Has Pentecost nullify the seventh Day Sabbath?

Another common argument with regards to Sunday worship is that the New Testament church began on the day of Pentecost, and hence the reason why Sunday is observed as the day of worship. True as this statement is, it does …

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Is Sunday the day the Sun of Justice has Risen for our Souls?

 Let us allow the scripture to reveal the truth to us. We have already quoted the book of John which states; “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, …

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Rationale for Sunday Worship are they Credible?

let us examine the rationale for changing the seventh day Sabbath to Sunday and see whether there are sufficient grounds to make such a transition. The rationale for making such a transition is said to have derived from:- It is …

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Has Pentecost nullify the seventh Day Sabbath? Is Sunday the day the Sun of Justice has Risen for our Souls? Rationale for Sunday Worship are they Credible?

May
18

Has Pentecost nullify the seventh Day Sabbath?

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Another common argument with regards to Sunday worship is that the New Testament church began on the day of Pentecost, and hence the reason why Sunday is observed as the day of worship.

True as this statement is, it does not however nullify the observance of the seventh day Sabbath and substitute it with Sunday observance, because Pentecost was, and it is still a yearly festival observed by the children of Israel throughout their generation as a perpetual covenant.

For this is what the Lord instructed the children of Israel saying; “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath (Sunday), from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD.’…And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you.
You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations” (Leviticus 23: 15, 16, 21).

Remember the wave sheaf offering was a copy or shadow of the reality, which is Jesus Christ, who soon after his resurrection from the dead, presented himself to the Father on the first day of the week, on our behalf.

So when the disciples gathered together on the day of Pentecost, and the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were observing the Feast of Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, which was already in existence, and being observed by the disciples. This festival falls fifty days after the wave sheaf offering which always occurs on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday), or the first day of the Week.

It is quite evident that the Feast of Pentecost was being observed prior to the day when the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles, for it is stated quite clearly; “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2: 1-4).

Therefore, it is not because the New Testament church began on a Sunday, on the Feast of Pentecost, that one should nullify the seventh day Sabbath, and substitute it with Sunday observance, because the feast of Pentecost along with the other annual Sabbaths including the weekly seventh day Sabbath, are the feasts of the Lord which are to be proclaimed at their appointed times.

For this is what the Lord said to Moses; “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23: 2).

With regards to the weekly Sabbath, this is what the Lord said; “’Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings” (Leviticus 23: 3).

Now with regards to the other annual festivals which are to be celebrated at a specific date during the year, this is what the Lord says; “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times” (Leviticus 23: 4).

And in relation to the Feast of Pentecost this is what the Lord says; “And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. You shall do no customary work on it. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations” (Leviticus 23: 21).

The Lord’s Sabbaths including the seventh day weekly Sabbath are all memorials of events which the Lord did for the benefit and salvation of man, and each one of them honors the Lord and glorifies his name as the Lord. For example;

  1. The weekly Sabbath honors the Lord as the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea, the springs of water, and all that are in them.
  2. Passover/Unleavened Bread honors the Lord as our Redeemer and Savior.
  3. Feast of first-fruits/Wave Sheaf offering, although not referred to as a Sabbath or a day of holy convocation, honors the Lord as the resurrected Christ who presented himself to the Father on our behalf. Because, “…as they (the women) went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him” (Matthew 28:9).
  4. Feast of Pentecost/Weeks honors the Lord as Our Comforter and Helper.
  5. Feast of Trumpets honors the Lord as our Deliverer and Conqueror.
  6. Day of Atonement honors the Lord as our Great High Priest and Sin Bearer.
  7. Feast of Tabernacles honors the Lord as our King of kings, and Lord of lords.
  8. The Eighth day honors the Lord as our Circumcision, and the Eternal God.

The rationale for all the Sabbaths is for people to come before the Lord and ascribe to him the glory due to his name, to bring him an offering, which is the sacrificial body and blood of his Son, and to worship him in the beauty of his holiness. Therefore, the idea of substituting the Lord’s weekly seventh day Sabbath for Sunday observance because of the day of Pentecost is absurd, and there can be no justification, or credibility for such a decision.

 

 

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May
15

Is Sunday the day the Sun of Justice has Risen for our Souls?

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 Let us allow the scripture to reveal the truth to us. We have already quoted the book of John which states; “Now the
first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1).

Now Matthew’s account of the resurrection states it this way; “Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it” (Matthew 28:1-2).

Luke’s account states it this way; “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then, they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24: 1-3).

And Mark’s account states “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen” (Mark 16:1-2).

Even Mark’s account which states; “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons,” This statement can easily be misconstrued to mean that Jesus Christ was resurrected early on the first day of the week, but when all the facts are presented, it shows that the time early on the first day of the week, refers to the time he appeared to Mary Magdalene, and not the time of his resurrection (Mark 16:9).

Regardless of what seems to be conflicting reports by the writers of the four gospels, the fact is before the dawn of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Jesus Christ was no longer in the tomb, he was already risen.

Now to those who holds the view that a day begins at sunset, or at midnight, may still hold tenaciously to the notion that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. But the logical question is, when does a new day begin? Does it begin at mid night! At sunset! Or at sunrise! If it is at midnight or sunset how do we reconcile the following:-

  1.  Matthew’s account which states clearly. “As the first day of the week began to dawn:” Signifying that the day was just about to begin.
  2. The time of Christ’s death

Since it is clearly stated that; “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” …And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit” (Matthew 27: 45, 46, 50).

If the ninth hour of the day is three O’clock in the afternoon, when is the first hour of the day? And when does a day begin? The obvious and logical answer is six O’clock in the morning.

3.  The Day of Pentecost

It is stated that when the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them (the disciples) speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?

And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born”?  …“So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said: “They are full of new wine” (Acts 2: 6-8, 12-13).

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words: For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day” (Acts 2: 14-15).

Drunkenness is normally associated with night life, for it is written; “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness: Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night” (1Thessalonians 5: 5-7)

The third hour of the day which is nine O’clock in the morning, again proves that the day begins at sunrise, and not at sunset, or midnight as commonly taught and generally accepted.

4.  The Passover and the death angel

If Moses was asked to killed the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of Abib or Nissan at twilight (at the going down of the sun), “And the Lord said to him, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock,” what day was it at midnight when the Lord struck all the firstborn of Egypt? Was it still the fourteenth day, or was it the fifteenth day?  Remember, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron; “So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. (Exodus 12: 12, 29, 14).

It is evidently clear that the slaughter of the lamb at twilight, the sprinkling of the blood, the roasting, and eating of the Passover lamb, and the
destruction of the death Angel at midnight, all took place on the self same day which was the fourteenth day of the month.

5.  The gathering of the Manna

The Manna was a sign to test, and prove to the children of Israel that the Lord is their God. For thus the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go and gather a certain Quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily” (Exodus 16:4-5).

Since the manna was for a day’s food supply when was it gathered, and when did it expire? Was it from evening till evening, or from morning till morning? This is what the  Lord said to Moses; “I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel. Speak to them saying, at twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp.” And Moses instructed them saying; “Let no one leave any of it till morning” (Exodus 16: 12-13, 19).

Again I pose the question, when does a day begin, does it begin in the evening, or in the morning? What separates one day from another? “Notwithstanding they did not listen to Moses, but some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them” (Exodus 16:20).

Then came the sixth day when they gathered a double portion of bread because Moses said to them; “This is what the Lord has said; “Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.” So they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, “Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you shall not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, there will be none” (Exodus 16: 23-26).

So at what time did they go out to gather the manna on the seventh day, and did not find any, was it in the evening, or in the morning?
“Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses; “How long
do you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore he gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day:’ so the people rested on the seventh day” (Exodus 16:27-30).

Remember the manna was a daily quota, it was gathered in the morning, and expired next morning, it had a life expectancy of just one day. It was only on the sixth day that its edibility was extended to another day to accommodate the Sabbath rest. Therefore, all the days of the week begins at the dawn of the day, and ends at the dawn of the new day. What separates one day from another is the period of darkness, which as soon as it is over, it is the dawn of a new day.

Therefore since a day does not start either in the evening or at midnight, there is no way Jesus Christ could have been resurrected on the first day of the week, because when the women went to the tomb while it was still dark, as the first day of the week began to dawn, he was no longer in the tomb, he was already risen.

  1. The Day of Atonement

It is stated quite explicitly stating; “On the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement; it shall be for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves [fast] and present an offering by fire to the Lord.’ “…It shall be to you a Sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict yourselves; on the ninth day of the month beginning at evening, from evening to evening shall you keep your Sabbath” (Leviticus 23: 27, 32).

The question is, if the day as generally believed begins in the evening, whether at sunset or at midnight, why is the evening which begins the fast is attributed to the ninth day, and not referred to as being a part of the tenth day?

  1. The Preparation day

There is no biblical proof to even suggest that the preparation day precedes the Sabbath has any connection with the Sabbath day. What
is known concerning the preparation day is; “Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before
the Sabbath.”

When God created every living creature after its kind, cattle, beasts, and man on the sixth day, this is what he said; “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31).

Nowhere in the scriptures is the evening of one day a part of another day. With regards to the Sabbath there is nothing that indicates that the Sabbath is part of the sixth day, and part of the seventh day. What the scripture simply says is; “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” (Genesis 2:2).

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May
12

Rationale for Sunday Worship are they Credible?

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let us examine the rationale for changing the seventh day Sabbath to Sunday and see whether there are sufficient grounds to make such a transition. The rationale for making such a transition is said to have derived from:-

  1. It is on this day of the creation of the world [Sunday]  that God said: ‘Let there be light and there was light

Let me first use a quote from “SUN-WORSHIP AND THE ORIGIN OF SUNDAY” Chapter 8 by Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D., Andrews University” which states; “…Though Christ is often referred to by earlier Fathers as “True Light” and “Sun of Justices”83 no deliberate attempt was made prior to Eusebius to justify Sunday observance by means of the symbology of the day of the Sun. On the other hand Eusebius several times refers explicitly to the motifs of the light, of the sun and of the day of the Sun, to explain the substitution of the Christian Sunday for the Jewish Sabbath.’

“For example, in his Commentary on Psalm 91 he writes: “The Logos has transferred by the New Alliance the celebration of the Sabbath to the rising of the light. He has given us a type of the true rest in the saving day of the Lord, the first day of light. . . . In this day of light, first day and true day of the sun, when we gather after the interval of six days, we celebrate the holy and spiritual Sabbaths. . . . All things whatsoever that were prescribed for the Sabbath, we have transferred them to the Lord’s day, as being more authoritative and more highly regarded and first in rank, and more honorable than the Jewish Sabbath. In fact, it is on this day of the creation of the world that God said: ‘Let there be light and there was light.’ It is also on this day that the Sun of Justice has risen for our souls.”84

Let us be honest with ourselves, Is it not the same Lord God who said, “Let there be light and there was light on the first day of the week, also the one who said; “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:2-3)?

If the Lord wanted to make the first day of the week, more honorable than the seventh day, would he not have done so from the beginning? Furthermore, who is wiser and more authoritative, man or God? So how can any man or a group of men say; “All things whatsoever that were prescribed for the Sabbath, we have transferred them to the Lord’s day, as being more authoritative and more highly regarded and first in rank, and more honorable than the Jewish Sabbath. In fact, it is on this day of the creation of the world that God said: ‘Let there be light and there was light.”

Therefore, if the motive for substituting the seventh day Sabbath for Sunday is because of the light of the sun and of the day of the Sun, it is quite obvious that man has chosen to honor and worship the created thing instead of the Creator! An idolatrous  practice which the Lord vehemently condemns, for thus says the Lord; “And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all thepeoples under the whole heaven as a  heritage” (Deuteronomy 4:19).

2. It is also on this day that the Sun of Justice has risen for our souls.

Assuming that the notion that the Sun of Justice has risen for our souls on the first day of the week is true, is this sufficient grounds to make null and void the everlasting covenant which God made with the children of Israel, and the day which he has set aside as holy to him, and honors him as Lord?

Furthermore, is the notion that the Sun of Justice was raised for our souls on the first day of the week true?  The one thing that is absolutely true in this regards is that Jesus Christ as our Wave sheaf offering, offered himself to the Father on our behalf on the first day of the week, but that does not mean that he was resurrected on the first day of the week.

It is stated quite explicitly that; “Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that
the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20:1-2).

Whilst Mary Magdalene was in the garden, Jesus met her and said to her; “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not
yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God ” (John 20:15-17).

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:9-10).

Then later that same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them,
and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20: 19-23).

This actually was the fulfillment of the wave sheaf offering or feast of first fruits which was the shadow or copy of the reality, and it is stated as
follows; “And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.’

“And you shall offer on that day, when you wave the sheaf, a male lamb of the first year, without blemish, as a burnt offering to the LORD. Its grain offering shall be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to the LORD, for a sweet aroma; and its drink offering shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat neither bread, nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have
brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings” (Leviticus 23: 9-14).

Sunday observance therefore cannot replace or be a substitute to this occasion, because it is a yearly observance, commemorating the ascension of Christ to heaven after his resurrection, to present himself to the Father on our behalf.

But was the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the first day of the week as commonly taught and generally believed? Stay tuned.

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May
07

The Second Angel’s Message

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According to the second angel who is entrusted with the everlasting gospel, which is to be preached to all who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe tongue and people, “Babylon is fallen is fallen that great city because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Revelation 14:8).

The angel made specific mention of Babylon as that great city, and make reference to her as ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth” (Revelation 17: 5).

Who is this mystery Babylon?

It is absolutely clear that this mystery Babylon is not the first beast of the four prophetic beasts which Daniel spoke about saying; “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head while on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream, telling the main facts. Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it” (Daniel 7:1-4).

Daniel later clarified the vision of the four Beasts by stating; “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near to one of those who stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of these things: ‘Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth” (Daniel 7:15-17).

Therefore there is no ambiguity as to what the beasts represent: they undoubtedly represent kings or kingdoms that would have dominion over the whole earth. The first beast or kingdom to arise out of the earth was the Babylonian or the Chaldean Empire which was headed by king Nebuchadnezzar. The first beast corresponded to the head of gold from the great image which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.

Because in interpreting the dream to the king Daniel said to him; “You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all — you are this head of gold” (Daniel 2:37-38).

History shows that this kingdom may have emerged around 700 BC but reached its peak around 605-506 BC.

Daniel further informed the king saying; “But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours.” This second beast or world ruling kingdom was the Persian Empire depicting the chest and arms of silver of the great image, and emerged around 529 BC.

Daniel continued and said to the king; “Then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.” This third kingdom or beast was the Grecian/Macedonian Empire, depicting the belly and thighs of bonze of the great image. This period was known as the golden age, and emerged around 461-431 BC.

Then there is the fourth beast or the fourth kingdom concerning which Daniel said to the king; “And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others.

Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were
partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile” (Daniel 2:39-42).

This fourth kingdom is the Roman Empire which emerged around 200 BC and became divided between East and West in AD 395, with the West collapsing in AD 476, and the East in 1453.

The Roman Empire is the beast or kingdom which is depicted as the beast with seven heads or seven revivals and ten horns. In describing this fourth kingdom Daniel wrote; “The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.  He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time” (Daniel 7: 23-25).

One important point to note regarding the four beasts or kingdoms is that they are all the dominion of Satan. For it is written; “And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.

Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon [Satan] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.

And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him” (Revelation 13:1-4)?

So who is this mystery Babylon, the great city the whole world has been warned against? It is absolutely clear that the beasts refers to kingdoms, and the horns refers to kings, and none of these descriptions matches that of the mystery Babylon, the great city which the angel is warning all those who dwell on the earth to beware of.

The mystery Babylon is referred to as a great mother harlot who sits on many waters, as mentioned by the apostle John who wrote; “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication” (Revelation 17: 1-4).

To determine who this mystery Babylon is there are a few things one should take into consideration:-

  1. A woman in bible prophecy generally refers to a church

The apostle Paul in referring to the church wrote; “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2Corinthians 11:2).

And the apostle John in the book of Revelation depicted the church as a woman, for he wrote; “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

The apostle John further wrote; “Now when the dragon (Satan) saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.’

“So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:13-17).

2.  The woman sits upon many waters

There is no ambiguity as to what the water on which the woman sits signifies, for it is stated quite explicitly that, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15).

3.  The woman is the mother of harlots

Denoting that she is a universal church, with daughters who are as corrupt as the mother church is.

3.  With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication

Denoting that this church has a political affiliation with the kings of the earth, in fact it is actually riding or controlling the beast as it is written; “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.’

“The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement” (Revelation 17:1-6).

4.  The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication

The nations of the earth were made drunk not with wine, but by being deceived due to her unholy alliances with the beast and her deceptive gospel, as it is written; “Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. For the LORD has poured out on you The spirit of deep sleep, And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I am not literate” (Isaiah 29:9-12).

5.  The woman sits on a scarlet beast (kingdom) which is full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

The woman being arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication, denotes the prosperity of this church, and the abominations she has committed with the kings of this world.

For it is written; “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil an frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.’

“The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’

“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her” (Revelation 18: 9-20).

Now in as much as this great Babylon is mentioned to have fallen twice, means that it was at one point in time, in very high prominence and in control of the kings of the earth, but lost its prominence somewhere in 1806, and it is prophesied to regain prominence in the not too distant future, and will again fall, this time for ever.

For it is written; “The ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:15-18).

The admonition therefore to all those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people is to listen to the apostle John who wrote; “After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities: Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day — death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her” (Revelation 18: 1-8).

Are we heeding the warning ! Or are we among the majority who are decdeived?

 

 

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Apr
30

Are we paying Heed to the Everlasting Gospel

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An angel (messenger) has been assigned with the everlasting gospel to preach to all who dwell on the face of the earth – to every nation,
tribe, tongue and people. In this everlasting gospel there are four very important considerations which everyone should consider, and they are:

  1. Fear God

To fear God is to stand in reverential awe of him because of his;

  • His majesty-as stated by the prophet Jeremiah who wrote; “Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like you” (Jeremiah 10:7).
  • His Holiness –As it is written; “Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before you, for your judgments have been manifested” (Revelation 15:4).
  • His Forgiveness – As stated in the Psalms; “But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared” (Psalms 130:4).
  • His Power – Like Joshua explained to the children of Israel saying; “for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever” (Joshua 4:23-24).
  • His Goodness – For Samuel said to the people; “Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you” (1Samuel 12:24).
  • His Judgment – Because according to the angel, the reason why we are to “Fear God and give glory to Him,” it is because the hour of
    His judgment has come. (Revelation 14:7).

The fear of God therefore is to stand in awe of him, and give him the reverence due to him because of his majesty, his holiness, his forgiving mercies, his awesome power, his goodness, and his righteous judgment. It is also a wisdom, for to man the Lord said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding.” The wise king Solomon also wrote; “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Job 28:28; Proverbs 3:7).

2.  Give Glory to God

To glorify God is to exalt and honor him, and ascribing to him the glory due to his name, and this is a requirement for everyone who comes near to him, for thus says the Lord: ‘ By those who come near me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified”
(Leviticus 10:3).

Glory and honor is given to God through:-

  • Praise – for it is written; “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23).
  • Fruitfulness –because Jesus said; “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples” (John 15:8).
  • Diligent Service – for it is written; “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).
  • Through sufferings – as it is written; “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an
    evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4: 14-16).

The reasons for glorifying God is because of his deliverance, for the Lord says; “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” We glorify him also for his mercy, for it is written; “and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name” (Psalms 5:15; Romans 15:9).

God is also glorified by being in subjection to the gospel for it is written; “The administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:12-15).

God is glorified by the observance of his Sabbaths, because the Sabbaths honors and glorifies him as the Lord God our Creator, Our Savior and Redeemer, Our Helper, Our Deliverer, Our Sin Bearer, Our King of kings and Lord of lords, and our Eternal God. Hence we have been admonished saying; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2).

3.  His Judgment has come

The reason we are to fear God and give glory to Him, it is because the hour of His judgment has come, therefore we have been admonished saying; “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17).

Judgment takes place at the house of God, when they come together at the communion table, for it is written; “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup: For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner, eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.’

“For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1Corinthians 11:27-32).The
impending judgment is the judgment of the world and of all unbelievers of the ages, because the time for the world’s judgment, will be the time for the prophets and saints to receive their reward, as it is written; “The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small
and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18).

God’s righteous judgment is against those who do evil, for it is written; “Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness — indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek: For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:4-11).

It is stated that, “The heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of  judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7).

4.  Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of waters

To worship him who made the heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water requires the adherence to specific details, otherwise the worship can be deemed as false worship.

What constitutes true worship is when one does the things in which God is delighted, and a false worship according to the Lord is one in which, “They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, So will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not
delight” (Isaiah 66:3-4).

Therefore to worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water cannot be fulfilled by following any instructions other than the instructions given by the Lord himself. And this is what the Lord says: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD
blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20: 8-11).

The Lord takes delight in the seventh day Sabbath rest because, “The heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:1-3).

The Lord takes delight in his Sabbaths (including his annual Sabbaths) because they are signs to identify the children of God, for, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.’

“You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever
does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.’

“Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed” (Exodus 31:12-17).

The main cause of false worship according to the Lord is; “When I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” Now one thing the Lord said and takes delight in is; “I am the LORD your God: Walk in My statutes, keep My judgments, and do them; hallow My Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God” (Ezekiel 20:19-20).

Notice carefully that the Sabbath is to be observed throughout the generations as a perpetual covenant (agreement), and it is a sign between the Lord and the children of Israel forever. And now that Gentiles are to rejoice and glorify God together with his people, it has become incumbent upon the Gentiles also, for the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath day.

Observing, or paying regards to the Sabbaths is not the only aspect of worshiping the One who made the heavens, the earth, the seas and all that is in them, because God forbids that people worship him in the way other nations worship their gods, and has prescribed specific ways which delights him.

For He says quite explicitly; “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day —besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:37-38).

The main objective for observing the Sabbaths is to have a holy convocation, and to offer to the Lord the food for his offerings, our special gifts, and to rejoice before him with our household.

For thus says the Lord; “But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of
your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD. And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion, nor inheritance with you” (Deuteronomy 12:10-12).

Rejoicing before the Lord with one’s household is a significant aspect of observing the Sabbaths, and the principle of tithing was ordained to fulfill this requirement, as it is written; “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year. And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the
firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.

But if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you, then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household” (Deuteronomy 14: 22-26).

The only exception to this rule in our New Testament dispensation is the prescribed place of worship which is no longer in force, because the Samaritan woman said to Jesus; “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:19-24).

And again Jesus said; “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18: 19-20).

So apart from the prescribed place of worship, everything else stands, for the Father seeks true worshipers to worship him, and we now have a perfect sacrifice which can present the worshiper holy, perfect, and blameless before God. So are we paying heed to the everlasting gospel?

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Apr
25

Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!

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Part of the everlasting gospel which is to be preached  to all those who dwell on the earth, is to worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water, and they are to do it in conjunction with the people of God. In a vision the apostle John saw, “An angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Revelation 14:6-7).

What the apostle John heard in the vision collaborates with what was previously stated by Moses the servant of God, and reiterated by the apostle Paul. Moses, in his song wrote, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people; for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and render vengeance to his adversaries; he will provide atonement for his land and his people” (Deuteronomy 32:43).

At the conclusion of the song Moses warned the children of Israel saying, “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe – all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life, and by this word you shall prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to possess” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47).

While people are working desperately to perpetuate, and keep alive all forms of culture and traditions, they have however spurned, and blatantly rejected God’s divine instructions, commanding all nations to rejoice with his people, which is not a futile thing. On the contrary it is our life.

The apostle Paul echoed similar sentiments with Moses and admonished Jews and Gentiles to glorify God together. He wrote; “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people!” And again: “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles! Laud him, all you peoples!” And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; and he who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him the Gentiles shall hope” (Romans 15:7-12).

FALSE NOTION #1

Since in Christ Jesus, there is neither Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus, where does the notion that, “The Sabbath [Saturday] is a religious rest day appointed for the Jews, and the first day of the week [Sunday] is the religious rest day for Christians?  When it is categorically, and unequivocally stated that, “Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for (preserving) the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God (with his people) for his mercy.”

How can anyone adopt and embraced such a notion when Jesus Christ himself said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill (accomplish what the law and the prophets said and wroteabout me). ‘For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven  and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled Whoever therefore, breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17-19).

Again, Jesus acknowledged and confirmed his approval and authority over the Sabbath by saying, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Drawing our attention to the command which says; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:30; 26:2).

FALSE NOTION #2

Where on earth, did Gentiles received this vain, puffed up, self-aggrandize notion, that they with the exclusion of God’s people can worship, glorify, rejoice, and inherit the blessings of God?

We are reminded saying, “Remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh – who are called Un-circumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands – that at that time, you were without Christ being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been made near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians. 2:11-13).

The reconciliation of the Gentiles by the blood of Christ, did not exclude them from the people of God, in fact it created one new man from the two, and reconciled them both to God in one body; now making Gentiles no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Gentiles are reminded saying, “Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord speak, saying, “The Lord has utterly separated me from his people” (Isaiah 56:3).

Also, “The sons of the foreigner who join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants – Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, and hold fast my covenants – Even them I will bring to my holy mountain [kingdom], and make them joyful in my house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:6-7).

Gentiles must never forget that the fall and failure of Israel is for the reconciliation of the world. Therefore, “If some [not all] of the branches were broken off, and you (Gentiles), being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them [not in exclusion] became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you boast, remember that you
do not support the root, but the root supports you (Romans11:17-18).

You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” Well said. Because of unbelief they (some Israelites) were broken off, and you (Gentiles) stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For: “If God did not spare the natural branches he will not spear you either” (Romans 11:19-21).

Gentiles individually and collectively are admonished to, “Rejoice always”. They are to rejoice as a form of gratitude with thanksgiving for:-

  1. God’s Salvation. Because we can all say like Hannah, “My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation (1Samuel 2:1).
  2. In God’s strength. As the Psalmist David said, “The king shall have joy in your strength O Lord; and in your salvation how greatly shall I rejoice!” (Psalms 21:1).
  3. For God’s help and protection. Because according to David, “You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of your wings I will rejoice” (Psalms 63:7).
  4. God’s blessings. Again according to David, “Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you have toward your people; Oh, visit me with your salvation, that I may see the benefit of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance” (Psalms 106:4-5).
  5. Lord Himself. Because, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olives may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls – Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). The righteous are to, “Rejoice in the Lord, and give thanks at the remembrance of his name” (Psalms 97:12).
  6. In his Word. We are to rejoice in the way of his testimonies, as much as in all riches; and at his word as one who finds great treasure. (Psalms 119:14, 162).

THE DIVINE INSTRUCTION IS, “REJOICE O GENTILES WITH HIS PEOPLE”.

When and how should Gentiles rejoice with the people of God, and glorify God together?

Gentiles do not know how to worship the true God, except through the Jews. The Apostle told the Corinthians, “But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons: you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?”(1Corinthians10:20-22).

And Jesus Himself said to the Samaritan woman, “You worship what you do not know; we (Jews) know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).

Gentiles are to rejoice with the people of God, and glorify God together on the day/s which the Lord has made to honor the Stone which the builders rejected, and has become the chief corner stone.

We are admonished saying, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone, this was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made: we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:22-24).

It is said that, “They rejected the Stone and stumbled at it, “Being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed” (1Peter 2:6-8).

It is pride and egotism on the part of any nation, peoples, race or creed who believes that they in exclusion of the children of Israel can worship God in Spirit and truth, and reap the promised blessings.

We are admonished by the prophet Isaiah saying, “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.”

For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; on her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:10-13).

The way the Lord has appointed for his people to rejoice before him, is in the form of true worship, on days which honors him as Lord

For example, the message of the angel with the everlasting gospel is, “Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Revelation 14:7). So by worshiping the Lord on the seventh day of the week, He is being honored as the Creator. This day was specifically set aside for this purpose. Hence from creation the Lord, “Ended his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he has done, then He blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it he rested from all his work which he had created and made” (Genesis 2:2-3).

Again when he made his everlasting covenant with Israel, he said to them, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor you maidservant, nor your cattle, nor you stranger who are within your gates. The reason for that is again reiterated, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11).

For one to truly rejoice and delight himself in the Lord, he/she is cautioned by the Lord saying, “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor him, not doing
your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord: And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13-14).

The Lord prescribed specific times of the year when his people should rejoice before him. He said, “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which he chooses; at the Feast of unleavened Bread, at the feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty handed” (Exodus34:18-23;Deuteronomy16:16).

In every instance they were to rejoice before the Lord their God with their son and daughter, manservant, maidservant, the Levite who is within their gates, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow who were among them, and they were to truly rejoice. (Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy12:7,
18; 14:26; 16:11, 15; 26:11; 27:7).

The Feast of Unleavened Bread which begins with the Passover commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and He is being honored during this festival as the Redeemer, Savior, and the Resurrection and the life.

The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost which is fifty days after the Sunday which falls during the days of Unleavened Bread, commemorates the arrival of the Holy Spirit, and honors the Lord as Our Helper, Comforter and Provider.

The Feast of Trumpets honors and glorifies the Lord as our Deliverer and Conqueror.

The Day of Atonement honors and glorifies the Lord as Our Sin Bearer and High Priest

The Feast of Tabernacles commemorates the birth of Christ and his circumcision on the Eighth Day, and honors him as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

So there are tangible proof and solid grounds for rejoicing, they are not futile and vain form of worship. They all honor and reverence him as “The Lord.” Like He said, “You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord.”

FALSE NOTION #3

How did sinful man come up with the notion that he/she can come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, without blood, the perfect offering which has to be offered on behalf of their sins!

How can sinful man without Christ making propitiation to the Father with his blood for the remission of their sins, expect to present themselves before God in a holy, blameless, and irreproachable manner in the sight of God?

This again is man’s false pride and self righteousness, because it is stated in no uncertain terms that, “No man can come to the Father except through Christ.” He is the only mediator between God and man. And the way he mediates on our behalf is by fulfilling his duties as High Priest interceding on our behalf, and offering his own body and blood as the propitiation for our sins.

He alone fulfills the prerequisite required, before we can come boldly to the throne of grace. Through the cup of the covenant of his blood which he left for the remission of sins, we have the boldness to enter the holiest of all. And by the new and living way which he consecrated for us through his flesh, (a sinless life by crucifying sin in the flesh) represented by the unleavened bread; and being himself the High Priest over the house of God, by this provision, we can draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22).

With these prior conditions Gentiles can rejoice with the people of God, by observing the same festivals which God has ordained to be celebrated in his honor, and to reverence him as the Lord our God.

Are you going to heed the everlasting gospel? The choice is ours.

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Apr
20

What Constitutes a Holy Convocation?

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It has become a customary habit for people to congregate themselves together to sing hymns or gospel songs, listen to a preacher preach a sermon which in reality is a public talk on religion, or a serious talk about morals and sometimes politics, collecting a monetary offering which is sometimes coerced, and call it a holy convocation.

But what truly is a Holy convocation? Is there a biblical definition of what truly constitutes a holy convocation?

For any convocation to fulfill the criterion of being a holy convocation, seven things should be taken into consideration.

1.    It must be a Feast of the Lord

A feast is a joyous occasion, commemorating a particular event , and so, “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts” (Leviticus 23: 2).

Only God has the power and prerogative to designate any person , day or thing as being holy, and the Lord said quite explicitly, “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations.”

2.    There are specific appointed times to have holy convocations

For thus says the Lord; “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their
appointed times” (Leviticus 23: 4).

There is no ambiguity as to the times appointed by the Lord to have a holy convocation, for they are clearly defined in scriptures, and are stated as
follows;

  1. The Sabbath

For it is written; “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:3).

2. The Passover and Unleavened Bread

On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread.   On the first day you shall have a holy convocation… The seventh day shall be a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23:5-8).

  1. The Feast of Weeks/ Pentecost

We have been instructed saying; “‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed … And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation to you. The wave sheaf offering is the Sunday which falls within the seven days of Unleavened Bread, and although not a holy convocation, it commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ to the Father soon after his resurrection, and presenting himself on our behalf. (Leviticus 23: 15, 21).

4. The Feast of Trumpets

It is stated that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation” (Leviticus 23: 23-24).

5.  The Day of Atonement

For the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the LORD” (Leviticus 23: 26-27).

6.  The Feast of Tabernacles

“The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD” (Leviticus 23: 34-35).

7.  The Eighth Day

For it is written; “On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it” (Leviticus 23: 36).

To have a holy convocation without God’s approval is an abomination to him, for thus says the Lord; “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the
Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:12-15).

3.    Special regards must be given to the Holiness of God

For “This is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘ By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy.”  Now to regard the Lord as holy requires that those who come near him must themselves also be holy. For we have been admonished saying; “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy”(Leviticus 10:3; 1Peter 1:14-16).

To regard the holiness of God when having a holy convocation is tantamount to the message which has been declared from the beginning which says; “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1John 1:5-7).

This means that the Lord ought to be worshiped in the beauty of Holiness, which necessitates that a distinction be made between the holy and the profane, and the clean be separated from the unclean, for we have been admonished saying; “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them: I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore ” Come out
from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.”  I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6: 14-18).

4.    God must be glorified before all the people

“For this is what the LORD spoke, saying: ‘ By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3). The Lord is glorified when we ascribe to him the glory due to his name, as it is written; “Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength. Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved” (1Chronicles 16: 28-30).

Glory is ascribed to the name of the Lord by observing his Sabbaths, the appointed times for holy convocations, for thus says the Lord; “You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:30).

The Sabbaths glorify the name of the Lord for being our Creator, our Redeemer and Savior, our Helper and Comforter, our Conqueror and Deliverer, our Great High Priest and sin Bearer, our King of kings and Lord of lords, and our Circumcision and Eternal God.

The Lord is glorified when we according to the psalms; “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah. Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.” And when it can be said; “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalms 66:1-5, 16).

5.    Offer to the Lord the Food for His Offerings

The holy convocations without a shadow of doubts were ordained specifically to offer to the Lord the food for his offerings, for thus says the Lord. “These are the feasts of the LORD which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the LORD, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day .“ And we are to; “Give to the LORD the glory due His name; bring an offering, and come before Him”.

One should not appear before the Lord without bringing to him his food for his offerings, for, every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and
sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that Christ also have something to offer. So important is this offering, the Lord spoke to Moses saying; “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time” (Numbers 28: 2).

The sweet aroma of the Old Testament were a shadow and copy of the reality, which in our New dispensation is Jesus Christ who also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

6.    Offer to the Lord our personal gifts and offerings

Since the food for the Lord’s offering is an offering which is in addition, or “Besides the Sabbaths of the LORD, besides our gifts, besides all our vows, and besides all our freewill offerings which we give to the LORD,” we must not forsake our own freewill and thanksgiving offering.

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:15-16).

7.    Attendees should be fully convinced in their own minds

A holy convocation is an assembly by summons, and those attending should be fully convinced in their own mind, for it is written; “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.

We must also take into cognizance the admonition which says “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not
condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

God loves a cheerful giver, therefore no one should be forced or coerced to do anything. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.



 

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Apr
16

The Manifestation of God’s eternal power and Godhead

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It is stated quite explicitly that, “…the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of
the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20).

What physical phenomenon that is able to help mankind understand God’s eternal power and Godhead? Our first inclination maybe to consider man, since he was created in the image and likeness of God, and has the ability to plan, think and create things. But in spite of man’s ability to invent things he is powerless on his own to bring it to fruition without the help and assistance of other sources, in other words man is not the source or power by which anything is accomplished.

In contrast, God is the source by which everything is accomplished, without the help of any other, for thus says the Lord; ” I am the LORD, who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;” unlike man God does not share his glory with no other, for thus he says; “I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images” (Isaiah 44:24; 42:8)

Therefore man is not the phenomenon by which God’s eternal power can be made manifest, however man is able to manifest the invisible attributes of God as a triune God, and how they function harmoniously, for it is written; “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (1John 5:7-8).

There are however two undeniable phenomena that make manifest both the eternal power of God and his Godhead, and they are:-

  1. Fire

God describes himself as a consuming fire, for to the children of Israel the Lord warned saying; “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4: 23-24).

In the New Testament we have also been warned saying; “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12: 25-29).

Fire manifests God’s eternal power and presence, when he appeared to Moses he appeared to him in the form of a burning bush, for we are told that’ “… the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush, so he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed” (Exodus 3:2).

The Lord also made manifest his presence among the children of Israel whilst journeying in the wilderness by fire, because, “The LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people” (Exodus 13:21-22).

It is quite evident that The Lord expresses his approval by means of fire. Records show that;-

  1. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people then the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people: and fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:23-24).
  2. TheLord expressed his approval of Elijah as his servant by answering his prayerswith fire.

For it is written; “And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at
Your word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again. Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God” (1Kings 18:36-39)!

3.  The Lord expressed his approval of Elijah as his servant by responding to his request with fire

For it is written; “Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘come down!’ So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.’

“Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: “Man of God thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly! So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men:”
And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty” (2 Kings 1:9-12).

According to visions seen by the prophet Daniel and the apostle John, the appearance of the Lord is like fire, for the prophet Daniel wrote; “I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude” (Daniel 10:5-6).

And the apostle John wrote; “In the midst of the seven lamp-stands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like
fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters” (Revelations 1:14-15).

The Lord will vindicate his wrath with fire, as it is written; “For behold, the LORD will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many” (Zechariah 66:15-16).

Fire manifests the goodness and severity of God: when careful and attentive in the way that it is used, the benefits are tremendous. It cooks our food, it helps shape weapons and tools, it changes clay into pottery, produces light, produces energy to drive machines, and keep vast industries running, it supplies the power to drive trains, ships, planes, propels rockets, and generates energy.

It is also used to remove and destroy waste materials, kill harmful bacteria, and separating most materials from their ores, as well as forging and shaping metals into useful implements.

But when not careful and attentive in the way it is used, it can be the most dangerous and destructive element, and reflects the severity of God who says; “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you. For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:23-24).

Fire like God consists of three indispensible elements, just as there are three persons in the Godhead, and the composition of fire helps one understand the concept of a Triune God, and how they work harmoniously together.

Fire is composed of three elements, and all three must exist before a fire can be made. To produce a fire there must be:-

  1. Combustion – a means of igniting or setting a fire

This helps to illustrate the function of God the Father as the Head, the mind, which triggers the thought or the action to be taken.

2. Fuel – substance, material that can burn

This depicts the function of Jesus Christ as the substance, the Word who became flesh, and was offered as the perfect sacrifice.

3.  Oxygen – surrounding air

This depicts the function of the Holy Spirit, the power which energizes and fulfills the word.

Fire can be everlasting, if there is a continuous supply of combustion, fuel and oxygen, depicting the everlasting existence of God.

2. Water

Water is another natural phenomenon that can help us understand God’s eternal power and Godhead. Water is the only substance on earth that is naturally present in three different forms – as a liquid, a solid (ice), and a gas (water vapor), and this illustrates how the Triune God functions.

Water like God is omnipresent, it is everywhere, it fills the oceans, rivers, and streams, it is in the ground, and in the air we breathe. Every living thing consists mostly of water, the human body is about two-thirds or 65% percent water, a chicken is about three-fourths water, and a pineapple is about four-fifths water.

Without water there can be no life. Every living thing, plants, animals, and people, must have water to live. Water like Jesus Christ is both a servant and master to people. Jesus Christ exemplified himself as both servant and master, for he said to his disciples; “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet, for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.”
He also said to his disciples, “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave —just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (John 13:13-15; Matthew 20:27-28).

The composition of water which consists of two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen (H2O) help reveals the unison and similarity which exists between the Father and Son, as Jesus Christ repeatedly said; “I and My Father are one”, the exclusion of the Holy Spirit is synonymous
to the one part of oxygen, but which must be combined with the two parts of hydrogen to form water.

May the eyes of our understanding be enlightened for; “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” And truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

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Apr
09

Is Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread Relevant?

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Is Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread relevant in our New Testament dispensation? I pose this question because it is evident that the majority of people who called themselves Christians do not practice the principles that are associated with the Passover festival, and some are undoubtedly completely oblivious even to the point of being ignorant of the procedures that are affiliated with this festival.

It is quite evident that people are more in tuned with such things as a carnival season which culminates with an ash-Wednesday activity, that gives way to a Lenten season for a duration of forty days, with its various abstentions from certain foods and social
activities, followed by a Good Friday celebration and culminating with an Easter Sunday sunrise service and celebration.

Unfortunately, very few people who called themselves Christians give any consideration to the passage of scripture which reads; “These are the feasts of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the LORD’s Passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it. But you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation; you shall do no customary work on it” (Leviticus 23: 4-8).

Since the instructions to celebrate this festival are from the Lord, and ordained as a statute forever throughout the generations of God’s chosen people, in all their dwellings, why is it not being observed as God ordained! Is it no longer relevant in the New
Testament dispensation?

So how relevant is the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread in our New Testament dispensation?

  1. Jesus Christ who came to set us an example to follow his steps kept the Passover

It is stated quite explicitly that; “When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then
He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no
longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14-16).

This statement from Jesus Christ proves without a shadow of doubt that the Passover celebration is relevant in the New Testament dispensation, because it will only reach its fulfillment when the kingdom of God comes, and the kingdom is not yet
established on earth.

During the celebration of the Passover with his disciples Jesus Christ took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22: 17-19).

Jesus Christ took the Passover with his disciples a day earlier than the Jews, because he as the real Passover had to be offered on the precise day and time of the Passover, and so it is written; “Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.” Again; “Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away” (John 18:28; John 19: 14-16).

It is for certain that the women who followed Jesus at his crucifixion also rested on the Sabbath which followed
his crucifixion which took place on the Jewish Sabbath, for it is written; “Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him” (Mark 16: 1).

2.  The apostle Paul admonished Christians to keep the Passover

The apostle Paul in addressing his concern regarding sexual immorality in the church wrote; “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast: not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1Corinthians 5:6-8).

The Passover in reality depicts the afflicted body of Christ and the shedding of his blood to pass over and liberated us from our sins. To the Israelites, this service was to remind them of their deliverance from the death angel, and their deliverance from their bondage of slavery in Egypt. But to us in this New Testament dispensation, it is to remind us of our deliverance from eternal death, and the bondage of sin.

Now since Passover and the Days of Unleavened bread are undoubtedly relevant in our New Testament dispensation, how should it be observed?

When the Lord instituted the Passover and the Days of Unleavened bread he gave specific instructions on how and when it should be observed, and it can be broken down as follows:-

  1. “This day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.”
  2. “Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.”
  3. “On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel.”
  4. “On the first day there shall be a holy convocation.”
  5.  ‘On the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat — that only may be prepared by you.’
  6. “So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on
    this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt.
    Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an
    everlasting ordinance.’
  7. “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.”
  8.  “For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land.”
  9.  “You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12:14-20).

I wonder therefore what is so hard and difficult for a person who truly understands and appreciate the sufferings and death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to observe as a memorial, on the fourteenth day of the first month, which is the first Full
Moon in spring, to observe the Passover, eat unleavened bread for seven days, refrain from eating leaven bread, for the same period, and putting away leaven as a precautionary measure to avoid eating leavened bread, and have a holy convocation on the first and seventh day!

The Israelites were required to do these things as a perpetual ordinance throughout their generations, to remind them of their departure from Egypt, for it is written: “ You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it, that is, the bread of affliction (for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste), that you may remember the day in which you came out of the land of Egypt all the days of your life” (Deuteronomy 16:3)

Christians are to observe this festival as a reminder of their spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, and they are required to glorify God together with his people. For it is written: “now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’

“Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.” And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!” (Romans 15: 5-10).

It is therefore definitely a shame and gross disrespect on the part of all those who called themselves Christians, to be holding tenaciously the doctrines and traditions taught by men, and holding in contempt the teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who is the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!

The leaven we are asked to refrain from is to remind us to put away sin, false doctrine, malice, and wickedness from our lives: and the partaking of unleavened bread is to remind us of the need to practice righteousness, seek truth, and live a life free from sin.

Let us  not deceive ourselves in believing that the instructions to; “let us keep the feast:” is simply something that we observe in the spirit, and not in the letter. Furthermore, a festival is an occasion to rejoice physically, and this festival has its peculiar characteristics which cannot be separated or eliminated, which is to eat unleavened bread, and not to eat anything with leaven for seven days.

And as the saying goes; “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2: 17-18). And why should we say; “Lord, Lord,” and do not do the things that he says.

Therefore one cannot truly say that they believe in the Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, which encompasses the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the presentation of himself to the Father on our behalf, known as the “Wave Sheaf Offering” or the “First of the First-fruits:” and are not complying to the rules which governs this festival and reads as follows: “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread” (Exodus 12: 18-20).

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” May God have mercy on our souls.

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Apr
06

The Sign of the True Messiah

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The Jews, the Scribes and the Pharisees all wanted proof or a sign from Jesus Christ to prove that he was indeed the Messiah. On one occasion after he chased the money changers from the temple the Jews asked him saying; “What sign do You
show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (John 2:18-21).

On another occasion the Scribes and the Pharisees asked him saying; “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12: 39-40).

On another occasion some Pharisees came to Him saying, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You. And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected” (” (Luke 13:31-32).

Then one day He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon: They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again” (Luke 18:31-33).

On the day of Christ’s resurrection some of his disciples went to the tomb and met an angel who said to them; “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5-7).

Later on that same day Jesus met them and said to them; “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47).

It is therefore without a shadow of doubt that the proof that Jesus Christ is indeed the Messiah is by him being killed and be raised from the dead on the third day, and there is absolutely no ambiguity as to whether a part of a day constitutes a day, as it is commonly taught, because Jesus specifically mentioned three days and three nights, each constituting 12 hours, making it a
total of seventy two (72) hours.

We have all learned that, there are twenty four (24) hours in a day. Jesus Himself said, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of the world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him” (John 11:9-10). Therefore if Jesus said that he was going to spend three days and three nights in the heart of the earth as proof of his Messiah-ship, he undoubtedly spent a period of 72 hours in the grave.

So the question is how can anyone calculate three days and three nights or 72 hours from Friday evening to Sunday morning? Where is this Good Friday crucifixion and Easter Sunday Resurrection theory came from?

It is stated in the World Book that “Good Friday, the Friday before Easter Sunday, is celebrated worldwide among Christians as
the anniversary of Christ’s death on the cross. This day was set apart as a holy day as long ago as the 300’s, in the time of Constantine.”

But is there any veracity in this theory? Was Christ truly crucified on a Friday and raised on Sunday? This should not be taken
lightly, because if we desire to worship and serve the Lord, we are to do it in truth, for the time has now come when the true worshipers will (must) worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks to worship him.

Since the day of Christ Resurrection is easier to prove than the day of his crucifixion, let us first begin with his resurrection
in order to bring the truth to light.

When was Christ resurrected from the dead?

It is written quite explicitly in the book of Luke chapter 24: verses 1-3 that: “On the first day of the week (Sunday), very early
in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb, they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, and while they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightening stood beside them.’

“In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them; “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ Then they remembered his words.”

The apostle John in his account of the resurrection in chapter 20: verse 1 wrote; “Early on the first day of the week, while it was
still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.”

From all indications Jesus Christ had already risen by the time the women went to the tomb, very early in the morning of the first day of the week: or early on the first day of the week while it was still dark.

If we believe the scriptures, and the words of Jesus Christ there will be no ambiguity as to when Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead, for the scriptures in Matthew chapter 28: and verses 1-6 confirms that, “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it, his appearance was like lightening, and his clothes was white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here: He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay.”

Mark’s account in chapter 16: verse 9 states it this way; “Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons.”

There is one thing that all these scriptures agree upon is that, Jesus Christ was no longer in the tomb when the women and the
disciples visited it very early in the morning even while it was still dark. So the question is when was Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead? In order to find out when Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, one must know when he was placed in the tomb, because he resurrected precisely at the same time he was placed in the tomb three days later.

What time was Christ placed in the tomb?

Knowing the time which Jesus Christ was placed in the tomb, is of great significance, because the three days and three nights do not begin at the time of his death, but at the precise time he was placed in the heart of the earth. In the book of Mark chapter 15: verses 42-43, it is stated that; “When evening had come, because it was the preparation Day, that is, the day before the  Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member,  who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”

Matthew gave a similar account in the book of Matthew chapter 27: verses 57- 61 stating; “Now when evening had come there
came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him, and when Joseph had taken the body, he
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.”

It is clear that the body of Christ was placed in the tomb at the evening of the preparation day, which preceded the (High Day) Sabbath, Because according to the scriptures found in John chapter 19: and verse 31, “Because it was the preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.”

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