warfare.
Also, Islamic squatters on lands to which the true God (YHWH) of Abraham gave clear title. Here is what one Bible dictionary had to say on the subject.
<<"Promised Land held in trust. Even the people Israel, to whom God had given the land for them to enjoy as landowners, were told by Jehovah that they were not actually owners of it but only held it in trust. He said concerning the sale of a family land estate: "So the land should not be sold in perpetuity, because the land is mine. For you are alien residents and settlers from my standpoint." (Le 25:23) God had ousted the Canaanites from the land for their disgusting practices. He warned he would also take away all title from Israel and drive them out of the land if they followed such practices, and when they later did, they were sent into exile. (Le 18:24-30; 25:18, 19; 26:27-33; Jer 52:27) After 70 years of desolation of their land, from 607 to 537 B.C.E., God mercifully reestablished them, but this time under Gentile domination. Eventually, in 70 C.E., the Romans completely destroyed Jerusalem and scattered its people.
Within the nation, tribes were assigned sections of the land or cities inside the boundaries of other tribes. Priests and Levites had cities with pasture grounds. (Jos 15-21) In turn, within the tribes families were allotted inheritances. These divisions became smaller as families subdivided their own allotments because of increase in numbers. This resulted in thorough cultivation and use of the land. Inheritances were not allowed to circulate from one tribe to another. To prevent this, women who inherited land (because there were no living brothers) had to marry within the tribe to hold their inheritance.-Nu 36:1-12.">>[source - Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2]
So as can be seen, the Jews have clear title to all of Palestine and NOT the apostate (counterfeit) Christians Crusaders nor members of Islam. But what do the members of Islam squatters do, they seek to kill Jews dwelling on land to which they have rightful title because they want it for themselves as is usual for Islam. They send suicide bombers in to murder Jews, and send in military rockets to do the same evil thing - now how can anyone in his right mind call Islam a religion of peace. Witness the recent attack on 06/26/2006 on a Jewish military camp where members of Islam murdered two Jewish soldiers who were doing them no wrong and kidnapped a third whose whereabouts is unknown on 06/27/2006; this despite the fact that the Jews are willing to let the Islamic squatters dwell on a large area of their land, and only want peace, i.e., to be left alone and not attacked and murdered.
Does all of this indicate a religion of peace? Definitely not.
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] SEQUEL TO RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 284A]
LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? 4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? 5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Psalms 94:3 – 6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Way back in ancient Israel, one Psalmist wondered how long the wicked would be prevailing, and said Psalms 74:10, [AV] “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?” Yes he was per Psalms 73:3, [AV] “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” But these wicked ones will NOT met a good end as shown by Psalms 31:17 – 18, [AV] “Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Of the religious leaders of the wicked ones, Jeremiah 10:21, [AV] says, “For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.”
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] SEQUEL TO RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
INTRODUCTION:
In the original article, I carefully detailed a history of war and land grabbing greed by the religion that claims to be a religion of peace using only encyclopedias, Bible dictionaries, and Muslim web site sources such as http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/seerah/, and got falsely accused of lying and distorting history and current events. In this sequel to Religion of Peace That Loves War the current wrong actions of Islam and its disregard of human rights and lustful desire will be documented with respect current events directly from current news accounts from renown international news services and newspapers to avoid once more being falsely accused of lying and/or distorting which I never do.
Now let's look at an article from the New York Times of 06/29/2006 that speaks for itself with respect who is trying to provoke war:
<<" Hamas Provokes a Fight
Published: June 29, 2006
The Palestinians who futilely threw up sand berms on Gaza's main roads to deflect Israeli troop movements were building their defenses in the wrong direction. The responsibility for this latest escalation rests squarely with Hamas, whose military wing tunneled into Israel on Sunday, killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another. This was a follow-up to a declaration earlier this month by Hamas's political leadership that the group's 16-month intermittent cease-fire would no longer be observed.
Under the circumstances, an Israeli military response was inevitable. It should also be as restrained as possible. Israel does not seem to want to reoccupy Gaza, but its reported detention of several cabinet ministers in the West Bank is unsettling. Bitterness and distrust on both sides are sure to increase, and the already dim prospects for a return to peace negotiations will diminish even further.
Ironically, Hamas has chosen this bleak moment to finally endorse a document that implicitly recognizes Israel within its pre-1967 borders. In a different context that would represent progress. But in a week in which Hamas's military wing has crossed those very borders, it is hard to draw much encouragement.
The renewed presence of Israeli forces in Gaza may give a short-term boost to Hamas's local popularity. But once the immediate adrenaline rush wears off, the Palestinians who elected Hamas, and the Arab nations on which it now depends for financial survival, need to survey the wreckage and draw the obvious conclusions. When Hamas was only an opposition movement, its provocative behavior was a major impediment to peace. As a governing party, it is far worse.
Contrary to the hopes of many outsiders, five months in government has failed to educate Hamas to the reality of the world the Palestinians live in. Hamas has merely assumed the political privileges of power without accepting the minimal responsibilities that go with it.
If things go on like this, Palestinians can look forward to endless rounds of reckless Hamas provocations and inexorable Israeli responses. That is why things must not be allowed to go on like this. It is not just Israel that needs to be delivering that message to Hamas."
[source - Editorial - The New York Times on June 29, 2006 ]
Says it all.
THE CRIMINAL ACT AND UNPROVOKED ATTACK:
Now, as the New York Times of June 29, 2006, previously quoted showed that this was an unprovoked attack where, <<" The responsibility for this latest escalation rests squarely with Hamas, whose military wing tunneled into Israel on Sunday, killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another.">>. This was clearly murder of two without provocation on their part and an unjustified kidnapping of a third individual, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, 19 by individuals bent on committing a criminal act, by sleight.
Not only was this a act in defiance of law and order, but part of a larger lust for violence as shown by the Associated Press as follows: <<" Militants threaten to kill Jewish settler
AP - [06/27/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A Palestinian militant group on Wednesday threatened to kill an abducted Jewish settler if Israel doesn't stop its raid on the Gaza Strip. The Popular Resistance Committees, which has claimed responsibility for abducting both the settler and an Israeli army corporal, said in a statement that "we are running out of patience."[source - Associated Press in article of 06/27/2006 called, "Militants threaten to kill Jewish settler]
Of course this was a conspiracy in which, believe it or not, the Palestine government was actively involved; hence, guilty as accessories after the fact. This fact was NOT lost on the government of Israel or the world community. Not only did the Palestine government NOT arrest the criminals guilty of these egregious crimes, they even refused to return the kidnapped individual, and the Israel government responded accordingly to their being accessories after the fact to the crime as shown in what the government said as reported by Reuthers: <<" Hamas demands end to raids
Reuters - [06/30/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Friday demanded Israel halt a Gaza offensive if it wanted to free a captured soldier and said the Hamas-led government would not give way to force. Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza, setting ablaze the Interior Ministry offices, on the third day of a military operation aimed at bringing home the army corporal who was seized in a cross-border raid on Sunday." [source - Reuthers article of 06/30/2006, Hamas demands end to raids].>>. Openly going in opposition of the rule of law, and as will be shown, suffering the consequences for throwing their lot in with the criminals and becoming criminal after-the-fact accessories to the crime.
THE FULL STORY OF THE PALESTINE GOVERNMENT BECOMING AFTER-THE-FACT ACCESSORIES TO THE CRIME:
<<"By IBRAHIM BARZAK, of the Associated Press [06/30/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Friday that Israel's offensive in Gaza - including the kidnappings of some of his Cabinet ministers - was part of a premeditated plan to bring down the Hamas-led government.
Haniyeh said he was in contact with Arab, Muslim and European leaders to try to resolve the crisis, "but this Israeli military escalation complicates matters and makes it more difficult."
Shalit was captured Sunday when Gaza militants tunneled under the border, attacking an Israeli outpost and killing two other soldiers.
Mohammed Nazal, a Syria-based member of the Hamas politburo, told The Associated Press on Friday that Israel is not serious about negotiating Shalit's release.
"Israel is negotiating by fire," he said. "They're buying time until they can locate the soldier through intelligence and then try to free him."
A few hours before Haniyeh spoke, Israeli jet fighters destroyed the offices of his interior minister in Gaza, intensifying an air invasion while delaying a broad ground offensive.
On Friday evening, an Israeli aircraft attacked a vehicle in Gaza City that the military said was carrying militants. Witnesses said a missile exploded next to the car, wounding three occupants.
In the past 24 hours, Israel's air force struck roads, bridges and a power plant in Gaza. The army also has fired hundreds of artillery shells.
The United Nations said the destruction of the power plant had pushed Gaza to the edge of a humanitarian crisis, and the International Committee of the Red Cross said its officials were asking Israeli authorities to lift the Gaza blockade for shipments of food and medicine.
Palestinian security officials said an Israeli soldier was shot and wounded in clashes near the long-closed airport in southern Gaza. The army said it was investigating that claim.
While thousands of troops are massed along the Israel-Gaza border waiting for the go-ahead to invade the crowded coastal area, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said militants had agreed to Shalit's conditional release, but Israel had not accepted the terms.
Israeli officials said they did not know of such an agreement. But a senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the diplomacy, said the planned ground offensive was delayed after Egypt requested that mediators be given a chance to resolve the crisis.
However, other officials denied the delay was due to Egypt, saying the crisis required both military pressure and withholding force when necessary.
"The prime minister is managing the campaign while seeing all the balances, including the diplomatic one. You need to exhaust all options," said Tzahi Hanegbi, head of the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz called for leaders with influence on the Hamas government to pressure it to release Shalit.
"The quicker this is done the better it will be. If the soldier will be returned and the Qassam (rocket) fire will be halted, we will also return our soldiers to their bases," Peretz was quoted as saying in the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot.
He was referring to homemade, inaccurate rockets fired at Israel by Palestinian militants.
There has been no sign of life from Shalit since his abduction. The Popular Resistance Committees - one of the groups holding him - revealed no information about his condition in a statement Thursday but insisted on swapping him for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Israel has rejected that demand.
In the pre-dawn attack on the Interior Ministry, Hamas minister Said Siyam's office went up in flames when a missile struck his fourth-floor room. The ground floor office of Siyam's bodyguard also was destroyed, while the first, second and third floors - where passports and ID cards are printed - were untouched. No casualties were reported.
The Interior Ministry is nominally in charge of the Palestinian security forces, but President Mahmoud Abbas stripped it of much of its authority in a power struggle after Hamas won January parliamentary elections. The Israeli military said the ministry was "a meeting place to plan and direct terror activity."
In a separate strike, three Israeli missiles hit the office of hard-line Interior Ministry official Khaled Abu Hilal, who heads a pro-Hamas militia. Palestinian police and Hamas militiamen guarding the nearby Foreign Ministry fled immediately after that, fearing their building would be next, witnesses said. Haniyeh's office and Abbas' house are a few hundred yards from the Interior Ministry.
Haniyeh and nearly all his Cabinet members had not been seen since Shalit's kidnapping, fearing they could be killed or arrested.
In an unprecedented punishment Friday, Israel's Interior Ministry revoked the Jerusalem residency rights of four senior Hamas officials, officials said. The measure takes away their right to live in the holy city and travel within Israel freely...
On Friday, the army said it attacked a group trying to fire an anti-tank missile at forces in southern Gaza. Mohammed Abdel Al, 25, of the Islamic Jihad militant group, was killed, making him the first casualty in the Israeli offensive. In the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, three Fatah-affiliated gunmen were wounded in what they said was a fight against undercover Israeli forces. Israel denied it had ground forces in the area.
"The only activity is air and artillery," army spokesman Capt. Jacob Dallal. Israeli ground troops have entered southern Gaza but have not yet penetrated the north.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed in a Gaza news conference Friday that it kidnapped a 22-year-old Israeli soldier in Nablus. However, the army said it was unaware of a new abduction.
In another development, Israeli troops exchanged gunfire with militants at a cemetery in the West Bank city of Nablus. Palestinian security officials said one militant was killed, but the army said two militants died."[source - Associated Press, IBRAHIM BARZAK, [06/30/2006]]..
Now as has been shown by the above news item, the Palestine government has become full accessories-after-the-fact in this crime and now are reaping the consequences. This is made clear beyond a doubt by what Hamas high official Mohammed Nazal told the Associated Press (AP), as brought out previously in the article by Ibrahim Barzak of the AP, "that Israel is not serious about negotiating Shalit's release.
"Israel is negotiating by fire," he said. "They're buying time until they can locate the soldier through intelligence and then try to free him." So their part in the crime is undeniable. Also, there is no reason for Israel to negotiate as the Palestine government has the legal responsibility to free him and imprison the criminals, but instead has joined them, speaks for itself.
CONCLUSION:
The Palestine government is now crying crocodile tears and claiming that the government of Israel is trying to bring their government down, but they have neither returned the kidnapped victim nor imprisoned the criminals, murders and kidnappers. Instead they have joined with them as accessories after-the-fact.
The Canadian government has called for them to do the right thing as shown in, <<" Canada calls for return of kidnapped Israeli soldier [06/30/2006]
OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada has asked for the return of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants in the
Gaza Strip to quell unrest in the region, a senior official said.
"Canada has been in communication with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to encourage a return to peace and calm. That begins, we think, with the return of Corporal (Gilad) Shalit ... and a respect for law and order," said the official.
"We want to be sure that people respect the rights of settlers and others to live in peace in the region," he added.
The official spoke during a technical briefing ahead of a Canada-US summit in Washington and asked not to be named.
Palestinian militants tunnelled under an Israeli checkpoint on Sunday and launched an attack that killed two soldiers. They also abducted Shalit, 19, taking him into the territory.
Israel responded by sending troops into the tiny territory, from which it withdrew in September last year, to recover the kidnapped soldier.
The Israeli military also destroyed key bridges, knocked out Gaza's sole power station and arrested 64 Hamas members, including a third of the Palestinian cabinet and a large number of lawmakers."[source - OTTAWA (AFP), Canada calls for return of kidnapped Israeli soldier [06/30/2006]]
Now why should the government of Israel NOT bring down a criminal government that seeks and lust for violence and not peace as this kidnapping and three murders clearly shows in that they have become criminal accessories after-the-fact to the crimes?
LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE AT WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 284A]
LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? 4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? 5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Psalms 94:3 – 6, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Way back in ancient Israel, one Psalmist wondered how long the wicked would be prevailing, and said Psalms 74:10, [AV] “O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever?” Yes he was per Psalms 73:3, [AV] “For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” But these wicked ones will NOT met a good end as shown by Psalms 31:17 – 18, [AV] “Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.” Of the religious leaders of the wicked ones, Jeremiah 10:21, [AV] says, “For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
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7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] SEQUEL TO RELIGION OF PEACE THAT LOVES WAR:
INTRODUCTION:
In the original article, I carefully detailed a history of war and land grabbing greed by the religion that claims to be a religion of peace using only encyclopedias, Bible dictionaries, and Muslim web site sources such as http://www.sunnahonline.com/ilm/seerah/, and got falsely accused of lying and distorting history and current events. In this sequel to Religion of Peace That Loves War the current wrong actions of Islam and its disregard of human rights and lustful desire will be documented with respect current events directly from current news accounts from renown international news services and newspapers to avoid once more being falsely accused of lying and/or distorting which I never do.
Now let's look at an article from the New York Times of 06/29/2006 that speaks for itself with respect who is trying to provoke war:
<<" Hamas Provokes a Fight
Published: June 29, 2006
The Palestinians who futilely threw up sand berms on Gaza's main roads to deflect Israeli troop movements were building their defenses in the wrong direction. The responsibility for this latest escalation rests squarely with Hamas, whose military wing tunneled into Israel on Sunday, killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another. This was a follow-up to a declaration earlier this month by Hamas's political leadership that the group's 16-month intermittent cease-fire would no longer be observed.
Under the circumstances, an Israeli military response was inevitable. It should also be as restrained as possible. Israel does not seem to want to reoccupy Gaza, but its reported detention of several cabinet ministers in the West Bank is unsettling. Bitterness and distrust on both sides are sure to increase, and the already dim prospects for a return to peace negotiations will diminish even further.
Ironically, Hamas has chosen this bleak moment to finally endorse a document that implicitly recognizes Israel within its pre-1967 borders. In a different context that would represent progress. But in a week in which Hamas's military wing has crossed those very borders, it is hard to draw much encouragement.
The renewed presence of Israeli forces in Gaza may give a short-term boost to Hamas's local popularity. But once the immediate adrenaline rush wears off, the Palestinians who elected Hamas, and the Arab nations on which it now depends for financial survival, need to survey the wreckage and draw the obvious conclusions. When Hamas was only an opposition movement, its provocative behavior was a major impediment to peace. As a governing party, it is far worse.
Contrary to the hopes of many outsiders, five months in government has failed to educate Hamas to the reality of the world the Palestinians live in. Hamas has merely assumed the political privileges of power without accepting the minimal responsibilities that go with it.
If things go on like this, Palestinians can look forward to endless rounds of reckless Hamas provocations and inexorable Israeli responses. That is why things must not be allowed to go on like this. It is not just Israel that needs to be delivering that message to Hamas."
[source - Editorial - The New York Times on June 29, 2006 ]
Says it all.
THE CRIMINAL ACT AND UNPROVOKED ATTACK:
Now, as the New York Times of June 29, 2006, previously quoted showed that this was an unprovoked attack where, <<" The responsibility for this latest escalation rests squarely with Hamas, whose military wing tunneled into Israel on Sunday, killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped another.">>. This was clearly murder of two without provocation on their part and an unjustified kidnapping of a third individual, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, 19 by individuals bent on committing a criminal act, by sleight.
Not only was this a act in defiance of law and order, but part of a larger lust for violence as shown by the Associated Press as follows: <<" Militants threaten to kill Jewish settler
AP - [06/27/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A Palestinian militant group on Wednesday threatened to kill an abducted Jewish settler if Israel doesn't stop its raid on the Gaza Strip. The Popular Resistance Committees, which has claimed responsibility for abducting both the settler and an Israeli army corporal, said in a statement that "we are running out of patience."[source - Associated Press in article of 06/27/2006 called, "Militants threaten to kill Jewish settler]
Of course this was a conspiracy in which, believe it or not, the Palestine government was actively involved; hence, guilty as accessories after the fact. This fact was NOT lost on the government of Israel or the world community. Not only did the Palestine government NOT arrest the criminals guilty of these egregious crimes, they even refused to return the kidnapped individual, and the Israel government responded accordingly to their being accessories after the fact to the crime as shown in what the government said as reported by Reuthers: <<" Hamas demands end to raids
Reuters - [06/30/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on Friday demanded Israel halt a Gaza offensive if it wanted to free a captured soldier and said the Hamas-led government would not give way to force. Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza, setting ablaze the Interior Ministry offices, on the third day of a military operation aimed at bringing home the army corporal who was seized in a cross-border raid on Sunday." [source - Reuthers article of 06/30/2006, Hamas demands end to raids].>>. Openly going in opposition of the rule of law, and as will be shown, suffering the consequences for throwing their lot in with the criminals and becoming criminal after-the-fact accessories to the crime.
THE FULL STORY OF THE PALESTINE GOVERNMENT BECOMING AFTER-THE-FACT ACCESSORIES TO THE CRIME:
<<"By IBRAHIM BARZAK, of the Associated Press [06/30/2006]
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Friday that Israel's offensive in Gaza - including the kidnappings of some of his Cabinet ministers - was part of a premeditated plan to bring down the Hamas-led government.
Haniyeh said he was in contact with Arab, Muslim and European leaders to try to resolve the crisis, "but this Israeli military escalation complicates matters and makes it more difficult."
Shalit was captured Sunday when Gaza militants tunneled under the border, attacking an Israeli outpost and killing two other soldiers.
Mohammed Nazal, a Syria-based member of the Hamas politburo, told The Associated Press on Friday that Israel is not serious about negotiating Shalit's release.
"Israel is negotiating by fire," he said. "They're buying time until they can locate the soldier through intelligence and then try to free him."
A few hours before Haniyeh spoke, Israeli jet fighters destroyed the offices of his interior minister in Gaza, intensifying an air invasion while delaying a broad ground offensive.
On Friday evening, an Israeli aircraft attacked a vehicle in Gaza City that the military said was carrying militants. Witnesses said a missile exploded next to the car, wounding three occupants.
In the past 24 hours, Israel's air force struck roads, bridges and a power plant in Gaza. The army also has fired hundreds of artillery shells.
The United Nations said the destruction of the power plant had pushed Gaza to the edge of a humanitarian crisis, and the International Committee of the Red Cross said its officials were asking Israeli authorities to lift the Gaza blockade for shipments of food and medicine.
Palestinian security officials said an Israeli soldier was shot and wounded in clashes near the long-closed airport in southern Gaza. The army said it was investigating that claim.
While thousands of troops are massed along the Israel-Gaza border waiting for the go-ahead to invade the crowded coastal area, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said militants had agreed to Shalit's conditional release, but Israel had not accepted the terms.
Israeli officials said they did not know of such an agreement. But a senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the secrecy of the diplomacy, said the planned ground offensive was delayed after Egypt requested that mediators be given a chance to resolve the crisis.
However, other officials denied the delay was due to Egypt, saying the crisis required both military pressure and withholding force when necessary.
"The prime minister is managing the campaign while seeing all the balances, including the diplomatic one. You need to exhaust all options," said Tzahi Hanegbi, head of the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee.
Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz called for leaders with influence on the Hamas government to pressure it to release Shalit.
"The quicker this is done the better it will be. If the soldier will be returned and the Qassam (rocket) fire will be halted, we will also return our soldiers to their bases," Peretz was quoted as saying in the Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot.
He was referring to homemade, inaccurate rockets fired at Israel by Palestinian militants.
There has been no sign of life from Shalit since his abduction. The Popular Resistance Committees - one of the groups holding him - revealed no information about his condition in a statement Thursday but insisted on swapping him for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. Israel has rejected that demand.
In the pre-dawn attack on the Interior Ministry, Hamas minister Said Siyam's office went up in flames when a missile struck his fourth-floor room. The ground floor office of Siyam's bodyguard also was destroyed, while the first, second and third floors - where passports and ID cards are printed - were untouched. No casualties were reported.
The Interior Ministry is nominally in charge of the Palestinian security forces, but President Mahmoud Abbas stripped it of much of its authority in a power struggle after Hamas won January parliamentary elections. The Israeli military said the ministry was "a meeting place to plan and direct terror activity."
In a separate strike, three Israeli missiles hit the office of hard-line Interior Ministry official Khaled Abu Hilal, who heads a pro-Hamas militia. Palestinian police and Hamas militiamen guarding the nearby Foreign Ministry fled immediately after that, fearing their building would be next, witnesses said. Haniyeh's office and Abbas' house are a few hundred yards from the Interior Ministry.
Haniyeh and nearly all his Cabinet members had not been seen since Shalit's kidnapping, fearing they could be killed or arrested.
In an unprecedented punishment Friday, Israel's Interior Ministry revoked the Jerusalem residency rights of four senior Hamas officials, officials said. The measure takes away their right to live in the holy city and travel within Israel freely...
On Friday, the army said it attacked a group trying to fire an anti-tank missile at forces in southern Gaza. Mohammed Abdel Al, 25, of the Islamic Jihad militant group, was killed, making him the first casualty in the Israeli offensive. In the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, three Fatah-affiliated gunmen were wounded in what they said was a fight against undercover Israeli forces. Israel denied it had ground forces in the area.
"The only activity is air and artillery," army spokesman Capt. Jacob Dallal. Israeli ground troops have entered southern Gaza but have not yet penetrated the north.
The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed in a Gaza news conference Friday that it kidnapped a 22-year-old Israeli soldier in Nablus. However, the army said it was unaware of a new abduction.
In another development, Israeli troops exchanged gunfire with militants at a cemetery in the West Bank city of Nablus. Palestinian security officials said one militant was killed, but the army said two militants died."[source - Associated Press, IBRAHIM BARZAK, [06/30/2006]]..
Now as has been shown by the above news item, the Palestine government has become full accessories-after-the-fact in this crime and now are reaping the consequences. This is made clear beyond a doubt by what Hamas high official Mohammed Nazal told the Associated Press (AP), as brought out previously in the article by Ibrahim Barzak of the AP, "that Israel is not serious about negotiating Shalit's release.
"Israel is negotiating by fire," he said. "They're buying time until they can locate the soldier through intelligence and then try to free him." So their part in the crime is undeniable. Also, there is no reason for Israel to negotiate as the Palestine government has the legal responsibility to free him and imprison the criminals, but instead has joined them, speaks for itself.
CONCLUSION:
The Palestine government is now crying crocodile tears and claiming that the government of Israel is trying to bring their government down, but they have neither returned the kidnapped victim nor imprisoned the criminals, murders and kidnappers. Instead they have joined with them as accessories after-the-fact.
The Canadian government has called for them to do the right thing as shown in, <<" Canada calls for return of kidnapped Israeli soldier [06/30/2006]
OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada has asked for the return of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants in the
Gaza Strip to quell unrest in the region, a senior official said.
"Canada has been in communication with the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to encourage a return to peace and calm. That begins, we think, with the return of Corporal (Gilad) Shalit ... and a respect for law and order," said the official.
"We want to be sure that people respect the rights of settlers and others to live in peace in the region," he added.
The official spoke during a technical briefing ahead of a Canada-US summit in Washington and asked not to be named.
Palestinian militants tunnelled under an Israeli checkpoint on Sunday and launched an attack that killed two soldiers. They also abducted Shalit, 19, taking him into the territory.
Israel responded by sending troops into the tiny territory, from which it withdrew in September last year, to recover the kidnapped soldier.
The Israeli military also destroyed key bridges, knocked out Gaza's sole power station and arrested 64 Hamas members, including a third of the Palestinian cabinet and a large number of lawmakers."[source - OTTAWA (AFP), Canada calls for return of kidnapped Israeli soldier [06/30/2006]]
Now why should the government of Israel NOT bring down a criminal government that seeks and lust for violence and not peace as this kidnapping and three murders clearly shows in that they have become criminal accessories after-the-fact to the crimes?
LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE AT WWW.JW.ORG
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Re: Scripture of the Day
Admin Thu Oct 06, 2016 1:33 pm
COMBINATION OF THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES. With the Scripture of the Day first.
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 285A]
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:31, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
He has appointed his only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as this judge and of him Psalms 96:13, [AV] says, “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Indeed the Father, Almighty God (YHWH) will judge no man, but put this son in charge of that per John 5:22, [AV] “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” And as Jesus (Yeshua) told Martha at John 11:25, [AV] “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” Showing he was not only the judge, but had the power to resurrect all that believed in him.
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Melilotus officinalis, Sweet Clover
Abundance: common
What: flowers, seeds, leaves
How: flowers in tea, seeds raw or roasted then ground into flour, leaves in salads or cooked
Where: Neglected areas, fields, yards
When: late winter through summer
Nutritional Value: starch in the seeds, protein in the leaves
Hop clovers have the same three-leaf shape as regular clover but the plant itself grows upright to over a foot tall. Its leaves and small yellow flowers look similar to those found on the prostrate Black Medic plant. Its young leaves can be eaten raw but can be slightly tough. The small yellow flowers can be used to make a sweet clover tea. These flowers eventually form individual seedpods each containing one seed. These seeds can be eaten raw or roasted then ground into flour. Like most seeds they can also be boiled into a porridge or gruel.
Like other clovers, hops clover can fix atmospheric nitrogen, turning it into a form usable by other plants. For this reason it is a good "weed" to let grow in your garden as it will fertilize nearby plants.
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this plant, go to, http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/hop-clover.html
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 285A]
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:31, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
He has appointed his only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as this judge and of him Psalms 96:13, [AV] says, “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Indeed the Father, Almighty God (YHWH) will judge no man, but put this son in charge of that per John 5:22, [AV] “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” And as Jesus (Yeshua) told Martha at John 11:25, [AV] “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” Showing he was not only the judge, but had the power to resurrect all that believed in him.
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Melilotus officinalis, Sweet Clover
Abundance: common
What: flowers, seeds, leaves
How: flowers in tea, seeds raw or roasted then ground into flour, leaves in salads or cooked
Where: Neglected areas, fields, yards
When: late winter through summer
Nutritional Value: starch in the seeds, protein in the leaves
Hop clovers have the same three-leaf shape as regular clover but the plant itself grows upright to over a foot tall. Its leaves and small yellow flowers look similar to those found on the prostrate Black Medic plant. Its young leaves can be eaten raw but can be slightly tough. The small yellow flowers can be used to make a sweet clover tea. These flowers eventually form individual seedpods each containing one seed. These seeds can be eaten raw or roasted then ground into flour. Like most seeds they can also be boiled into a porridge or gruel.
Like other clovers, hops clover can fix atmospheric nitrogen, turning it into a form usable by other plants. For this reason it is a good "weed" to let grow in your garden as it will fertilize nearby plants.
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To view pictures of this plant, go to, http://www.foragingtexas.com/2006/03/hop-clover.html
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 286A]
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:31, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
He has appointed his only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as this judge and of him Psalms 96:13, [AV] says, “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Indeed the Father, Almighty God (YHWH) will judge no man, but put this son in charge of that per John 5:22, [AV] “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” And as Jesus (Yeshua) told Martha at John 11:25, [AV] “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” Showing he was not only the judge, but had the power to resurrect all that believed in him
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
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4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA):
Note: I can be reached at iris89cheerful@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION:
This discourse will of necessity be rather lengthy as it is intended to cover Jesus' (Yeshua's) life up to when he returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father (YHWH) per John 6:62, "`What' then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?" (American Standard Version; ASV), so he could, per Ephesians 1:20-22, "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly `places', 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church," (ASV).
It is intended to assist all sincere ones as a study aid in true 'Sola Scriptura' format to gain a better understanding of the Bible. To that end over 40 different Bibles have been referred to at various places to assist all with regard to being comfortable with many different Bibles. The two most quoted Bibles were the American Standard Version (ASV) and the Webster Bible by Noah Webster (WB). The Webster Bible is a 'take-off' from the Authorized King James (AV), but with the English upgraded to a more modern English language form.
It was written in true 'Sola Scripture' format so as to let the Bible interpret or express itself in keeping with 2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (WB). Now please be like those in Berea, per Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (WB).
I recommend studying this discourse by major part and/or sub-part of a major part as it is NOT light reading material, but very informative and intense reading material. Do NOT attempt to read it all at once or you will fail to really comprehend the important material being discussed. Your salvation may depend on what you learn about Bible truths from it. Note, references are either given right in the text or at the end of the section.
Also, there is no question that Jesus (Yeshua) is divine, what else could a spirit individual be if he was the only begotten Son of Almighty God (YHWH)? If you do not believe this, you will probably gain little from this discourse.
I TIME OF BIRTH AND DEATH OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS (YESHUA):
Time of Birth, and Length of Ministry:
There are many opinions with respect to when Jesus (Yeshua) was born and the length of his ministry, but the best available facts show he was born in the time frame of September-October [Jewish month of Ethanim] in the year 2 B.C., and was baptized about the same time of the year in 29 C.E., and died about 3:00 p.m. on Friday, the 14 th. Day of the Jewish month of Nisan [March-April], of the year 33 C.E. Now what is the basis for these dates?
As it happened, Jesus (Yeshua) was born approximately sic months after the birth of his relative, John the Baptizer, during the rule of the pagan Roman Emperor Caesar Sugustus who rained from 31 B.C. to 14 C.E., and the Syrian governorship of Quirinius, and toward the close of the reign of Herod the Great over Judea per Matthew 2:1 & 13-15 & 19-23, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying," and "13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." And "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned [of God] in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, 23 and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene." (ASV). The Apostle Luke also testified to these facts at Luke 1:24-32, "And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men. 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord [is] with thee. 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." (ASV); And at Luke 2:1-7, "Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; 5 to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. 6 And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (ASV).
Relationship to Death of Herod:
Now his birth can be affixed to Herod's death even though the date of Herod's death is a debated one, there are many indicators pointing to 1 B.C.. Let's look at some of the intervening events between the time of Jesus' (Yeshua's) birth and Herod's death. They were: (1) Jesus' (Yeshua's) circumcision on the eighth day per Luke 2:21, "And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." (ASV); (2) taken to the temple 40 days after birth per Luke 2:22-23, " And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord)," (ASV), as foretold at Leviticus 12:1-5 & 8, "And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall continue in the blood of [her] purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid-child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her impurity; and she shall continue in the blood of [her] purifying threescore and six days.", And "And if her means suffice not for a lamb, then she shall take two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt-offering, and the other for a sin-offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean." (ASV); (3) the journey of astrologers to Bethlehem [the three kings of Spanish tradition] per Matthew 2:1-11, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a governor, who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. 7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found [him,] bring me word, that I also may come and worship him. 9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." (ASV); (4) His parents flight to Egypt with him per Matthew 2:13-15, "Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." (ASV); (5) and the slaughter of all boys under two years in district of Bethlehem under orders of Herold when he found out that the Astrologers were not going to lead him to Jesus (Yeshua) so he could kill him per Matthew 2:16-18, "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not." (ASV) would allow the time required for these intervening events between his birth and that of Herod's death which is indicated to be in 1 B.C.
Relationship to John the Baptist:
Luke 3:1-3 gives further basis for the previously given dates as follows, "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;" (ASV) which proves that John the Baptizer started preaching and baptizing during the 15 year of the reign of pagan Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. This 15 th. Year started at the latter half of 28 C.E. to approximately August-September of 29 C.E. At an indicated age of 30 years, Jesus (Yeshua) went to John and got baptized and started his ministry. This was in strict compliance with the covenant requiring those going into sanctuary service by at least 30 years of age as affirmed at Numbers 4:1-3 & 22-23 & 29-30, "And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting." (ASV), and "22 Take the sum of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families; 23 from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to wait upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting", and "29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them by their families, by their fathers' houses; 30 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth upon the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting." (ASV). On the basis of John's birth occurring 30 years before he began his ministry in Tiberius' 15 th. Year.
Jewish Scholars in Agreement:
While there is quite a wide consensus of opinion that Yeshua was born at some time during the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), or Succot (Tabernacles), the timing can be narrowed down to Succot, in the opinion of this author, because of the abundance of historical and traditional associations which surround it. It should be noted that all of these festivals normally occur in the Autumn, or during the September or October time-frame, but it varies from year to year because the Jewish calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and doesn't track with the Gregorian calendar.
The calculation of the time of Yeshua's birth begins with Z'chariyahu (Zechariah), the father of Yochanan (John) the Baptist. According to Luke 1:5 he was a priest of the order of Aviyah. He was performing his duties, burning incense in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple), when an angel appeared and said his wife Eli-Sheva would conceive and bear a son, and he would be called Yochanan (John). [source, "Messiahmas? On the Birth Date of Jesus of Nazareth" by Uri Marcus]
Secular Research Source:
Nowadays, most serious Bible students and scholars agree in that Jesus was not born on December 25th. Why? It is simple. Because the shepherds had their flocks in open field [1] which implies a date prior to October. And having in mind that the reason why Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, traveled to Jerusalem in order to be taxated. No competent Roman administrator would require registration involving travel during the season when Judea was impassable. [2]
Who decided December 25th as Jesus' birthdate? The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus' birth, and therefore the exact date has not been preserved in festivals. The first recorded mention of December 25th is in the Calendar of Philocalus (354 A.D.) which assumed Jesus' birth to be Friday, December 25, 1 A.D. December 25th was officially proclaimed by the church fathers in 440 A.D. as a sincretism between the new religion of the Roman Empire and the tradition of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, observed near the winter solstice, which was among the many pagan traditions inherited from the earlier Babylonian priesthood. [3]
So the, just when was Jesus born? Although the Bible doesn't explicitly identify the birthday of our Lord, many scholars have developed diverse opinions as to the likely birthday of Jesus.
The Year of Jesus' Birth In the other hand, the year of Jesus' birth is broadly accepted as 4 B.C., primarily from erroneous conclusions derived from Josephus' recording of an eclipse, assumed to be on March 13, 4 B.C., "shortly before Herod died." There are a number of problems with this, in addition to the fact that it was more likely the eclipse to happened on December 29, 1 .B.C. Considerable time elapsed between Jesus' birth and Herod's death since the family fled to Egypt to escape Herod' edict and they didn't return until after Herod's death.[4] Furthermore, Herod died on January 14, 1 B.C. [5]
Fact: Tertullian, (born about 160 A.D.) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. [6] Augustus' died on August 19, 14 A.D., placing Jesus' birth at 2. B.C. [7] Fact: Tertullian also notes that Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Cleopatra in 30 B.C., which is consistent with a date of 2 B.C.
Fact: Iraneus, born about a century after Jesus, also notes that the Lord was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 B.C., this also appears to substantiate the birth in 2 B.C.
Fact: Eusebius (264-340 A.D.), the "Father of Church History," ascribes it to the 42nd year of the reign of Augustus and the 28th from the subjection of Egypt on the death of Anthony and Cleopatra. [8] The 42nd year of Augustus ran from the autumn of 2 B.C. to the autumn of 1 B.C. The subjugation of Egypt into the Roman Empire occurred in the autumn of 30 B.C. The 28th year extended from the autumn of 3 B.C. to the autumn of 2 B.C. the only date that would meet both of these constraints would be the autumn of 2 B.C. [144000.net/birth.htm][references for secular research: (1) Luke 2:8. (2) Matthew 24:20. (3) Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, Loizeaux, Neptune NJ, 1916. (4) Matthew 2:15, 19-22. (5) Magillath Ta'anith, an ancient Jewish scroll contemporary with Jesus. (6) Tert. adv Judaeous, c.8. (7) No year 0 between B.C. and A.D. (8) Eccle. Hist., i.5. 9.]
II PREHUMAN EXISTANCE OF JESUS:
How He Is The Only-Begotten Son:
Why is Jesus (Yeshua) called the only begotten Son of God (YHWH) when in reality there are many sons of God (YHWH)? John 1:14 states, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); And at John 3:16-18, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." (ASV); And at 1 John 4:9, "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him." (ASV); now this does not mean that the other created spirit beings were not also God's (YHWH's) sons, as they are also called sons as affirmed at Genesis 6:2, "that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose." (ASV); And at job 1:6, "Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them" (ASV); And at Job 38:4-7, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon were 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?" (ASV); And at Job 2:1, "Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah." (ASV). So what makes Jesus (Yeshua) unique?
He is unique by virtue of his being the only direct creation by Almighty God (YHWH), thus making him different from all others of God's (YHWH's) sons, allof whom were created or begotten by god (YHWH) through that firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua). Therefore, Jesus was God's (YHWH) 'only-begotten Son' in a very special sense just as Isaac was Abraham's 'only-begotten son' in a special sense even though he already had a son, Ishamel, but not by his wife Sarah as testified to at Hebrews 11:17, "By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son];" (ASV); And at Genesis 16:15, "And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bare, Ishmael." (ASV).
Of course some will say begotten does not mean create, but they never quantify what it means. They have to consider the facts which are (1) the Bible says at Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV); (2) the meaning of the word create which is "To cause to come into existence; originate" [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries]; (3) That humans create by means of copulation as did Abraham in the creation or begetting of his son, Isaac, as shown in Hebrews 11:17 and Genesis 16:15, quoted previously; whereas, the Bible makes no mention of a Mrs. God (YHWH). Therefore, God (YHWH) creates differently, obviously, from man. He always existed as shown at Psalms 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. " (ASV); And at Psalms 93:2, "Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting." (ASV); and at Job 36:26, "Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable." (ASV); And at 1 Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (ASV). Of course another way of looking at the verb beget is to look at its synonyms and its definition which are (1) To procreate; be the father of. (2) To cause to be; occasion [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries]. Now that makes it clear one of its meanings is to cause to be same as for create. If that is not clear enough for some, let's consider the definition of its synonym as given above, procreate which means by definition (1) To engender or beget (offspring), (2) To originate; produce; and at its ethnology from Latin, [- before + creare to create> ] which leaves no doubt that it means to create as does the other synonym, engender which by definition means (1) To cause to exist; give rise to; produce. (2) beget, (3) To come into being; and its ethnology from Latin [- in + genus, generis race] [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries].
Of course some critics say that having been created makes Jesus (Yeshua) inferior, but the Bible shows the exact opposite at Philippians 2:1-11, "If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3 [doing] nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; 4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. 5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven and [things] on earth and [things] under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (ASV). Obviously all thinking people should believe the Bible and not accept the opinions of man.
Master workman in Keeping With Jewish Law of Agencies:
The Jewish Law of Agencies which is basically as follows, "Jesus (Yeshua) was God's (YHWH's) appointed agent in accordance with the 'Biblical law of agency' described as, "Scripture mentions something being done by Person A, whilst another mentions it being done by Person B. This is best understood when we grasp the Schaliach Principle, or the Jewish Law of Agency, which is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." (The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder). Now that we know what the Jewish Law of Agencies is, let's see how it applies to Jesus (Yeshua).
First it is necessary to understand that Jesus (Yeshua) is often referred to as the 'Word' as shown at John 1:114, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); And at 1 John 1:1, "That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life " (ASV); And at Revelation 19:13, "And he [is] arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God." (ASV). That which is said about the Word in the New Testament fits remarkably the description of 'wisdom' in the Old Testament given at Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV). There wisdon is personified, and represented as able to speak and act per Proverbs 8:1, "Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?" (ASV). In fact it was understood by many Christian writers of the early centuries of the C.E. that this section referred symbolically to God's (YHWH) Son, Jesus (Yeshua) in his pre-human state. Thus, in view of the scriptures already considered, there is no denying that the Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was 'produced' by God (YHWH) 'as the "beginning of his way, Before his works of old" or the earliest of his achievements very long ago and was beside God (YHWH) as his agent or master worker during the creation of the earth as described in Proverbs just quoted. Hebrew, like modern day Spanish, assigns gender to its nouns, and the word for 'wisdom' is always in the feminine gender. Thus, this would remain the case even when is personified and therefore would not rule out wisdom's being used in a figurative way to represent God's firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua). It is to be remembered that the title "gohe'leth"or "Kohelet" or congregator in English that Solomon applied to himself at Ecclesiastes 1:1, "The words of Kohelet, the son of David, king in Yerushalayim" (Hebrew Names Version of World English Bible ), and this word also is in the feminine gender.
God's (YHWH's) own wisdom was shown in creation at Proverbs 3:19-20, "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew." (ASV), but only through his Son, Jesus (Yeshua); this is also shown at 1 Corinthians 8:6, "yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." (ASV). Likewise God's (YHWH's) purpose toward mankind is made manifest through his Son; therefore the Apostle John could say that Jesus (Yeshua) represents per 1 Corinthians 1:24 & 30, "but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (ASV); And at "30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:" (ASV); And at 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, "but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:" (ASV); And at Proverbs 18-21, "Riches and honor are with me; [Yea], durable wealth and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries. " (ASV). Thus as we can see that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ has become to us wisdom from God, and also righteousness and sanctification and a release by ransom.
Not a Co-Creator:
Jesus (Yeshua) took part with respect the creative works, but this did NOT make him a co-Creator along with his Father (YHWH). Why not? Because all the power for creation came from God through his Holy Spirit, or active force as shown by Genesis 1:1-2, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (ASV); And at Psalms 33:6, "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." (ASV). Of course some may object and have different views with regard to what the Holy Spirit is, but let's look at the facts. The "New American Bible Catholic Bible," says in a footnote regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa•ra'kle•tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. And in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit." Thus God (YHWH) is the source of all life, all animate creation, both visible and invisible, as shown at Psalms 36:9, "For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light." (ASV). Thus all of creation including his only begotten Son owes their lives to him. Thus, rather than being a co-Creator with his Father (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) was the agent or instrumentality through whom God (YHWH), the Creator, worked using him as his 'master worker.' Jesus (Yeshua) himself gave credit to his Father (YHWH) for all of creation, see Matthew 19:4-6, "And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made [them] from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (ASV).
Prehuman Existance of Jesus (Yeshua):
Let's look at Jesus' (Yeshua's) existence before he came to earth to be born of a virgin per Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. 19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: 23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. 25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB). Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of his prehuman heavenly life before coming to earth at John 3:13, "And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven." (DRCB); And at John 6:38, "Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me." (DRCB) which shows he was sent down to earth by his Father (YHWH); And John 8:23, "And he said to them: You are from beneath: I am from above. You are of this world: I am not of this world." (DRCB) clearly showing in his own words where he came from; And at John 8:42, " Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded and came. For I came not of myself: but he sent me." (DRCB) here he tells specifically who his Father is; And John 8:52, "The Jews therefore said: Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest: If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever." (DRCB). Jesus (Yeshua) was with his Father (YHWH) from the beginning of creation since he was, as previously shown, the first of God's creation and used in the creation of all else per Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV); And this fact was also shown at Colossians 1:15-22, " who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. 21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:" (ASV); And at Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV), thus the scriptures identify the 'Word' or 'Logos' as God's (YHWH's) first creation, his firstborn Son.
Therefore, as just shown, Jesus (Yeshua) was truly the Son of his Father (YHWH) who gave him life. This is shown to be clearly a fact at John 6:56-57, " He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me." (ASV). Therefore, if the estimates of the age of the universe made recently by scientist are anywhere near correct, Jeusu' existence as a spirit creature started many thousands of millions of years before the creation of the first human, and this is indicated also at Micah 5:2, "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (ASV). Thus this firstborn spirit Son was used by his Father (YHWH) in the creation of all else as revealed at John 1:3, "All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made." (ASV), And at Colossians 1:16-17, "for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist." (ASV). Included in the things that his Father (YHWH) empowered him to create would be the millions of other spirit sons of God's (YHWH's) heavenly family per Revelation 5:11, " And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;" (ASV). This is also highlighted with the creation of menkind when Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father (YHWH) were discussing it at Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (ASV).
Why the Title, "The Word":
This name or title identifies the function that God's (YHWH's) firstborn Son would perform for his Father (YHWY). This is first revealed at Exodos 4:16, where God (YHWH) speaks to his servant Moses about his brother, "And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God." (ASV). As God's (YHWH's) spokesman on earth, Aaron served as the mouth for Moses; likewise the Word, or Logos, who became Jesus (Yeshua) did likewise for his Father (YHWH). God (YHWH) used his Son to give instructions and information to others of his family of spirit sons, and also used him to deliver his message to humans on earth as his spokesman. This is testified to at John 7:16-17, "Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or [whether] I speak from myself." (ASV); And at John 12:50, "And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak." (ASV); And at John 18:37, " Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (ASV).
While some texts refer to God (YHWH) as though directly speaking to humans, others make it clear that he did so through his son or angelic representatives in keeping with the Jewish Law of Agencies previously discussed. Some relevant scriptures are Exodus 3:2-4, "And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (ASV), which compares with Acts 7:30-35, "And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, 32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent [to be] both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush." (ASV). Reasonably, in most such cases God (YHWH) spoke through the word.
III JESUS' (YESHUA'S) BIRTH ON EARTH:
Let's face it, Jesus' (Yeshua's) birth and the circumstances surrounding it were very different from any other. Angels had appeared on the earth to men in human form that they had materialized for the occasion before Jesus (Yeshua), but had then dematerialized after finishing their assignment as shown at Genesis 19:1, "And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth;" (ASV), and else where. However, in doing so they only maintained their materialized human form for a little while; now with the case of God's (YHWH's) only begotten Son, his life force was to be transferred into the womb of a young Jewish lady, Mary. This would be an unprecedented occurrence as always before in human history, all children had been conceived in imperfection and with inherited sin, but this time, this was NOT to be the case.
Now how did this all come about? For answers we turn to the Bible at Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an 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 Spirit. 21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us. 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; 25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS." (ASV); This is reaffirmed at Luke 1:30-35, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (ASV). Thus, Jesus (Yeshua) was different that the angels who had materialized temporarily in the past, but had remained angels. Jesus (Yeshua) came to earth by being born as a human, the man Jesus (Yeshua), and to reside among mankind. John testifies at John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); For this reason the 'Word' or 'Logos' as Jesus (Yeshua) was known by could call himself 'the Son of man.' As stated at John 1:51, "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (ASV); And at John 3:14-15, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; 15 that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life." (ASV).
Of course, some doubters and critics point to the expression 'resided among mankind' and claim this shows Jesus (Yeshua) was not a true human, but only an incarination. However, this does not 'wash' with how the Apostle Peter used a similar expression about himself at 2 Peter 1:13-14, "And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me." (ASV).
Why was this transfer of Jesus' (Yeshua's) life force to the womb of Mary and his subsequent birth as a human necessary? Let's look at Galatians 4:4, "but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law," (ASV) which indicates this was necessary in order for the child that was born to retain his identity as the same individual who had resided in heaven as the 'Word' or 'Logos', and only is this way could he have, also, been the actual son of Mary. This was important with respect fulfillment of prophesy since the Messiah or savior was to be a genuine descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David and hence a legitimate heir of the divine promises made to them as he would be since Mary was a genuine descendant of all of them, her forefathers. Therefore he could fulfill the divine promises made to them at Genesis 22:15-18, "And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice." (ASV); And at Genesis 26:24, "And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake." (ASV); And at Genesis 28:10-14, "And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. And he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed. And behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, Jehovah stood above it, and said, I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (ASV); And at Genesis 49:10, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be." (ASV); And at 2 Samuel 7:8, "Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel;" (ASV); And at 2 Samuel 7:11-16, "and `as' from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house. 12 When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 15 but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." (ASV).
While Mary was a descendant of the sinner Adam, and therefore imperfect and sinful, Mary's firstborn could be perfect and free from sin due to his father being Almighty God (YHWH). From what is revealed in the Bible, it appears that the perfect individual male life force, God (YHWH), causing the conception canceled out any imperfection existent in Mary's ovum through his active force the Holy Spirit. However, whatever the case, the operation of God's (YHWH) Holy Spirit at this time guaranteed the success of God's (YHWH's) purpose [for more information on this Holy Spirit, see details in "Not a Co-Creator" in section II]. This is just as the angel Gabriel explained to Mary as shown at Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (ASV).
In that it was Almighty God's (YHWH's) active force or Holy Spirit that made the birth possible, Jesus (Yeshua) owed his human life to his heavenly Father (YHWH), and not to any man such as his adoptive father Joseph as testified to at Matthew 2:13-15, "Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." (ASV); And at Luke 3:23, "And Jesus himself, when he began `to teach', was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the `son' of Heli," (ASV). Therefore as stated at Hebrews 10:5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;" (ASV), God (YHWH) prepared a body for him; therefore, his conception was truly "undefiled, separated from sinners," as testified to at Hebrews 7:26, "For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (ASV): And at John 8:46, "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?" (ASV); And at 1 Peter 2:21-22, "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" (ASV).
Though he was perfect in physical form, his Father's (YHWH's) message of truth and righteousness that Jesus (Yeshua) boldly proclaimed made him repulsive and despicable in the eyes of the bigots and hypocritical opposers that falsely claimed he was an agent of Beelzebub, or a man possessed of a demon or a blasphemous fraud per Matthew 12:24, "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons." (ASV); And at Matthew 27:39-43, "And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, 40 and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 In like manner also the chief priests mocking `him', with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him. 43 He trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God." (ASV); And at John 8:48, "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?" (ASV); And at John 15:17-25, "These things I command you, that ye may love one another. 18 If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before `it hated' you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But `this cometh to pass', that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." (ASV). For Jesus' (Yeshua's) true followers today, they experience the same type of treatment and false accusations that their leader and savior experienced in his day on earth. Obviously, if you are not experiencing persecution of some sort or another for openly telling others about God's (YHWH's) today, you are in error and not telling the truth. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 brings this point home as follows, "But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (ASV), which makes it clear true Christian preachers of the word of God (YHWH) would be a "sweet savor" for those receptive to God (YHWH); but an odor of death to those rejecting their message.
PART 2 OF “DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA’ WILL BE CONTINUED IN VOL 287.
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[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 286A]
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Acts 17:31, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
He has appointed his only begotten son, Jesus (Yeshua) as this judge and of him Psalms 96:13, [AV] says, “Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Indeed the Father, Almighty God (YHWH) will judge no man, but put this son in charge of that per John 5:22, [AV] “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:” And as Jesus (Yeshua) told Martha at John 11:25, [AV] “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” Showing he was not only the judge, but had the power to resurrect all that believed in him
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
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[2] DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA):
Note: I can be reached at iris89cheerful@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION:
This discourse will of necessity be rather lengthy as it is intended to cover Jesus' (Yeshua's) life up to when he returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father (YHWH) per John 6:62, "`What' then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?" (American Standard Version; ASV), so he could, per Ephesians 1:20-22, "which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly `places', 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church," (ASV).
It is intended to assist all sincere ones as a study aid in true 'Sola Scriptura' format to gain a better understanding of the Bible. To that end over 40 different Bibles have been referred to at various places to assist all with regard to being comfortable with many different Bibles. The two most quoted Bibles were the American Standard Version (ASV) and the Webster Bible by Noah Webster (WB). The Webster Bible is a 'take-off' from the Authorized King James (AV), but with the English upgraded to a more modern English language form.
It was written in true 'Sola Scripture' format so as to let the Bible interpret or express itself in keeping with 2 Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (WB). Now please be like those in Berea, per Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (WB).
I recommend studying this discourse by major part and/or sub-part of a major part as it is NOT light reading material, but very informative and intense reading material. Do NOT attempt to read it all at once or you will fail to really comprehend the important material being discussed. Your salvation may depend on what you learn about Bible truths from it. Note, references are either given right in the text or at the end of the section.
Also, there is no question that Jesus (Yeshua) is divine, what else could a spirit individual be if he was the only begotten Son of Almighty God (YHWH)? If you do not believe this, you will probably gain little from this discourse.
I TIME OF BIRTH AND DEATH OF OUR SAVIOR, JESUS (YESHUA):
Time of Birth, and Length of Ministry:
There are many opinions with respect to when Jesus (Yeshua) was born and the length of his ministry, but the best available facts show he was born in the time frame of September-October [Jewish month of Ethanim] in the year 2 B.C., and was baptized about the same time of the year in 29 C.E., and died about 3:00 p.m. on Friday, the 14 th. Day of the Jewish month of Nisan [March-April], of the year 33 C.E. Now what is the basis for these dates?
As it happened, Jesus (Yeshua) was born approximately sic months after the birth of his relative, John the Baptizer, during the rule of the pagan Roman Emperor Caesar Sugustus who rained from 31 B.C. to 14 C.E., and the Syrian governorship of Quirinius, and toward the close of the reign of Herod the Great over Judea per Matthew 2:1 & 13-15 & 19-23, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying," and "13 Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." And "But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned [of God] in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, 23 and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene." (ASV). The Apostle Luke also testified to these facts at Luke 1:24-32, "And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men. 26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord [is] with thee. 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS." (ASV); And at Luke 2:1-7, "Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; 5 to enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with child. 6 And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (ASV).
Relationship to Death of Herod:
Now his birth can be affixed to Herod's death even though the date of Herod's death is a debated one, there are many indicators pointing to 1 B.C.. Let's look at some of the intervening events between the time of Jesus' (Yeshua's) birth and Herod's death. They were: (1) Jesus' (Yeshua's) circumcision on the eighth day per Luke 2:21, "And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." (ASV); (2) taken to the temple 40 days after birth per Luke 2:22-23, " And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord)," (ASV), as foretold at Leviticus 12:1-5 & 8, "And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman conceive seed, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall continue in the blood of [her] purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid-child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her impurity; and she shall continue in the blood of [her] purifying threescore and six days.", And "And if her means suffice not for a lamb, then she shall take two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt-offering, and the other for a sin-offering: and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean." (ASV); (3) the journey of astrologers to Bethlehem [the three kings of Spanish tradition] per Matthew 2:1-11, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a governor, who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. 7 Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found [him,] bring me word, that I also may come and worship him. 9 And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." (ASV); (4) His parents flight to Egypt with him per Matthew 2:13-15, "Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." (ASV); (5) and the slaughter of all boys under two years in district of Bethlehem under orders of Herold when he found out that the Astrologers were not going to lead him to Jesus (Yeshua) so he could kill him per Matthew 2:16-18, "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. 17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not." (ASV) would allow the time required for these intervening events between his birth and that of Herod's death which is indicated to be in 1 B.C.
Relationship to John the Baptist:
Luke 3:1-3 gives further basis for the previously given dates as follows, "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins;" (ASV) which proves that John the Baptizer started preaching and baptizing during the 15 year of the reign of pagan Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. This 15 th. Year started at the latter half of 28 C.E. to approximately August-September of 29 C.E. At an indicated age of 30 years, Jesus (Yeshua) went to John and got baptized and started his ministry. This was in strict compliance with the covenant requiring those going into sanctuary service by at least 30 years of age as affirmed at Numbers 4:1-3 & 22-23 & 29-30, "And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting." (ASV), and "22 Take the sum of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families; 23 from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to wait upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting", and "29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them by their families, by their fathers' houses; 30 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth upon the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting." (ASV). On the basis of John's birth occurring 30 years before he began his ministry in Tiberius' 15 th. Year.
Jewish Scholars in Agreement:
While there is quite a wide consensus of opinion that Yeshua was born at some time during the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), or Succot (Tabernacles), the timing can be narrowed down to Succot, in the opinion of this author, because of the abundance of historical and traditional associations which surround it. It should be noted that all of these festivals normally occur in the Autumn, or during the September or October time-frame, but it varies from year to year because the Jewish calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and doesn't track with the Gregorian calendar.
The calculation of the time of Yeshua's birth begins with Z'chariyahu (Zechariah), the father of Yochanan (John) the Baptist. According to Luke 1:5 he was a priest of the order of Aviyah. He was performing his duties, burning incense in the Beit HaMikdash (Temple), when an angel appeared and said his wife Eli-Sheva would conceive and bear a son, and he would be called Yochanan (John). [source, "Messiahmas? On the Birth Date of Jesus of Nazareth" by Uri Marcus]
Secular Research Source:
Nowadays, most serious Bible students and scholars agree in that Jesus was not born on December 25th. Why? It is simple. Because the shepherds had their flocks in open field [1] which implies a date prior to October. And having in mind that the reason why Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, traveled to Jerusalem in order to be taxated. No competent Roman administrator would require registration involving travel during the season when Judea was impassable. [2]
Who decided December 25th as Jesus' birthdate? The early Christian church did not celebrate Jesus' birth, and therefore the exact date has not been preserved in festivals. The first recorded mention of December 25th is in the Calendar of Philocalus (354 A.D.) which assumed Jesus' birth to be Friday, December 25, 1 A.D. December 25th was officially proclaimed by the church fathers in 440 A.D. as a sincretism between the new religion of the Roman Empire and the tradition of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia, observed near the winter solstice, which was among the many pagan traditions inherited from the earlier Babylonian priesthood. [3]
So the, just when was Jesus born? Although the Bible doesn't explicitly identify the birthday of our Lord, many scholars have developed diverse opinions as to the likely birthday of Jesus.
The Year of Jesus' Birth In the other hand, the year of Jesus' birth is broadly accepted as 4 B.C., primarily from erroneous conclusions derived from Josephus' recording of an eclipse, assumed to be on March 13, 4 B.C., "shortly before Herod died." There are a number of problems with this, in addition to the fact that it was more likely the eclipse to happened on December 29, 1 .B.C. Considerable time elapsed between Jesus' birth and Herod's death since the family fled to Egypt to escape Herod' edict and they didn't return until after Herod's death.[4] Furthermore, Herod died on January 14, 1 B.C. [5]
Fact: Tertullian, (born about 160 A.D.) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. [6] Augustus' died on August 19, 14 A.D., placing Jesus' birth at 2. B.C. [7] Fact: Tertullian also notes that Jesus was born 28 years after the death of Cleopatra in 30 B.C., which is consistent with a date of 2 B.C.
Fact: Iraneus, born about a century after Jesus, also notes that the Lord was born in the 41st year of the reign of Augustus. Since Augustus began his reign in the autumn of 43 B.C., this also appears to substantiate the birth in 2 B.C.
Fact: Eusebius (264-340 A.D.), the "Father of Church History," ascribes it to the 42nd year of the reign of Augustus and the 28th from the subjection of Egypt on the death of Anthony and Cleopatra. [8] The 42nd year of Augustus ran from the autumn of 2 B.C. to the autumn of 1 B.C. The subjugation of Egypt into the Roman Empire occurred in the autumn of 30 B.C. The 28th year extended from the autumn of 3 B.C. to the autumn of 2 B.C. the only date that would meet both of these constraints would be the autumn of 2 B.C. [144000.net/birth.htm][references for secular research: (1) Luke 2:8. (2) Matthew 24:20. (3) Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, Loizeaux, Neptune NJ, 1916. (4) Matthew 2:15, 19-22. (5) Magillath Ta'anith, an ancient Jewish scroll contemporary with Jesus. (6) Tert. adv Judaeous, c.8. (7) No year 0 between B.C. and A.D. (8) Eccle. Hist., i.5. 9.]
II PREHUMAN EXISTANCE OF JESUS:
How He Is The Only-Begotten Son:
Why is Jesus (Yeshua) called the only begotten Son of God (YHWH) when in reality there are many sons of God (YHWH)? John 1:14 states, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); And at John 3:16-18, " For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God." (ASV); And at 1 John 4:9, "Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him." (ASV); now this does not mean that the other created spirit beings were not also God's (YHWH's) sons, as they are also called sons as affirmed at Genesis 6:2, "that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose." (ASV); And at job 1:6, "Now it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them" (ASV); And at Job 38:4-7, "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who determined the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon were 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?" (ASV); And at Job 2:1, "Again it came to pass on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan came also among them to present himself before Jehovah." (ASV). So what makes Jesus (Yeshua) unique?
He is unique by virtue of his being the only direct creation by Almighty God (YHWH), thus making him different from all others of God's (YHWH's) sons, allof whom were created or begotten by god (YHWH) through that firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua). Therefore, Jesus was God's (YHWH) 'only-begotten Son' in a very special sense just as Isaac was Abraham's 'only-begotten son' in a special sense even though he already had a son, Ishamel, but not by his wife Sarah as testified to at Hebrews 11:17, "By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten [son];" (ASV); And at Genesis 16:15, "And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bare, Ishmael." (ASV).
Of course some will say begotten does not mean create, but they never quantify what it means. They have to consider the facts which are (1) the Bible says at Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV); (2) the meaning of the word create which is "To cause to come into existence; originate" [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries]; (3) That humans create by means of copulation as did Abraham in the creation or begetting of his son, Isaac, as shown in Hebrews 11:17 and Genesis 16:15, quoted previously; whereas, the Bible makes no mention of a Mrs. God (YHWH). Therefore, God (YHWH) creates differently, obviously, from man. He always existed as shown at Psalms 90:2, "Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. " (ASV); And at Psalms 93:2, "Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting." (ASV); and at Job 36:26, "Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable." (ASV); And at 1 Timothy 1:17, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, [be] honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (ASV). Of course another way of looking at the verb beget is to look at its synonyms and its definition which are (1) To procreate; be the father of. (2) To cause to be; occasion [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries]. Now that makes it clear one of its meanings is to cause to be same as for create. If that is not clear enough for some, let's consider the definition of its synonym as given above, procreate which means by definition (1) To engender or beget (offspring), (2) To originate; produce; and at its ethnology from Latin, [- before + creare to create> ] which leaves no doubt that it means to create as does the other synonym, engender which by definition means (1) To cause to exist; give rise to; produce. (2) beget, (3) To come into being; and its ethnology from Latin [- in + genus, generis race] [Funk & Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary, ISBN #s 0-308-10309-2 and 0-308-10310-6, and most other standard English dictionaries].
Of course some critics say that having been created makes Jesus (Yeshua) inferior, but the Bible shows the exact opposite at Philippians 2:1-11, "If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3 [doing] nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; 4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. 5 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient [even] unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven and [things] on earth and [things] under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (ASV). Obviously all thinking people should believe the Bible and not accept the opinions of man.
Master workman in Keeping With Jewish Law of Agencies:
The Jewish Law of Agencies which is basically as follows, "Jesus (Yeshua) was God's (YHWH's) appointed agent in accordance with the 'Biblical law of agency' described as, "Scripture mentions something being done by Person A, whilst another mentions it being done by Person B. This is best understood when we grasp the Schaliach Principle, or the Jewish Law of Agency, which is expressed in the dictum, "A person's agent is regarded as the person himself." Therefore any act committed by a duly appointed agent is regarded as having been committed by the principle." (The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion, R.J.Z. Werblowski and Geoffrey Wigoder). Now that we know what the Jewish Law of Agencies is, let's see how it applies to Jesus (Yeshua).
First it is necessary to understand that Jesus (Yeshua) is often referred to as the 'Word' as shown at John 1:114, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); And at 1 John 1:1, "That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life " (ASV); And at Revelation 19:13, "And he [is] arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God." (ASV). That which is said about the Word in the New Testament fits remarkably the description of 'wisdom' in the Old Testament given at Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV). There wisdon is personified, and represented as able to speak and act per Proverbs 8:1, "Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice?" (ASV). In fact it was understood by many Christian writers of the early centuries of the C.E. that this section referred symbolically to God's (YHWH) Son, Jesus (Yeshua) in his pre-human state. Thus, in view of the scriptures already considered, there is no denying that the Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was 'produced' by God (YHWH) 'as the "beginning of his way, Before his works of old" or the earliest of his achievements very long ago and was beside God (YHWH) as his agent or master worker during the creation of the earth as described in Proverbs just quoted. Hebrew, like modern day Spanish, assigns gender to its nouns, and the word for 'wisdom' is always in the feminine gender. Thus, this would remain the case even when is personified and therefore would not rule out wisdom's being used in a figurative way to represent God's firstborn Son, Jesus (Yeshua). It is to be remembered that the title "gohe'leth"or "Kohelet" or congregator in English that Solomon applied to himself at Ecclesiastes 1:1, "The words of Kohelet, the son of David, king in Yerushalayim" (Hebrew Names Version of World English Bible ), and this word also is in the feminine gender.
God's (YHWH's) own wisdom was shown in creation at Proverbs 3:19-20, "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens. 20 By his knowledge the depths were broken up, And the skies drop down the dew." (ASV), but only through his Son, Jesus (Yeshua); this is also shown at 1 Corinthians 8:6, "yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." (ASV). Likewise God's (YHWH's) purpose toward mankind is made manifest through his Son; therefore the Apostle John could say that Jesus (Yeshua) represents per 1 Corinthians 1:24 & 30, "but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (ASV); And at "30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:" (ASV); And at 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, "but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: 8 which none of the rulers of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory:" (ASV); And at Proverbs 18-21, "Riches and honor are with me; [Yea], durable wealth and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I walk in the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice; 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, And that I may fill their treasuries. " (ASV). Thus as we can see that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ has become to us wisdom from God, and also righteousness and sanctification and a release by ransom.
Not a Co-Creator:
Jesus (Yeshua) took part with respect the creative works, but this did NOT make him a co-Creator along with his Father (YHWH). Why not? Because all the power for creation came from God through his Holy Spirit, or active force as shown by Genesis 1:1-2, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." (ASV); And at Psalms 33:6, "By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth." (ASV). Of course some may object and have different views with regard to what the Holy Spirit is, but let's look at the facts. The "New American Bible Catholic Bible," says in a footnote regarding John 14:17: "The Greek word for 'Spirit' is neuter, and while we use personal pronouns in English ('he,' 'his,' 'him'), most Greek MSS [manuscripts] employ 'it.'" So when the Bible uses masculine personal pronouns in connection with pa•ra'kle•tos at John 16:7, 8, it is conforming to rules of grammar, not expressing a doctrine. And in Ancient Hebrew the word here rendered Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, or Spirit which is translated from 'ru'ach' meaning "breath; wind; spirit." In Latin, it is spiritus, and in Sanskrit, 'prana' which means both "breath" and "spirit." Thus God (YHWH) is the source of all life, all animate creation, both visible and invisible, as shown at Psalms 36:9, "For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light." (ASV). Thus all of creation including his only begotten Son owes their lives to him. Thus, rather than being a co-Creator with his Father (YHWH), Jesus (Yeshua) was the agent or instrumentality through whom God (YHWH), the Creator, worked using him as his 'master worker.' Jesus (Yeshua) himself gave credit to his Father (YHWH) for all of creation, see Matthew 19:4-6, "And he answered and said, Have ye not read, that he who made [them] from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (ASV).
Prehuman Existance of Jesus (Yeshua):
Let's look at Jesus' (Yeshua's) existence before he came to earth to be born of a virgin per Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the generation of Christ was in this wise. When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child, of the Holy Ghost. 19 Whereupon Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing publicly to expose her, was minded to put her away privately. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her, is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: 23 Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 And Joseph rising up from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife. 25 And he knew her not till she brought forth her first born son: and he called his name Jesus." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB). Jesus (Yeshua) spoke of his prehuman heavenly life before coming to earth at John 3:13, "And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven." (DRCB); And at John 6:38, "Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me." (DRCB) which shows he was sent down to earth by his Father (YHWH); And John 8:23, "And he said to them: You are from beneath: I am from above. You are of this world: I am not of this world." (DRCB) clearly showing in his own words where he came from; And at John 8:42, " Jesus therefore said to them: If God were your Father, you would indeed love me. For from God I proceeded and came. For I came not of myself: but he sent me." (DRCB) here he tells specifically who his Father is; And John 8:52, "The Jews therefore said: Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets: and thou sayest: If any man keep my word, he shall not taste death for ever." (DRCB). Jesus (Yeshua) was with his Father (YHWH) from the beginning of creation since he was, as previously shown, the first of God's creation and used in the creation of all else per Proverbs 8:22-31, "Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, Before his works of old. 23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was. 24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no fountains abounding with water. 25 Before the mountains were settled, Before the hills was I brought forth; 26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, Nor the beginning of the dust of the world. 27 When he established the heavens, I was there: When he set a circle upon the face of the deep, 28 When he made firm the skies above, When the fountains of the deep became strong, 29 When he gave to the sea its bound, That the waters should not transgress his commandment, When he marked out the foundations of the earth; 30 Then I was by him, [as] a master workman; And I was daily [his] delight, Rejoicing always before him, 31 Rejoicing in his habitable earth; And my delight was with the sons of men." (ASV); And this fact was also shown at Colossians 1:15-22, " who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. 21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:" (ASV); And at Revelation 3:14, "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" (ASV), thus the scriptures identify the 'Word' or 'Logos' as God's (YHWH's) first creation, his firstborn Son.
Therefore, as just shown, Jesus (Yeshua) was truly the Son of his Father (YHWH) who gave him life. This is shown to be clearly a fact at John 6:56-57, " He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me." (ASV). Therefore, if the estimates of the age of the universe made recently by scientist are anywhere near correct, Jeusu' existence as a spirit creature started many thousands of millions of years before the creation of the first human, and this is indicated also at Micah 5:2, "But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting." (ASV). Thus this firstborn spirit Son was used by his Father (YHWH) in the creation of all else as revealed at John 1:3, "All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made." (ASV), And at Colossians 1:16-17, "for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him; 17 and he is before all things, and in him all things consist." (ASV). Included in the things that his Father (YHWH) empowered him to create would be the millions of other spirit sons of God's (YHWH's) heavenly family per Revelation 5:11, " And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;" (ASV). This is also highlighted with the creation of menkind when Jesus (Yeshua) and his Father (YHWH) were discussing it at Genesis 1:26, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (ASV).
Why the Title, "The Word":
This name or title identifies the function that God's (YHWH's) firstborn Son would perform for his Father (YHWY). This is first revealed at Exodos 4:16, where God (YHWH) speaks to his servant Moses about his brother, "And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God." (ASV). As God's (YHWH's) spokesman on earth, Aaron served as the mouth for Moses; likewise the Word, or Logos, who became Jesus (Yeshua) did likewise for his Father (YHWH). God (YHWH) used his Son to give instructions and information to others of his family of spirit sons, and also used him to deliver his message to humans on earth as his spokesman. This is testified to at John 7:16-17, "Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. 17 If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or [whether] I speak from myself." (ASV); And at John 12:50, "And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak." (ASV); And at John 18:37, " Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (ASV).
While some texts refer to God (YHWH) as though directly speaking to humans, others make it clear that he did so through his son or angelic representatives in keeping with the Jewish Law of Agencies previously discussed. Some relevant scriptures are Exodus 3:2-4, "And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when Jehovah saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (ASV), which compares with Acts 7:30-35, "And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 And when Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold, there came a voice of the Lord, 32 I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 And the Lord said unto him, Loose the shoes from thy feet: for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them: and now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? him hath God sent [to be] both a ruler and a deliverer with the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush." (ASV). Reasonably, in most such cases God (YHWH) spoke through the word.
III JESUS' (YESHUA'S) BIRTH ON EARTH:
Let's face it, Jesus' (Yeshua's) birth and the circumstances surrounding it were very different from any other. Angels had appeared on the earth to men in human form that they had materialized for the occasion before Jesus (Yeshua), but had then dematerialized after finishing their assignment as shown at Genesis 19:1, "And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth;" (ASV), and else where. However, in doing so they only maintained their materialized human form for a little while; now with the case of God's (YHWH's) only begotten Son, his life force was to be transferred into the womb of a young Jewish lady, Mary. This would be an unprecedented occurrence as always before in human history, all children had been conceived in imperfection and with inherited sin, but this time, this was NOT to be the case.
Now how did this all come about? For answers we turn to the Bible at Matthew 1:18-25, "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But when he thought on these things, behold, an 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 Spirit. 21 And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us. 24 And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; 25 and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS." (ASV); This is reaffirmed at Luke 1:30-35, "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (ASV). Thus, Jesus (Yeshua) was different that the angels who had materialized temporarily in the past, but had remained angels. Jesus (Yeshua) came to earth by being born as a human, the man Jesus (Yeshua), and to reside among mankind. John testifies at John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (ASV); For this reason the 'Word' or 'Logos' as Jesus (Yeshua) was known by could call himself 'the Son of man.' As stated at John 1:51, "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (ASV); And at John 3:14-15, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; 15 that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life." (ASV).
Of course, some doubters and critics point to the expression 'resided among mankind' and claim this shows Jesus (Yeshua) was not a true human, but only an incarination. However, this does not 'wash' with how the Apostle Peter used a similar expression about himself at 2 Peter 1:13-14, "And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me." (ASV).
Why was this transfer of Jesus' (Yeshua's) life force to the womb of Mary and his subsequent birth as a human necessary? Let's look at Galatians 4:4, "but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law," (ASV) which indicates this was necessary in order for the child that was born to retain his identity as the same individual who had resided in heaven as the 'Word' or 'Logos', and only is this way could he have, also, been the actual son of Mary. This was important with respect fulfillment of prophesy since the Messiah or savior was to be a genuine descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and King David and hence a legitimate heir of the divine promises made to them as he would be since Mary was a genuine descendant of all of them, her forefathers. Therefore he could fulfill the divine promises made to them at Genesis 22:15-18, "And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice." (ASV); And at Genesis 26:24, "And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake." (ASV); And at Genesis 28:10-14, "And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. And he took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed. And behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, Jehovah stood above it, and said, I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (ASV); And at Genesis 49:10, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come: And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be." (ASV); And at 2 Samuel 7:8, "Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel;" (ASV); And at 2 Samuel 7:11-16, "and `as' from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house. 12 When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 15 but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." (ASV).
While Mary was a descendant of the sinner Adam, and therefore imperfect and sinful, Mary's firstborn could be perfect and free from sin due to his father being Almighty God (YHWH). From what is revealed in the Bible, it appears that the perfect individual male life force, God (YHWH), causing the conception canceled out any imperfection existent in Mary's ovum through his active force the Holy Spirit. However, whatever the case, the operation of God's (YHWH) Holy Spirit at this time guaranteed the success of God's (YHWH's) purpose [for more information on this Holy Spirit, see details in "Not a Co-Creator" in section II]. This is just as the angel Gabriel explained to Mary as shown at Luke 1:35, "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God." (ASV).
In that it was Almighty God's (YHWH's) active force or Holy Spirit that made the birth possible, Jesus (Yeshua) owed his human life to his heavenly Father (YHWH), and not to any man such as his adoptive father Joseph as testified to at Matthew 2:13-15, "Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt; 15 and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." (ASV); And at Luke 3:23, "And Jesus himself, when he began `to teach', was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the `son' of Heli," (ASV). Therefore as stated at Hebrews 10:5, "Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;" (ASV), God (YHWH) prepared a body for him; therefore, his conception was truly "undefiled, separated from sinners," as testified to at Hebrews 7:26, "For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (ASV): And at John 8:46, "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?" (ASV); And at 1 Peter 2:21-22, "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:" (ASV).
Though he was perfect in physical form, his Father's (YHWH's) message of truth and righteousness that Jesus (Yeshua) boldly proclaimed made him repulsive and despicable in the eyes of the bigots and hypocritical opposers that falsely claimed he was an agent of Beelzebub, or a man possessed of a demon or a blasphemous fraud per Matthew 12:24, "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out demons, but by Beelzebub the prince of the demons." (ASV); And at Matthew 27:39-43, "And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, 40 and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 In like manner also the chief priests mocking `him', with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him. 43 He trusteth on God; let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God." (ASV); And at John 8:48, "Which of you convicteth me of sin? If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?" (ASV); And at John 15:17-25, "These things I command you, that ye may love one another. 18 If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before `it hated' you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But `this cometh to pass', that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." (ASV). For Jesus' (Yeshua's) true followers today, they experience the same type of treatment and false accusations that their leader and savior experienced in his day on earth. Obviously, if you are not experiencing persecution of some sort or another for openly telling others about God's (YHWH's) today, you are in error and not telling the truth. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 brings this point home as follows, "But thanks be unto God, who always leadeth us in triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest through us the savor of his knowledge in every place. 15 For we are a sweet savor of Christ unto God, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; 16 to the one a savor from death unto death; to the other a savor from life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?" (ASV), which makes it clear true Christian preachers of the word of God (YHWH) would be a "sweet savor" for those receptive to God (YHWH); but an odor of death to those rejecting their message.
PART 2 OF “DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA’ WILL BE CONTINUED IN VOL 287.
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] PART 2 OF “DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA’IV THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS' NAME:
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 287A]
O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. 2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Psalms 94:1 – 2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As Isaiah 35:4, [AV] says, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.” Yes, He will avenge us as shown by Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Almighty God (YHWH) is indeed the judge over everything as stated at Psalms 50:6, [AV] “And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.”
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[2] PART 2 OF “DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA’
IV THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS' NAME:
Most names in ancient Israel had a meaning, remember the angel Gabriel told Mary to call her as yet unborn son, Jesus; this name meant 'God is Salvation' and was not an uncommon name back there, nor in Spanish speaking countries until today. But this name only gives a hint with regard to its real significance. It can readily be seen that while Jesus' (Yeshua's) death by torture plays a vital part in human salvation, acceptance of this is by no means all that is required in 'putting faith in the name of Jesus,' per Acts 10:43, "To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins." (ASV). After his resurrection, Jesus informed his disciples at Matthew 28:18, that, "And Jesus came, and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth." (Webster Bible by Noah Webster; WB). The Apostle Paul made it clear that his Father (YHWH) has subjected all things to his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) with the specific exception of himself at 1 Corinthians 15:27, "For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him." (WB); And at Hebrews 1:1-14, "When in former times God spoke to our forefathers, he spoke in fragmentary and varied fashion through the prophets. 2 But in this the final age he has spoken to us in the Son whom he has made heir to the whole universe, and through whom he created all orders of existence: 3 The Son who is the effulgence of God's splendour and the stamp of God's very being, and sustains the universe by his word of power. When he had brought about the purgation of sins, he took his seat at the right hand of Majesty on high, raised as far above the angels, 4 as the title he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For God never said to any angel, 'Thou art my Son; today I have begotten thee', or again, 'I will be father to him, and he shall be my son.' 6 Again, when he presents the first-born to the world, he says, 'Let all the angels of God pay him homage." 7 Of the angels he says, 'He who makes his angels winds, And his ministers a fiery flame'; 8 but of the Son, 'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and erve, And the scepter of justice is the scepter of his kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved right and hated wrong; Therefore, O God, thy God has set thee above thy fellows, By anointing with the oil of exultation.' 10 And again, 'By thee, Lord, were earth's foundations laid of old, And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 11 They shall pass away, but thou endurest; Like clothes they shall all grow old; 12 Yes, they shall be changed like any garment. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.' 13 To which of the angels has he ever said, 'Sit at my right hand until I make thy enemies they footstool'? What are they all but ministrant spirits, sent out to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (The New English Bible; NEB); And at Hebrews 2:8, "thou hast subjected all things under his feet. For in subjecting all things to him, he has left nothing unsubject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to *him*," (The Darby Translation). Thus, His 'name' is more shown by the scriptures to be more excellent than that of God's (YHWH's) angels, in that his name embraces or stands for the great authority that God (YHWH) has given to him per Hebrew 1:3-4, just previously quoted. Since this is the case, only those who recognize his 'name' and bow to its authority thereby represented will gain eternal life per Acts 4:12, "There is no salvation by anyone else, for no one else in all the wide world has been appointed among men as our only medium by which to be saved." (The New Testament by Charles B. Williams); And at Ephesians 1:19-23, "and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, 20 [in] which he wrought in the Christ [in] raising him from among [the] dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, 21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him [to be] head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all:" (The Darby Translation); And at Philippians 2:9-11, "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren," (WB). All true footstep followers of His must have sincerity and be without hypocrisy, comply with the standards of his Father (YHWH) that Jesus (Yeshua)revealed as his spokesman or agent, and, in faith, obey the commands he gave per Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who 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 demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (WB); And at Romans 1:5, "Through him God gave me the privilege of being an apostle, for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey." (Good News For Modern Man Bible by American Bible Society); And at 1 John 3:23, "`His orders are that we should put our trust in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another-as we used to hear him say in person." (The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips).
Illustrating another aspect of Jesus' (Yeshua's) 'name' is his prophetic warning that his followers would be hater and persecuted by bigots per Matthew 24:9, "Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you: and ye will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." (WB); And at Matthew 10:22, "And ye will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (WB); And at John 15:20-21, "Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (WB); And at Acts 9:15-16, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." (ASV). Why is this so? It is because his 'name' represents God's (YHWH's) appointed Ruler, the King of kings, to whom all nations should bow in submission or suffer destruction per Revelation 19:11-16, "And after the three days and a half [the] spirit of life from God came into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those beholding them. 12 And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, Come up here; and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand names of men were slain in the earthquake. And the remnant were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of the heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded [his] trumpet: and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ is come, and he shall reign to the ages of ages. 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," (The Darby Translation); And foretold at Psalms 2:7-12, "The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 11 Serve ye the Lord with fear; and rejoice unto him with trembling. 12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way." (DRCB).
Even the demons obeyed Jesus" (Yeshua's)command to get out of persons they possessed as shown at Mark 5:1-13, "And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling in the tombs: and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain; 4 because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: and no man had strength to tame him. 5 And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him; 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, `in number' about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea." (ASV); And at Mark 9:25-29, "When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!" 26 Having cried out, and convulsed greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, "He is dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. 28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?" 29 He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting."" (The Web Bible-Original Edition); And at many other places. In fact, Jesus' (Yeshua's) faithful Apostles were authorized to use His name both before and after his death to do likewise as recorded at Luke 9:1, "Then having summoned the twelve apostles, he gave them power and authority over all the devils, and to cure diseases." (The Confraternity Edition of The New Testament-Catholic); And at Luke 10:17, "Having returned and the seventy with joy, saying: O lord, and the demons are subject to us in the name of thee." (word-for-word translation of Vatican Manuscript #1209 by Dr. J. J. Griesbach); and at Acts 16:16-18, "One day as we were going down to the place of prayer beside the river, we met a demon-possessed slave girl who was a fortune-teller, and earned much money for her masters. 17 She followed along behind us shouting, 'These men are servants of God, and they have come to tell you how to have your sins forgiven.' 18 This went on day after day until Paul, in great distress turned and spoke to the demon within her. "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her,' he said. And instantly it left her." (Living New Testament). Of course, the demons did not listen to ones not authorized by Jesus (Yeshua) to expel demons in his name as shown at Acts 19:13-17, "And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon `them' to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;' 14 and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing; 15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye -- who are ye?' 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house 17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified," (Youngs Literal Translation).
Yes, when Jesus' (Yeshua's) followers referred to his 'name' they often employed the expression, 'the Lord Jesus' or 'our Lord Jesus Christ' such as at Acts 8:16, "(For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)" (WB); And at Acts 15:26, "Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (WB); And at Acts 19:5 & 13 & 17, "When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." and "13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them who had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (WB), and "17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." (WB); 1 Corinthians 1:2 & 10, "to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all those calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place -- both theirs and ours:" and "10 And I call upon you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing ye may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and ye may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment," (Youngs Literal Translation); And at Ephesians 5:20, "giving thanks at all times for all things to him [who is] God and [the] Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," (The Darby Translation); And at Colosians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).
His faithful followers recognized his as their Lord and Savior not only because he was their divinely appointed Repurchaser and Owner by virtue of his ransom sacrifice per 1 Corinthians 6:20, "for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." (ASV); And at 1 Corinthians 7:22-23, "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. 23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men." (ASV); And at 1 Peter 1:18-19, "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. 23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men." (WB); And at Jude 4, "For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Revised Standard Version; RSV). Also, they recognize him because of his kingly position and authority. It was in the full regal as well as priestly authority represented by His name that his followers preached per Acts 5:29-32, "And Peter and the apostles answering, said, `To obey God it behoveth, rather than men; 30 and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree; 31 this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; 32 and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'" (Youngs Literal Translation); And at Acts 40-42, "And to him they agreed, and having called near the apostles, having beaten `them', they commanded `them' not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go; 41 they, indeed, then, departed from the presence of the sanhedrim, rejoicing that for his name they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour, 42 every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news -- Jesus the Christ." (Youngs Literal Translation); also they baptized disciples per Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (ASV); And at Acts 2:38, "And Peter `said' unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
V WHY HATRED/BIGOTRY TOWARD HIS FOLLOWERS:
Irrational Hatred and Bigotry:
Illustrating another aspect of Jesus' (Yeshua's) 'name' is his prophetic warning that his followers would be hater and persecuted by bigots per Matthew 24:9, "Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you: and ye will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." (WB); And at Matthew 10:22, "And ye will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (WB); And at John 15:20-21, "Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (WB); And at Acts 9:15-16, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." (ASV). Why is this so? It is because his 'name' represents God's (YHWH's) appointed Ruler, the King of kings, to whom all nations should bow in submission or suffer destruction per Revelation 19:11-16, "And after the three days and a half [the] spirit of life from God came into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those beholding them. 12 And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, Come up here; and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand names of men were slain in the earthquake. And the remnant were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of the heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded [his] trumpet: and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ is come, and he shall reign to the ages of ages. 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," (The Darby Translation); And foretold at Psalms 2:7-12, "The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 11 Serve ye the Lord with fear; and rejoice unto him with trembling. 12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way." (DRCB).
Contention With Regard A Myth:
Due to some translations using a biased translation construct for John 1:1 because their translator was influenced by his/her erroneous belief in a Trinity; there has been much conflict and contention between so called Christians; whereas, the Bible clearly states at John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him." (ASV). Now let's take a brief look at the FACTS concerning this scripture. It is in error rendered in many Bibles as, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (AV, ASV, Etc.), which makes it appear that Jesus (Yeshua) and Almighty God (YHWH) are one and the same. But this is NOT the case. It should be noted that the scripture itself shows that the Word "was with God," hence could in no way be God (YHWH), that is, be the Almighty God. In fact, if the Word (Yeshua) was God (YHWH), John 1:2 would be unnecessary and impossible, "The same was in the beginning with God." (ASV, AV, Etc.). Also, the question of whether Jesus (Yeshua) is not in question here since His Father (YHWH) is Almighty God (YHWH) he of course is divine and anyone that does not accept that fact is NOT a Christian.
Now let's look at the scripture from a translators view point. In the original Koine Greek, there is no indefinite article-corresponding to 'a' or 'an' in the original text. However this does not mean one should not be used in translation into English. One of the greatest Koine Greek experts and Bible scholars of all times, Dr. J. J. Griesbach, in his word-for-word translation from Koine Greek found in the Vatican Manuscript #1209-a most respected very ancient manuscript-translated John 1:1-2 as, "In a beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and a god was the Word. 2 This was in a beginning with the God." This illustrates that throughout the New Testament originally written in Koine Greek that translators are obliged to use the indefinite article or not according to their understanding of the meaning of the text. All English translations of those scriptures do contain the indefinite article hundreds of times; however many do not use at John 1:1. Why this inconsistency? Bias by a myth they want to believe but which is NOT supported by fact.
It should be noted that the text itself shows that the Word "was with God," therefore as previously stated could NOT be God. Additionally, the word for 'god' (Gr., the-os) in its second occurrence in the verse is significantly without the definite article 'the' (Gr. , ho) . Ernst Haenchen, in a commentary of the Gospel of John, stated: "(the-os') and (ho the-os') ('god, divine' and 'the God') were not the same thing in this period in keeping with what Dr. J. J. Griesbach stated in his writings. Thus only the Father (YHWH) was 'God' (ho the-os') as in John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, `even' Jesus Christ." (ASV); here, the Son was subordinate to him, a fact Jesus (Yeshua) himself testified to at John 14:28, "Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I." (ASV). Remember in Jewish and Christian monotheism it is quite acceptable to speak of divine beings that existed alongside and under God (YHWh), but were not identical with him as shown at Philippians 2:6-10, "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient `even' unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of `things' in heaven and `things' on earth and `things' under the earth," (ASV). In this passage the Apostle Paul delineates just such a divine being, the obedient Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua). Therefore, in both Philippians and John 1:1 it is not a matter of a dialectical relationship between two-in-one, but of a personal union of two entities. [source of paraphrase, John, translated by R. W. Funk, 1984, Page 109-110].
How None Biased Translators Render John 1:1:
How examples of some Bible translators who did not have bias translated: "When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [Note, to conserve space only the last part of the scripture as rendered will be given for the many translations to follow] "and the Word was a divine being." "La Bible du Centenaire" by L'Evangile selon Jean, by Maurice Goguel, "and the Word was divine." The Bible-An American Translation by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed, "and of a divine kind was the Word." "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word." Das Neue Testament, by Ludwig Thimme, "and the Word was a God." The New Testament by James L. Tomanek, "Das Evangelium nach Johannes" Siegfried Schulz, "Das Evangelium nach Johannes" by Johannes Schneider, Das Evangelium nach Johannes" by Jurgen Becker Harwood, "what God was,the Word was" by J. Moffatt, "the Logos was divine" Translator's NT, "The Word was with God and shared his nature" Barclay NT, "what God was, the Word was" Scholar's Version, "The Divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was" Madsen, "the Word was a divine Being" Becker, "ein Gott war das Logos" [a God/god was the Logos/logos]" Stage, "Das Wort war selbst gttlichen Wesens" [The Word/word was itself a divine Being/being]" Bhmer, "Es war fest mit Gott verbunden, ja selbst gttlichen Wesens" [It was strongly linked to God, yes itself divine Being/being]" Thimme, "Gott von Art war das Wort" [God of Kind/kind was the Word/word] Baumgarten et al, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Holzmann, "ein Gott war der Gedanke" [a God/god was the Thought/thought] Rittenlmeyer, "selbst ein Gott war das Wort" [itself a God/god was the Word/word] Lyder Brun (Norw. professor of NT theology), "Ordet var av guddomsart" [the Word was of divine kind] Pffflin,
"war von gttlicher Wucht [was of divine Kind/kind] Albrecht, "gttlichen Wesen hatte das Wort" [godlike Being/being had the Word/word] Smit, "verdensordet var et guddommelig vesen" [the word of the world was a divine being] Menge, "Gott (= gttlichen Wesens) war das Wort"[God(=godlike Being/being) was the Word/word) Haenchen, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk), "divine (of the category divinity)was the Logos" Schultz, "And the word was a god" - The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text, "and a god was the Word" - The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson, "And the Word was a god" - New World Translation, "He was the same as God" - Today's English Version. We notice that these Bibles do not translate John 1:1 with the simple expression "The Word was God" like most Bibles do. Why is that? The footnote to John 1:1 in The New American Bible states the following reason: "Was God: lack of a definite article with "God" in Greek signifies predication rather than identification." What the footnote is saying is that first time "God" appears in the verse, "was with God", there is a definite article before God so it literally reads "was with THE God". The second time God appears, "was God," there is no definite article (the). This signifies "God" may be used as a predicate and not as an identification. Regarding this fact, the Anchor Bible states: "To preserve in English the different nuance of theos [god] with and without the article, some (Moffat) would translate 'The Word was divine.'"
[for those wishing to do further research on the subject, the following references are highly recommended: The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound by Anthony F. Buzzard and Charles F. Hunting, "The Two Babylons" by Rev. Alexander Hilsop, "The Great Debate Regarding The Father, Son & Holy Spirit" by Roger Wagner, "Jesus-God or the Son of God?" by Brian Holt- www.tellway-publishing.com, "The Role of Theology and Bias in Bible Translation" by Rolf Furuli-one Of the two greatest living Koine Greek experts, "The Religious Life of Ancient Rome: A Study in the Development of Religious Consciousness, from the Foundation of the City Until the Death of Gregory the Great." Carter, Jesse Benedict, New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1972; David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, 1566 A.D.; hector3000.future.easyspa...ermans.htm , "The Origin of the Trinity: From Paganism to Constantine." By Cher-El L Hagensick, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity", James Parkes-1960, "Caesar and Christ" check page 595,(Lamson, Newton & Durant cited from Charles Redeker, To Us there is One God, June 1978); "The Paganism in Our Christianity" by Historian Arthur Weigall, "Anyone who can worship a trinity and insist that his religion is a monotheism can believe anything." "The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition" (100-600). Chicago: U of Chicago P. 1971. Vol. 1 of "The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine." 5 vols. By Robert A. Heinlein; Pelikan, Jaroslav, "The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private: Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, From the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State, with explanatory notes, by the editor, H.A. Washington." 9 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Taylor & Maury, 1853-1854); now if you doubt anything I have written with respect "Contention With Regard A Myth." Now some Discourses by Iris the Preacher you can use to do research: Discourse on Mainstream Religion, Westminister Confession an Example of Twisting by Use of Heremeneutic Methodology to Back Up a Myth/False Doctrine, Discourse on Colossians 2:8-12, Documentary on the Book of John Being Anti-Trinitarian, Discourse on Constructs Used to Translate John 1:1, Discourse on the Great Deceit, Paul and the Trinity, Discourse on Philippians 2:1-16, And one by my husband, Discourse on John 1:1 & Appendix. Now please go check the facts, I have given you sufficient research sources.]
VI TESTED BEFORE BECOMING THE MESSIAH:
Testing:
Almighty God (YHWH) had supreme confidence in his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua), but he would have to be tested before God (YHWH) gave him authority over all but himself per 1 Corinthians 15:27, "For "He has put all things under His feet. But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted." (The New King James Version; NKJV). Why did God (YHWH) have a lot of confidence in Jesus (Yeshua)? It is because he who God (YHWH) would choose to be the Messiah and serve as the sacrificial Lamb of God was well known to him As 1 Peter 1:19-20, "but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." (New International Version, NIV).
In selecting his only-begotten Son, God (YHWH), of course, was not hasty in picking him. He well knew that his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was no novice that might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed upon the devil per 1 Timothy 5:22:3-6, "Impose hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." (WB); And at 1 Timothy 3:6, "and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil" (New American Standard Bible; NASB). In other words, God (YHWH) 'fully knew' his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) from his intimate association with him during countless ages past per Matthew 11:27, "All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal `him.'" (ASV); This compares to Genesis 22:12, "And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld from me thy son, thy only son." (WB); and could confidently assign him to fulfill the unerring prophecies of His Word, see Isaiah 46:10-11, "Who shew from the beginning the things that shall be at last, and from ancient times the things that as yet are not done, saying: My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done: 11 Who call a bird from the east, and from a far country the man of my own will, and I have spoken,m and will bring it to pass: I have created, and I will do it. Hear me, O ye hardhearted, who are far from justice." (DRCB). Thus God (YHWH) was not arbitrarily guaranteeing 'certain success' for his Son by simply placing him in the role of the prophesied Messiah, see Isaiah 55:11, "So shall the word which comes from my mouth prevail; it shall not return to me fruitless without accomplishing mhy purpose or succeeding in the task I gave it." (NEB).
Before this, Jesus (Yeshua) had never undergone a test like that which was now before him. While he had demonstrated his faithfulness and devotion to his Father (YHWH) in other ways; He had already been given great responsibility as God's (YHWH's) spokesman, the Word or Logos. In this position, he had never misused his position and authority, as did God's (YHWH's) earthly spokesman, Moses, on one occasion, see Numbers 20:9-13, "And Moses took the staff from before Jehovah, as he had commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring forth to you water out of this rock 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice, and much water came out, and the assembly drank, and their beasts. 12 And Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to hallow me before the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended with Jehovah, and he hallowed himself in them." (The Darby Translation); And at Deuteronomy 32:48-51, "And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in this self-same day, saying, 49 `Go up unto this mount Abarim, mount Nebo, which `is' in the land of Moab, which `is' on the front of Jericho, and see the land of Canaan which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession; 50 and die in the mount whither thou art going up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother hath died in the mount Hor, and is gathered unto his people 51 `Because ye trespassed against me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribath-Kadesh, the wilderness of Zin -- because ye sanctified Me not in the midst of the sons of Israel;" (Youngs Literal Translation): and Jude 9, "But when [even] the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, judicially argued (disputed) about the body of Moses, he dared not (presume to) bring an abusive condemnation against him, but [simply] said, The Lord rebuke you!" (The Amplified Bible; AMP). Being the one through whom all things were made, the Son was a god, hence divine, "the only begottem god" per John 1:18, "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten god who is in the bosom [position] with the Father is the one that has explained him." (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures based on The New Testament in the Original Greek by B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort), hence He held a position of glory and preeminence in relation to all others of God's (YHWH's) spirit sons. This fact, however, did not make him haughty. So, it could not be said that the Son had not already proved his loyalty, humility, and devotion in many respects.
It should be noted that the spirit son who became Satan by defecting from God's (YHWH's) service did not do so because anyone had persecuted him or tempted him to do wrong. As the Bible says at Jam3s 1:13-15, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (WB); he simply failed his test due to lack of love of his Creator, God (YHWH). Yet this adversary raised an issue that required that the Son, as promised Messiah and future King of God's Kingdom, now undergo a test of integrity under new circumstances.
This test and the sufferings it entailed were also necessary for his being, per Hebrews 5:9-10, "and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; 10 named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek." (ASV). To meet the requirements of this test, God's (YHWH's) was per Hebrews 2:10-18, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me. 14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." (ASV): And at Hebrews 4:15-5:2, "For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as `we are, yet' without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help `us' in time of need. 5:1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;" (ASV); And Luke 9:22, "saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up." (ASV).
Free Moral Agent:
All prophecies concerning the Messiah had to be fulfilled as Jesus (Yeshua) himself acknowledged. This was stated at Luke 24:44-47, "And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures; 46 and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (ASV); And Matthew 16:21, "From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up." (ASV). However this did not relieve God's (YHWH's) Son of the weight of responsibility, nor did it eliminate his freedom of choice; to wit, either to be faithful or unfaithful. This was NOT a one- sided affair depending only on Almighty God (YHWH).
His Son had to do his part to make the prophecies come true. God (YHWH) assured the certainty of the prophecies by his wise choice of the one whom he assigned to carry them out, per Colossians 1:13, "who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;" (ASV). But, his Son still retained his freewill. This was shown by his voluntarily submitting himself to his Father's (YHWH's) will as testified to at Matthew 16:21-23, "From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men." (ASV); And at, John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work." (ASV); And at John 5:30, "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (ASV); And at John 6:38, "For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (ASV).
Hence it is plain to see that he consciously worked toward the fulfillment of his assignment as detailed by his Father's word, the Bible as shown at Matthew 3:15, "But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer `it' now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him." (ASV); And at Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished." (ASV); And at Matthew 13:10-17, "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not." (ASV); Matthew 13:34-35, "All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." (ASV); And at Matthew 26:52-54, "Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?" (ASV).
However, many of the features of prophecy were, of course, not under the control of Jesus (Yeshua) as they took place after his death. Some of these are found at Matthew 26:55-56, "In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not. 56 But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled." (ASV); And at Matthew 12:40, "for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (ASV); And at John 18:31, "Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die." (ASV); And at John 19:23-24 &36-37, "The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24 They said therefore one to another, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my garments among them, And upon my vesture did they cast lots." (ASV); And at John 19:36-37, "For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced." (ASV).
In the night proceeding his death, Jesus (Yeshua) had to fortify himself for his coming torture and execution. This took intense personal effort on his part to subject his own will to the superior will of the one wiser than himself, his Father (YHWH) as shown at Matthew 26:36-44, "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words." (ASV); And at Luke 22:42-44, "saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground." (ASV). This also shows that he keenly recognized his human dependence on his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) for strength in time of need as testified to at John 12:23-28, "And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, `saying', I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (ASV); And at Hebrews 5:7, "In the days of his earthly life he offered up prayers and petitions, with loud cries and tears, to God who was able to deliver him from the grave. Because of his humble submission his prayer was heard:" (NEB).
This was always the way of Jesus (Yeshua) including when he was tempted by Satan the Devil at the end of a 40 day fast as recorded in Matthew 4:1-10, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. 3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (ASV).
CONCLUSION:
I hope all have carefully studied the valuable Bible information contained within this discourse and have done so with an open mind, and not with a prejudicial view due to what you have believed and/or been told in the past. In addition, I hope this writing with its many quotes from many Bibles, approximately 90% being Bible quotes in true 'Sola Scriptura' form, have given one and all a better understanding of Bible truths.
I challenge anyone to show that my facts are in error.
Now to know the truth, go to:
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TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM LEARNING THE TRUTH IS JUST PLAIN WICKED AND EVIL, may Almighty God (YHWH) punish him.
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today!
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 287A]
O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. 2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the proud. Psalms 94:1 – 2, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
As Isaiah 35:4, [AV] says, “Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.” Yes, He will avenge us as shown by Romans 12:19, [AV] “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Almighty God (YHWH) is indeed the judge over everything as stated at Psalms 50:6, [AV] “And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
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7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] PART 2 OF “DIGITAL BOOK ON OUR SAVIOR JESUS (YESHUA’
IV THE REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS' NAME:
Most names in ancient Israel had a meaning, remember the angel Gabriel told Mary to call her as yet unborn son, Jesus; this name meant 'God is Salvation' and was not an uncommon name back there, nor in Spanish speaking countries until today. But this name only gives a hint with regard to its real significance. It can readily be seen that while Jesus' (Yeshua's) death by torture plays a vital part in human salvation, acceptance of this is by no means all that is required in 'putting faith in the name of Jesus,' per Acts 10:43, "To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins." (ASV). After his resurrection, Jesus informed his disciples at Matthew 28:18, that, "And Jesus came, and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth." (Webster Bible by Noah Webster; WB). The Apostle Paul made it clear that his Father (YHWH) has subjected all things to his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) with the specific exception of himself at 1 Corinthians 15:27, "For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him." (WB); And at Hebrews 1:1-14, "When in former times God spoke to our forefathers, he spoke in fragmentary and varied fashion through the prophets. 2 But in this the final age he has spoken to us in the Son whom he has made heir to the whole universe, and through whom he created all orders of existence: 3 The Son who is the effulgence of God's splendour and the stamp of God's very being, and sustains the universe by his word of power. When he had brought about the purgation of sins, he took his seat at the right hand of Majesty on high, raised as far above the angels, 4 as the title he has inherited is superior to theirs. 5 For God never said to any angel, 'Thou art my Son; today I have begotten thee', or again, 'I will be father to him, and he shall be my son.' 6 Again, when he presents the first-born to the world, he says, 'Let all the angels of God pay him homage." 7 Of the angels he says, 'He who makes his angels winds, And his ministers a fiery flame'; 8 but of the Son, 'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and erve, And the scepter of justice is the scepter of his kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved right and hated wrong; Therefore, O God, thy God has set thee above thy fellows, By anointing with the oil of exultation.' 10 And again, 'By thee, Lord, were earth's foundations laid of old, And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 11 They shall pass away, but thou endurest; Like clothes they shall all grow old; 12 Yes, they shall be changed like any garment. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.' 13 To which of the angels has he ever said, 'Sit at my right hand until I make thy enemies they footstool'? What are they all but ministrant spirits, sent out to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (The New English Bible; NEB); And at Hebrews 2:8, "thou hast subjected all things under his feet. For in subjecting all things to him, he has left nothing unsubject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to *him*," (The Darby Translation). Thus, His 'name' is more shown by the scriptures to be more excellent than that of God's (YHWH's) angels, in that his name embraces or stands for the great authority that God (YHWH) has given to him per Hebrew 1:3-4, just previously quoted. Since this is the case, only those who recognize his 'name' and bow to its authority thereby represented will gain eternal life per Acts 4:12, "There is no salvation by anyone else, for no one else in all the wide world has been appointed among men as our only medium by which to be saved." (The New Testament by Charles B. Williams); And at Ephesians 1:19-23, "and what the surpassing greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of the might of his strength, 20 [in] which he wrought in the Christ [in] raising him from among [the] dead, and he set him down at his right hand in the heavenlies, 21 above every principality, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name named, not only in this age, but also in that to come; 22 and has put all things under his feet, and gave him [to be] head over all things to the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fulness of him who fills all in all:" (The Darby Translation); And at Philippians 2:9-11, "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren," (WB). All true footstep followers of His must have sincerity and be without hypocrisy, comply with the standards of his Father (YHWH) that Jesus (Yeshua)revealed as his spokesman or agent, and, in faith, obey the commands he gave per Matthew 7:21-23, "Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who 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 demons? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (WB); And at Romans 1:5, "Through him God gave me the privilege of being an apostle, for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey." (Good News For Modern Man Bible by American Bible Society); And at 1 John 3:23, "`His orders are that we should put our trust in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another-as we used to hear him say in person." (The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips).
Illustrating another aspect of Jesus' (Yeshua's) 'name' is his prophetic warning that his followers would be hater and persecuted by bigots per Matthew 24:9, "Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you: and ye will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." (WB); And at Matthew 10:22, "And ye will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (WB); And at John 15:20-21, "Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (WB); And at Acts 9:15-16, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." (ASV). Why is this so? It is because his 'name' represents God's (YHWH's) appointed Ruler, the King of kings, to whom all nations should bow in submission or suffer destruction per Revelation 19:11-16, "And after the three days and a half [the] spirit of life from God came into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those beholding them. 12 And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, Come up here; and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand names of men were slain in the earthquake. And the remnant were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of the heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded [his] trumpet: and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ is come, and he shall reign to the ages of ages. 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," (The Darby Translation); And foretold at Psalms 2:7-12, "The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 11 Serve ye the Lord with fear; and rejoice unto him with trembling. 12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way." (DRCB).
Even the demons obeyed Jesus" (Yeshua's)command to get out of persons they possessed as shown at Mark 5:1-13, "And they came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when he was come out of the boat, straightway there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 who had his dwelling in the tombs: and no man could any more bind him, no, not with a chain; 4 because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: and no man had strength to tame him. 5 And always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped him; 7 and crying out with a loud voice, he saith, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come forth, thou unclean spirit, out of the man. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he saith unto him, My name is Legion; for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there on the mountain side a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And they besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered into the swine: and the herd rushed down the steep into the sea, `in number' about two thousand; and they were drowned in the sea." (ASV); And at Mark 9:25-29, "When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!" 26 Having cried out, and convulsed greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, "He is dead." 27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose. 28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we cast it out?" 29 He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting."" (The Web Bible-Original Edition); And at many other places. In fact, Jesus' (Yeshua's) faithful Apostles were authorized to use His name both before and after his death to do likewise as recorded at Luke 9:1, "Then having summoned the twelve apostles, he gave them power and authority over all the devils, and to cure diseases." (The Confraternity Edition of The New Testament-Catholic); And at Luke 10:17, "Having returned and the seventy with joy, saying: O lord, and the demons are subject to us in the name of thee." (word-for-word translation of Vatican Manuscript #1209 by Dr. J. J. Griesbach); and at Acts 16:16-18, "One day as we were going down to the place of prayer beside the river, we met a demon-possessed slave girl who was a fortune-teller, and earned much money for her masters. 17 She followed along behind us shouting, 'These men are servants of God, and they have come to tell you how to have your sins forgiven.' 18 This went on day after day until Paul, in great distress turned and spoke to the demon within her. "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her,' he said. And instantly it left her." (Living New Testament). Of course, the demons did not listen to ones not authorized by Jesus (Yeshua) to expel demons in his name as shown at Acts 19:13-17, "And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon `them' to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;' 14 and there were certain -- seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest -- who are doing this thing; 15 and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye -- who are ye?' 16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house 17 and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified," (Youngs Literal Translation).
Yes, when Jesus' (Yeshua's) followers referred to his 'name' they often employed the expression, 'the Lord Jesus' or 'our Lord Jesus Christ' such as at Acts 8:16, "(For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)" (WB); And at Acts 15:26, "Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (WB); And at Acts 19:5 & 13 & 17, "When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." and "13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them who had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth." (WB), and "17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified." (WB); 1 Corinthians 1:2 & 10, "to the assembly of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints, with all those calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place -- both theirs and ours:" and "10 And I call upon you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the same thing ye may all say, and there may not be divisions among you, and ye may be perfected in the same mind, and in the same judgment," (Youngs Literal Translation); And at Ephesians 5:20, "giving thanks at all times for all things to him [who is] God and [the] Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," (The Darby Translation); And at Colosians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Authorized King James Bible; AV).
His faithful followers recognized his as their Lord and Savior not only because he was their divinely appointed Repurchaser and Owner by virtue of his ransom sacrifice per 1 Corinthians 6:20, "for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body." (ASV); And at 1 Corinthians 7:22-23, "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. 23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men." (ASV); And at 1 Peter 1:18-19, "For he that was called in the Lord being a bondservant, is the Lord's freedman: likewise he that was called being free, is Christ's bondservant. 23 Ye were bought with a price; become not bondservants of men." (WB); And at Jude 4, "For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Revised Standard Version; RSV). Also, they recognize him because of his kingly position and authority. It was in the full regal as well as priestly authority represented by His name that his followers preached per Acts 5:29-32, "And Peter and the apostles answering, said, `To obey God it behoveth, rather than men; 30 and the God of our fathers did raise up Jesus, whom ye slew, having hanged upon a tree; 31 this one God, a Prince and a Saviour, hath exalted with His right hand, to give reformation to Israel, and forgiveness of sins; 32 and we are His witnesses of these sayings, and the Holy Spirit also, whom God gave to those obeying him.'" (Youngs Literal Translation); And at Acts 40-42, "And to him they agreed, and having called near the apostles, having beaten `them', they commanded `them' not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go; 41 they, indeed, then, departed from the presence of the sanhedrim, rejoicing that for his name they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour, 42 every day also in the temple, and in every house, they were not ceasing teaching and proclaiming good news -- Jesus the Christ." (Youngs Literal Translation); also they baptized disciples per Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (ASV); And at Acts 2:38, "And Peter `said' unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (ASV).
V WHY HATRED/BIGOTRY TOWARD HIS FOLLOWERS:
Irrational Hatred and Bigotry:
Illustrating another aspect of Jesus' (Yeshua's) 'name' is his prophetic warning that his followers would be hater and persecuted by bigots per Matthew 24:9, "Then will they deliver you up to be afflicted, and will kill you: and ye will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." (WB); And at Matthew 10:22, "And ye will be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (WB); And at John 15:20-21, "Remember the word that I said to you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do to you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (WB); And at Acts 9:15-16, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake." (ASV). Why is this so? It is because his 'name' represents God's (YHWH's) appointed Ruler, the King of kings, to whom all nations should bow in submission or suffer destruction per Revelation 19:11-16, "And after the three days and a half [the] spirit of life from God came into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon those beholding them. 12 And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, Come up here; and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand names of men were slain in the earthquake. And the remnant were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of the heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded [his] trumpet: and there were great voices in the heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world of our Lord and of his Christ is come, and he shall reign to the ages of ages. 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," (The Darby Translation); And foretold at Psalms 2:7-12, "The Lord hath said to me: Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron, and shalt break them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 And now, O ye kings, understand: receive instruction, you that judge the earth. 11 Serve ye the Lord with fear; and rejoice unto him with trembling. 12 Embrace discipline, lest at any time the Lord be angry, and you perish from the just way." (DRCB).
Contention With Regard A Myth:
Due to some translations using a biased translation construct for John 1:1 because their translator was influenced by his/her erroneous belief in a Trinity; there has been much conflict and contention between so called Christians; whereas, the Bible clearly states at John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him." (ASV). Now let's take a brief look at the FACTS concerning this scripture. It is in error rendered in many Bibles as, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (AV, ASV, Etc.), which makes it appear that Jesus (Yeshua) and Almighty God (YHWH) are one and the same. But this is NOT the case. It should be noted that the scripture itself shows that the Word "was with God," hence could in no way be God (YHWH), that is, be the Almighty God. In fact, if the Word (Yeshua) was God (YHWH), John 1:2 would be unnecessary and impossible, "The same was in the beginning with God." (ASV, AV, Etc.). Also, the question of whether Jesus (Yeshua) is not in question here since His Father (YHWH) is Almighty God (YHWH) he of course is divine and anyone that does not accept that fact is NOT a Christian.
Now let's look at the scripture from a translators view point. In the original Koine Greek, there is no indefinite article-corresponding to 'a' or 'an' in the original text. However this does not mean one should not be used in translation into English. One of the greatest Koine Greek experts and Bible scholars of all times, Dr. J. J. Griesbach, in his word-for-word translation from Koine Greek found in the Vatican Manuscript #1209-a most respected very ancient manuscript-translated John 1:1-2 as, "In a beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and a god was the Word. 2 This was in a beginning with the God." This illustrates that throughout the New Testament originally written in Koine Greek that translators are obliged to use the indefinite article or not according to their understanding of the meaning of the text. All English translations of those scriptures do contain the indefinite article hundreds of times; however many do not use at John 1:1. Why this inconsistency? Bias by a myth they want to believe but which is NOT supported by fact.
It should be noted that the text itself shows that the Word "was with God," therefore as previously stated could NOT be God. Additionally, the word for 'god' (Gr., the-os) in its second occurrence in the verse is significantly without the definite article 'the' (Gr. , ho) . Ernst Haenchen, in a commentary of the Gospel of John, stated: "(the-os') and (ho the-os') ('god, divine' and 'the God') were not the same thing in this period in keeping with what Dr. J. J. Griesbach stated in his writings. Thus only the Father (YHWH) was 'God' (ho the-os') as in John 17:3, "And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, `even' Jesus Christ." (ASV); here, the Son was subordinate to him, a fact Jesus (Yeshua) himself testified to at John 14:28, "Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I." (ASV). Remember in Jewish and Christian monotheism it is quite acceptable to speak of divine beings that existed alongside and under God (YHWh), but were not identical with him as shown at Philippians 2:6-10, "who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient `even' unto death, yea, the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name; 10 that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of `things' in heaven and `things' on earth and `things' under the earth," (ASV). In this passage the Apostle Paul delineates just such a divine being, the obedient Son of God, Jesus (Yeshua). Therefore, in both Philippians and John 1:1 it is not a matter of a dialectical relationship between two-in-one, but of a personal union of two entities. [source of paraphrase, John, translated by R. W. Funk, 1984, Page 109-110].
How None Biased Translators Render John 1:1:
How examples of some Bible translators who did not have bias translated: "When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what God was, the word was." [Note, to conserve space only the last part of the scripture as rendered will be given for the many translations to follow] "and the Word was a divine being." "La Bible du Centenaire" by L'Evangile selon Jean, by Maurice Goguel, "and the Word was divine." The Bible-An American Translation by J. M. P. Smith and E. J. Goodspeed, "and of a divine kind was the Word." "and a god (or, of a divine kind) was the Word." Das Neue Testament, by Ludwig Thimme, "and the Word was a God." The New Testament by James L. Tomanek, "Das Evangelium nach Johannes" Siegfried Schulz, "Das Evangelium nach Johannes" by Johannes Schneider, Das Evangelium nach Johannes" by Jurgen Becker Harwood, "what God was,the Word was" by J. Moffatt, "the Logos was divine" Translator's NT, "The Word was with God and shared his nature" Barclay NT, "what God was, the Word was" Scholar's Version, "The Divine word and wisdom was there with God, and it was what God was" Madsen, "the Word was a divine Being" Becker, "ein Gott war das Logos" [a God/god was the Logos/logos]" Stage, "Das Wort war selbst gttlichen Wesens" [The Word/word was itself a divine Being/being]" Bhmer, "Es war fest mit Gott verbunden, ja selbst gttlichen Wesens" [It was strongly linked to God, yes itself divine Being/being]" Thimme, "Gott von Art war das Wort" [God of Kind/kind was the Word/word] Baumgarten et al, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Holzmann, "ein Gott war der Gedanke" [a God/god was the Thought/thought] Rittenlmeyer, "selbst ein Gott war das Wort" [itself a God/god was the Word/word] Lyder Brun (Norw. professor of NT theology), "Ordet var av guddomsart" [the Word was of divine kind] Pffflin,
"war von gttlicher Wucht [was of divine Kind/kind] Albrecht, "gttlichen Wesen hatte das Wort" [godlike Being/being had the Word/word] Smit, "verdensordet var et guddommelig vesen" [the word of the world was a divine being] Menge, "Gott (= gttlichen Wesens) war das Wort"[God(=godlike Being/being) was the Word/word) Haenchen, "Gott (von Art) war der Logos" [God (of Kind/kind) was the Logos/logos] Die Bibel in heutigem Deutsch, "r war bei Gott und in allem Gott gleich"[He was with God and in all like God] Haenchen (tr. By R. Funk), "divine (of the category divinity)was the Logos" Schultz, "And the word was a god" - The New Testament in An Improved Version, Upon the Basis of Achbishop Newcome's New Translation: With a Corrected Text, "and a god was the Word" - The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson, "And the Word was a god" - New World Translation, "He was the same as God" - Today's English Version. We notice that these Bibles do not translate John 1:1 with the simple expression "The Word was God" like most Bibles do. Why is that? The footnote to John 1:1 in The New American Bible states the following reason: "Was God: lack of a definite article with "God" in Greek signifies predication rather than identification." What the footnote is saying is that first time "God" appears in the verse, "was with God", there is a definite article before God so it literally reads "was with THE God". The second time God appears, "was God," there is no definite article (the). This signifies "God" may be used as a predicate and not as an identification. Regarding this fact, the Anchor Bible states: "To preserve in English the different nuance of theos [god] with and without the article, some (Moffat) would translate 'The Word was divine.'"
[for those wishing to do further research on the subject, the following references are highly recommended: The Doctrine of the Trinity: Christianity's Self-Inflicted Wound by Anthony F. Buzzard and Charles F. Hunting, "The Two Babylons" by Rev. Alexander Hilsop, "The Great Debate Regarding The Father, Son & Holy Spirit" by Roger Wagner, "Jesus-God or the Son of God?" by Brian Holt- www.tellway-publishing.com, "The Role of Theology and Bias in Bible Translation" by Rolf Furuli-one Of the two greatest living Koine Greek experts, "The Religious Life of Ancient Rome: A Study in the Development of Religious Consciousness, from the Foundation of the City Until the Death of Gregory the Great." Carter, Jesse Benedict, New York: Cooper Square Publishers. 1972; David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, "De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti cognitone" [Latin](The False and True Knowledge of the Unity of God the Father, Son, and Holy spirit), David, Francis and Blandrata, Georgio, 1566 A.D.; hector3000.future.easyspa...ermans.htm , "The Origin of the Trinity: From Paganism to Constantine." By Cher-El L Hagensick, "The Foundation of Judaism and Christianity", James Parkes-1960, "Caesar and Christ" check page 595,(Lamson, Newton & Durant cited from Charles Redeker, To Us there is One God, June 1978); "The Paganism in Our Christianity" by Historian Arthur Weigall, "Anyone who can worship a trinity and insist that his religion is a monotheism can believe anything." "The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition" (100-600). Chicago: U of Chicago P. 1971. Vol. 1 of "The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine." 5 vols. By Robert A. Heinlein; Pelikan, Jaroslav, "The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private: Published by the Order of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, From the Original Manuscripts, Deposited in the Department of State, with explanatory notes, by the editor, H.A. Washington." 9 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Taylor & Maury, 1853-1854); now if you doubt anything I have written with respect "Contention With Regard A Myth." Now some Discourses by Iris the Preacher you can use to do research: Discourse on Mainstream Religion, Westminister Confession an Example of Twisting by Use of Heremeneutic Methodology to Back Up a Myth/False Doctrine, Discourse on Colossians 2:8-12, Documentary on the Book of John Being Anti-Trinitarian, Discourse on Constructs Used to Translate John 1:1, Discourse on the Great Deceit, Paul and the Trinity, Discourse on Philippians 2:1-16, And one by my husband, Discourse on John 1:1 & Appendix. Now please go check the facts, I have given you sufficient research sources.]
VI TESTED BEFORE BECOMING THE MESSIAH:
Testing:
Almighty God (YHWH) had supreme confidence in his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua), but he would have to be tested before God (YHWH) gave him authority over all but himself per 1 Corinthians 15:27, "For "He has put all things under His feet. But when He says 'all things are put under Him,' it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted." (The New King James Version; NKJV). Why did God (YHWH) have a lot of confidence in Jesus (Yeshua)? It is because he who God (YHWH) would choose to be the Messiah and serve as the sacrificial Lamb of God was well known to him As 1 Peter 1:19-20, "but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." (New International Version, NIV).
In selecting his only-begotten Son, God (YHWH), of course, was not hasty in picking him. He well knew that his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) was no novice that might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed upon the devil per 1 Timothy 5:22:3-6, "Impose hands hastily on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." (WB); And at 1 Timothy 3:6, "and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil" (New American Standard Bible; NASB). In other words, God (YHWH) 'fully knew' his Son, Jesus (Yeshua) from his intimate association with him during countless ages past per Matthew 11:27, "All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal `him.'" (ASV); This compares to Genesis 22:12, "And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing to him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld from me thy son, thy only son." (WB); and could confidently assign him to fulfill the unerring prophecies of His Word, see Isaiah 46:10-11, "Who shew from the beginning the things that shall be at last, and from ancient times the things that as yet are not done, saying: My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done: 11 Who call a bird from the east, and from a far country the man of my own will, and I have spoken,m and will bring it to pass: I have created, and I will do it. Hear me, O ye hardhearted, who are far from justice." (DRCB). Thus God (YHWH) was not arbitrarily guaranteeing 'certain success' for his Son by simply placing him in the role of the prophesied Messiah, see Isaiah 55:11, "So shall the word which comes from my mouth prevail; it shall not return to me fruitless without accomplishing mhy purpose or succeeding in the task I gave it." (NEB).
Before this, Jesus (Yeshua) had never undergone a test like that which was now before him. While he had demonstrated his faithfulness and devotion to his Father (YHWH) in other ways; He had already been given great responsibility as God's (YHWH's) spokesman, the Word or Logos. In this position, he had never misused his position and authority, as did God's (YHWH's) earthly spokesman, Moses, on one occasion, see Numbers 20:9-13, "And Moses took the staff from before Jehovah, as he had commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said to them, Hear now, ye rebels: shall we bring forth to you water out of this rock 11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his staff smote the rock twice, and much water came out, and the assembly drank, and their beasts. 12 And Jehovah said to Moses and to Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to hallow me before the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land that I have given them. 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the children of Israel contended with Jehovah, and he hallowed himself in them." (The Darby Translation); And at Deuteronomy 32:48-51, "And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, in this self-same day, saying, 49 `Go up unto this mount Abarim, mount Nebo, which `is' in the land of Moab, which `is' on the front of Jericho, and see the land of Canaan which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession; 50 and die in the mount whither thou art going up, and be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother hath died in the mount Hor, and is gathered unto his people 51 `Because ye trespassed against me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribath-Kadesh, the wilderness of Zin -- because ye sanctified Me not in the midst of the sons of Israel;" (Youngs Literal Translation): and Jude 9, "But when [even] the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, judicially argued (disputed) about the body of Moses, he dared not (presume to) bring an abusive condemnation against him, but [simply] said, The Lord rebuke you!" (The Amplified Bible; AMP). Being the one through whom all things were made, the Son was a god, hence divine, "the only begottem god" per John 1:18, "No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten god who is in the bosom [position] with the Father is the one that has explained him." (The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures based on The New Testament in the Original Greek by B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort), hence He held a position of glory and preeminence in relation to all others of God's (YHWH's) spirit sons. This fact, however, did not make him haughty. So, it could not be said that the Son had not already proved his loyalty, humility, and devotion in many respects.
It should be noted that the spirit son who became Satan by defecting from God's (YHWH's) service did not do so because anyone had persecuted him or tempted him to do wrong. As the Bible says at Jam3s 1:13-15, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (WB); he simply failed his test due to lack of love of his Creator, God (YHWH). Yet this adversary raised an issue that required that the Son, as promised Messiah and future King of God's Kingdom, now undergo a test of integrity under new circumstances.
This test and the sufferings it entailed were also necessary for his being, per Hebrews 5:9-10, "and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation; 10 named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek." (ASV). To meet the requirements of this test, God's (YHWH's) was per Hebrews 2:10-18, "For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, In the midst of the congregation will I sing thy praise. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold, I and the children whom God hath given me. 14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he might bring to nought him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 and might deliver all them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." (ASV): And at Hebrews 4:15-5:2, "For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as `we are, yet' without sin. 16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help `us' in time of need. 5:1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;" (ASV); And Luke 9:22, "saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up." (ASV).
Free Moral Agent:
All prophecies concerning the Messiah had to be fulfilled as Jesus (Yeshua) himself acknowledged. This was stated at Luke 24:44-47, "And he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their mind, that they might understand the scriptures; 46 and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." (ASV); And Matthew 16:21, "From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up." (ASV). However this did not relieve God's (YHWH's) Son of the weight of responsibility, nor did it eliminate his freedom of choice; to wit, either to be faithful or unfaithful. This was NOT a one- sided affair depending only on Almighty God (YHWH).
His Son had to do his part to make the prophecies come true. God (YHWH) assured the certainty of the prophecies by his wise choice of the one whom he assigned to carry them out, per Colossians 1:13, "who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;" (ASV). But, his Son still retained his freewill. This was shown by his voluntarily submitting himself to his Father's (YHWH's) will as testified to at Matthew 16:21-23, "From that time began Jesus to show unto his disciples, that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. 22 And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall never be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto me: for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men." (ASV); And at, John 4:34, "Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work." (ASV); And at John 5:30, "I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (ASV); And at John 6:38, "For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (ASV).
Hence it is plain to see that he consciously worked toward the fulfillment of his assignment as detailed by his Father's word, the Bible as shown at Matthew 3:15, "But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer `it' now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him." (ASV); And at Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I came not to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished." (ASV); And at Matthew 13:10-17, "And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not." (ASV); Matthew 13:34-35, "All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." (ASV); And at Matthew 26:52-54, "Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into its place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 How then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?" (ASV).
However, many of the features of prophecy were, of course, not under the control of Jesus (Yeshua) as they took place after his death. Some of these are found at Matthew 26:55-56, "In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not. 56 But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled." (ASV); And at Matthew 12:40, "for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (ASV); And at John 18:31, "Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: 32 that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die." (ASV); And at John 19:23-24 &36-37, "The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. 24 They said therefore one to another, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my garments among them, And upon my vesture did they cast lots." (ASV); And at John 19:36-37, "For these things came to pass, that the scripture might be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced." (ASV).
In the night proceeding his death, Jesus (Yeshua) had to fortify himself for his coming torture and execution. This took intense personal effort on his part to subject his own will to the superior will of the one wiser than himself, his Father (YHWH) as shown at Matthew 26:36-44, "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words." (ASV); And at Luke 22:42-44, "saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground." (ASV). This also shows that he keenly recognized his human dependence on his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) for strength in time of need as testified to at John 12:23-28, "And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, `saying', I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (ASV); And at Hebrews 5:7, "In the days of his earthly life he offered up prayers and petitions, with loud cries and tears, to God who was able to deliver him from the grave. Because of his humble submission his prayer was heard:" (NEB).
This was always the way of Jesus (Yeshua) including when he was tempted by Satan the Devil at the end of a 40 day fast as recorded in Matthew 4:1-10, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward hungered. 3 And the tempter came and said unto him, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and saith unto him, If thou art the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and, On their hands they shall bear thee up, Lest haply thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not make trial of the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (ASV).
CONCLUSION:
I hope all have carefully studied the valuable Bible information contained within this discourse and have done so with an open mind, and not with a prejudicial view due to what you have believed and/or been told in the past. In addition, I hope this writing with its many quotes from many Bibles, approximately 90% being Bible quotes in true 'Sola Scriptura' form, have given one and all a better understanding of Bible truths.
I challenge anyone to show that my facts are in error.
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TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM LEARNING THE TRUTH IS JUST PLAIN WICKED AND EVIL, may Almighty God (YHWH) punish him.
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today!
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Re: Scripture of the Day
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COMBINATION OF [1] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [2] PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS (YESHUA):
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 288A]
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. Psalms 83:18, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, He is supreme over the entire earth and the entire solar system, but many do not realize this reality as acknowledged by the Psalmist at Psalms 59:12 – 13, [AV] “For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.” He is the most high as shown at Exodus 6:3, [AV] “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” And further testified to at Psalms 92:8, [AV] “But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.” He is the ultimate ruler everywhere as shown by Daniel 4:17, [AV] “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS (YESHUA):
The prophecy that was written in the Old Testament was written hundreds of years before Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was even born and not after he was born. This has been proved by the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls and many other ancient parchments, etc. Some of these prophecies and their fulfillment. See, “ He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” (Psalms 34:20 AV)[compare, 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.] which was quite interesting as in the Roman method of execution of none Romans by crucifixion the bones of those were usually broken to hasten death, but Jesus’s bones were not as he was already dead when the Roman guard checked him. As we know he was betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver and this was foretold at “ And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” (Zechariah 11:12 AV). [compare, “ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” (Matthew 26:15 AV)] Likewise it was foretold that they would divide up his garments “ They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psalms 22:18 AV). [compare to “ And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” (Matthew 27:35 AV)]. “ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9 AV) [compare, “ I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18 AV)]. “ They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalms 69:21 AV)[compare, “ They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.” (Matthew 27:34 AV)]. “1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,” (Psalms 2:1-2 AV)[compare, “ And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.” (Luke 23:12 AV)].
Also, “ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Psalms 16:10 AV)[compare, “ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,” (Luke 24:6 AV)]. “ I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6 AV)[compare, “ And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.” (Mark 14:65 AV)]
Some ask what makes the Bible different from other books, but I will answer here with respect the Bible what makes it different from other so called “holy Books.”
1) It was written under divine inspiration by over 40 men chosen by Almighty God (YHWH) as an instruction guide for all of mankind that he had created.
2) It accurately foretold future events with exact detail 100 of years in advance. For example, Isaiah was written app. 732 B.C.E., but it accurately foretold events that would occur during Jesus’ life, see the above plus check out:
Anointed with the Spirit. Ps 45:7. Is 11:2; 61:1.
Fulfilled: Mt 3:16. Jn 3:34. Ac 10:38.
Born of a virgin. Is 7:14.
Fulfilled: Mt 1:18. Lk 2:7.
Buried with the rich. Is 53:9.
Fulfilled: Mt 27 :57-60.
Called Immanuel. Is 7:14.
Fulfilled: Mt 1:22-23.
Chief cornerstone of the church. Is 28:16.
Fulfilled: 1 P 2:6-7.
Conversion of the Gentiles to him. Is 11:10; 42:1.
Fulfilled: Mtl:17,21. Jn 10:16. Ac 10:45,47.
Death. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Mt 27:50.
Entering on his public ministry. Is 61:1-2.
Fulfilled: Lk4:16-21,43.
Flesh not seeing corruption. Ps 16:10.
Fulfilled: Ac 2:31.
Hated by the Jews. Ps 69:4. Is 49:7.
Fulfilled: Jn 15:24-25.
Intercession for his murderers. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Lk 23:34.
Meekness and want of ostentation. Is 42:2.
Fulfilled: Mt 12:15-16, 19.
Ministry commencing in Galilee. Is 9:1-2.
Fulfilled: Mt 4:12-16, 23.
Numbered with the transgressors. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Mk 15:28.
Patience and silence under sufferings. Is 53:7.
Fulfilled: Mt 26:63; 27:12-14.
Poverty. Is 53:2.
Fulfilled: Mk 6:3. Lk9:58.
Rejected by his brethren. Ps 69:8. Is 63:3.
Fulfilled: Jn 1:11;7:3.
Resurrection. Ps 16:10. Is 26:19.
Fulfilled: Lk 24:6,31,34.
A stone of stumbling to the Jews. Is 8:4.
Fulfilled: Ro 9:32.1 P 2:8.
Suffering for others. Is 53:4-6, 12. Dn 9:26.
Fulfilled: Mt 20:28.
Tenderness and compassion. Is 40:11; 42:3.
Fulfilled: Mt 12:15,20. He 4:15.
Visage marred. Is 52:14; 53:3.
Fulfilled: Jn 19:5.
Without guile. Is 53:9.
Fulfilled: 1 P 2:22.
Working miracles. Is 35:5-6.
Fulfilled: Mt 11:4-6. Jn 11:47.
Zeal. Ps 69:9.
Fulfilled: Jn 2:17
And this is just from one book of the Bible OT, Isaiah. Others are similar, let’s just consider one example from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, written in 1513 B.C.E.
Seed of Isaac. “ And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Genesis 21:12 AV)[compare, “17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” (Hebrews 11:17-19 AV).
See also,
Coming at a set time. Gn 49:10. Dn 9:24-25.
Fulfilled: Lk 2:1.
Seed of Abraham. Gn 17:7; 22:18.
Fulfilled: Gl 3:16.
Seed of the woman. Gn 3:15.
Fulfilled: Gl 4:4.
As can readily be seen from the short list of fulfilled prophecy above, the Bible is the only “Holy Book” that is really the word of God (YHWH) and all the other ones are only frauds and counterfeits.
Second with respect the virgin birth of Jesus many prophecies were fulfilled, a few of them follow:
He would be born in Bethlehem of Judaea: Prophecy = “ But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2 AV)
Fulfillment = “1 ¶ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:1-6 AV)
A virgin would give birth, Prophecy = “ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 AV),
Fulfillment = “ Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23 AV)
A barren women in her old age would have a son, Prophecy = “ And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.” (Judges 13:3 AV)
Fulfillment = “30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.” (Luke 1:30-36 AV). Note, this group of scriptures goes from where Mary, a virgin, was told she would have a child who would be called the Son of the Highest and that her barren cousin would have a child.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
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5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today!
TO LEARN MORE, GO TO WWW.JW.ORG
[1] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [VOL. 288A]
That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. Psalms 83:18, [authorized King James Bible; AV]
Yes, He is supreme over the entire earth and the entire solar system, but many do not realize this reality as acknowledged by the Psalmist at Psalms 59:12 – 13, [AV] “For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. 13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.” He is the most high as shown at Exodus 6:3, [AV] “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” And further testified to at Psalms 92:8, [AV] “But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.” He is the ultimate ruler everywhere as shown by Daniel 4:17, [AV] “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to WWW.JW.ORG!
[2] PROPHECY ABOUT JESUS (YESHUA):
The prophecy that was written in the Old Testament was written hundreds of years before Jesus (Jeshua or YHWH saves) was even born and not after he was born. This has been proved by the findings of the Dead Sea Scrolls and many other ancient parchments, etc. Some of these prophecies and their fulfillment. See, “ He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.” (Psalms 34:20 AV)[compare, 33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.] which was quite interesting as in the Roman method of execution of none Romans by crucifixion the bones of those were usually broken to hasten death, but Jesus’s bones were not as he was already dead when the Roman guard checked him. As we know he was betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver and this was foretold at “ And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” (Zechariah 11:12 AV). [compare, “ And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” (Matthew 26:15 AV)] Likewise it was foretold that they would divide up his garments “ They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” (Psalms 22:18 AV). [compare to “ And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” (Matthew 27:35 AV)]. “ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9 AV) [compare, “ I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18 AV)]. “ They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” (Psalms 69:21 AV)[compare, “ They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.” (Matthew 27:34 AV)]. “1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,” (Psalms 2:1-2 AV)[compare, “ And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.” (Luke 23:12 AV)].
Also, “ For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Psalms 16:10 AV)[compare, “ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,” (Luke 24:6 AV)]. “ I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6 AV)[compare, “ And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.” (Mark 14:65 AV)]
Some ask what makes the Bible different from other books, but I will answer here with respect the Bible what makes it different from other so called “holy Books.”
1) It was written under divine inspiration by over 40 men chosen by Almighty God (YHWH) as an instruction guide for all of mankind that he had created.
2) It accurately foretold future events with exact detail 100 of years in advance. For example, Isaiah was written app. 732 B.C.E., but it accurately foretold events that would occur during Jesus’ life, see the above plus check out:
Anointed with the Spirit. Ps 45:7. Is 11:2; 61:1.
Fulfilled: Mt 3:16. Jn 3:34. Ac 10:38.
Born of a virgin. Is 7:14.
Fulfilled: Mt 1:18. Lk 2:7.
Buried with the rich. Is 53:9.
Fulfilled: Mt 27 :57-60.
Called Immanuel. Is 7:14.
Fulfilled: Mt 1:22-23.
Chief cornerstone of the church. Is 28:16.
Fulfilled: 1 P 2:6-7.
Conversion of the Gentiles to him. Is 11:10; 42:1.
Fulfilled: Mtl:17,21. Jn 10:16. Ac 10:45,47.
Death. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Mt 27:50.
Entering on his public ministry. Is 61:1-2.
Fulfilled: Lk4:16-21,43.
Flesh not seeing corruption. Ps 16:10.
Fulfilled: Ac 2:31.
Hated by the Jews. Ps 69:4. Is 49:7.
Fulfilled: Jn 15:24-25.
Intercession for his murderers. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Lk 23:34.
Meekness and want of ostentation. Is 42:2.
Fulfilled: Mt 12:15-16, 19.
Ministry commencing in Galilee. Is 9:1-2.
Fulfilled: Mt 4:12-16, 23.
Numbered with the transgressors. Is 53:12.
Fulfilled: Mk 15:28.
Patience and silence under sufferings. Is 53:7.
Fulfilled: Mt 26:63; 27:12-14.
Poverty. Is 53:2.
Fulfilled: Mk 6:3. Lk9:58.
Rejected by his brethren. Ps 69:8. Is 63:3.
Fulfilled: Jn 1:11;7:3.
Resurrection. Ps 16:10. Is 26:19.
Fulfilled: Lk 24:6,31,34.
A stone of stumbling to the Jews. Is 8:4.
Fulfilled: Ro 9:32.1 P 2:8.
Suffering for others. Is 53:4-6, 12. Dn 9:26.
Fulfilled: Mt 20:28.
Tenderness and compassion. Is 40:11; 42:3.
Fulfilled: Mt 12:15,20. He 4:15.
Visage marred. Is 52:14; 53:3.
Fulfilled: Jn 19:5.
Without guile. Is 53:9.
Fulfilled: 1 P 2:22.
Working miracles. Is 35:5-6.
Fulfilled: Mt 11:4-6. Jn 11:47.
Zeal. Ps 69:9.
Fulfilled: Jn 2:17
And this is just from one book of the Bible OT, Isaiah. Others are similar, let’s just consider one example from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, written in 1513 B.C.E.
Seed of Isaac. “ And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Genesis 21:12 AV)[compare, “17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” (Hebrews 11:17-19 AV).
See also,
Coming at a set time. Gn 49:10. Dn 9:24-25.
Fulfilled: Lk 2:1.
Seed of Abraham. Gn 17:7; 22:18.
Fulfilled: Gl 3:16.
Seed of the woman. Gn 3:15.
Fulfilled: Gl 4:4.
As can readily be seen from the short list of fulfilled prophecy above, the Bible is the only “Holy Book” that is really the word of God (YHWH) and all the other ones are only frauds and counterfeits.
Second with respect the virgin birth of Jesus many prophecies were fulfilled, a few of them follow:
He would be born in Bethlehem of Judaea: Prophecy = “ But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2 AV)
Fulfillment = “1 ¶ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:1-6 AV)
A virgin would give birth, Prophecy = “ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14 AV),
Fulfillment = “ Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:23 AV)
A barren women in her old age would have a son, Prophecy = “ And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.” (Judges 13:3 AV)
Fulfillment = “30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.” (Luke 1:30-36 AV). Note, this group of scriptures goes from where Mary, a virgin, was told she would have a child who would be called the Son of the Highest and that her barren cousin would have a child.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
1) http://iris89.conforums.com/
2) http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/
3) http://religioustruths.lefora.com/
4) http://religioustruths.boardhost.com/
5) http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/
6) http://religioustruthsbyiris.createmybb3.com/
7) https://religioustruths.forumotion.com/
To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,http://www.network54.com/Forum/403209/thread/1417398076/last-1417398076/Digital+Book+On+18+Part+Follow+Christ+Bible+Study
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today!
TO LEARN MORE, GO TO WWW.JW.ORG
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