Bible Doctrines

42 years, 42 stations, 42 months, 42 chapters

2007-09-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Jews spent more than 40 years in the wilderness; they spent a total of 42 years.
In the New Testament, you read

"And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness."
Acts 13:18

It reads "about the time", that is, "around" forty years.

How do you get 42?

Well the calculation of the 40 years starts only after the episode at Kadeshbarnea where the Jews were on the verge of entering Canaan's land.

Let's follow how time is elapsing from Sinia to Kadeshbarnea.

(As usual, these posts are verse-intensive. The verses are not there for sheer confirmation, they are the very substance of the argument in their content and layout. So if you skim the verses you're skimming the argument.)

Look at Numbers 9:1-2

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,
Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

You see here that at the start of the second year, the Jews were still in the wilderness of Sinai, very much south of the land of Canaan, where they were to keep the passover.

The next chapter Numbers 10:11-12

And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

They leave the wilderness of Sinai 20 days into the second month of the second year.

Numbers 10:33

And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

Now we're 23 days into the second month of the second year. (Remember, a Jewish month has 30 days, not 31)

Numbers 11:1-3 18-20, 31-32

And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.

I quote this only to note that some time has elapsed, though we're not told how many days.

Numbers 11:4, 18-20, 31-32

And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days;
But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?

And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

The people are stuck gathering and eating quails for a whole month, so now we're at least into the end of third month of the second year.

After that comes the episode of Aaron and Miriam's rebellion, and the latter's leprosy

Numbers 12:14-26

And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.

Add that week and you're into the 4th month of the second year.
Now you'll remember the wilderness of Paran from Numbers 10:12 which I've already quoted

And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

So what you've had so far from Sinai to Paran are "journeyS", plural. The cloud "rested" there and they "pitched" there. Back in Numbers 9:21-22 you read

And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.

So beside the elapsed days we were actually able to calculate up to that point, the Jews have had many journeyings interrupted by possibly long halts on their way North from Sinai to the land of Canaan.
So here they are now, in Numbers 12, pitched in the wilderness of Paran, at the threshold of Canaan.

Numbers 13:1-3,25

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.

And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

Add another 40 days unto the second year. By now we're half-way into the second year. That's about 6 months that we were able to track, it's important to keep that in mind, for as we have seen, there were many journeyings and rests.

It is from this point, that the 40 year countdown is about to begin!

Let's see why/how

Numbers 13:32-33 (follow carefully)

And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.

14:1-3

And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!
And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

14:26

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

14:33-35

And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, (starting from this point) and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

The Lord God made the Jews turn back from Kadeshbarnea (Numbers 32:8), where they were at the very entrance of Canaan, and made them wander 40 years till all the parents died.

You thus end up with 2 years from Egypt to Kadeshbarnea, and 40 from Kadeshbarnea to Jericho, when they finally enter the land per se, for a total of 42 years.

Allright, 42 years, so what's the point? Well we'll see in a moment, but if you're a Bible-believing student of the Bible, that number, 42, already says something to you. First, let me confirm it.

In Numbers 33, we are given a list naming all the stations of the Jewish people as they trecked from Egypt to Canaan during those 42 years. Let's count them.

Rameses
Succoth
Etham
Pihahiroth
Marah
Elim
the Red sea
the wilderness of Sin
Dophkah
Alush
Rephidim
the wilderness of Sinai
Kibrothhattaavah
Hazeroth
Rithmah
Rimmonparez
Libnah
Rissah
Kehelathah
mount Shapher
Haradah
Makheloth
Tahath
Tarah
Mithcah
Hashmonah
Moseroth
Benejaakan
Horhagidgad
Jotbathah
Ebronah
Eziongaber
the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh
mount Hor
Zalmonah
Punon
Oboth
Ijeabarim
Dibongad
Almondiblathaim
the mountains of Abarim
the plains of Moab

I'd encourage you to open Numbers 33 and count them. That's how this post originated. I was reading my Bible and when I came upon Numbers 33 I decided to count the stations by transcribing them, which turned out 42 in number. I eventually remembered that the Jews had spent 42 years in the wilderness.

Friday night after AWANA, I showed the list to a church Deacon and friend named Dan. I said there are 42 stations listed, and the Jews spent 42 years in the wilderness, I have no idea what it all means but it's cool.

Then he pointed out the obvious which had completely eluded me. Looking at that number can you guess?

...

The Jews will suffer greatly during the 42 months of the great tribulation while Jerusalem is down-trodden and the antichrist rules as a god.

Revelation 11:2

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Revelation 13:5

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

That would allow us to study the wilderness years as a type of the great tribulation and reinforces the teaching that Moses in one of the two witnesses that show up during the great tribulation.

We know for example that Israel, during the great tribulation, will flee to the wilderness and there be fed with manna from God yet again.

Revelation 12:6
And the woman (Israel) fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

1260/30= 42 months!

Now when I got to this part of the post, I began to reference verses dealing with Israel in the wilderness during the great tribulation while she is fleeing from the antichrist, and I fell on a verse that astounded me... I literally got out of my chair and walked around for joy because the Lord confirmed the type. Had I found the verse before all this I would've opened with it; look:

Micah 7:14-15

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.

How's that one to confirm a type ey! V.14 is Israel in the wilderness during the great tribulation. If you're not sure check out the following verses.

Job is primarily a picture of Israel during the great tribulation. Do you remember how many chapters the book contains?

42.

Job 12:24

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Job 24:5

Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

Job 24:8

They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.

Job 30:3-7

For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their meat.

They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as after a thief;)

To dwell in the clifts of the valleys, in caves of the earth, and in the rocks.

Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were gathered together.

(The parallels with Elijah are great! Remember that Elijah who also shows up with Moses during the great tribulation as a witness, ends up

1) driven forth from Jezebel, who shows up in the book of Revelation!

2) in the wilderness!

3) under a juniper tree!

4) requesting death!

5) fed with meat and drink supernaturally!

6) travelling through the wilderness 40 days!

7) in Horeb the mount of God (Sinai)!

8) in a cave!

1Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey (same term as used for Israel in the wilderness) into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1Ki 19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
1Ki 19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
1Ki 19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
1Ki 19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
1Ki 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

Jeremiah 31:2

Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.

Hosea 2:14

Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

There's another place where 42 shows up in the Bible and it's in connection with Elisha

2Kings 2:23-25
And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

Yet another place where 42 shows in the Bible.

2Kings 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. :14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

42 shows up also in Ezra's genealogies.

If anyone has insight on how to tie it up, please leave a comment and let me know.
I'm thinking of the bears, since one of Daniel's 4 beasts is a bear, and the antichrist is an amalgam of the 4 beasts...but nothing beyond that, assuming "that" is anything at all... Anyway let me know.

The post probably has too many words to say little, but one thing's for sure, that Bible is out of this world and I hope your faith in the words and arrangement of the Lord's book is increased.

Daniel's 70 weeks, Part 1, Greg Estep

2007-08-02T14:16:00.000-07:00

It turns out there are still some born-again Christians desirous of some rightly divided Bible doctrine. Praise the Lord, what an encouragement.

I will leave the issue of the rapture of the Church aside for a while, though there is still alot to be said for that. We haven't even touched the typology.

This is Part 1 of a 6 part series Dr. Estep teaches on Daniel's 70 weeks. Understanding those weeks helps you understand pre-millennialism [the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back bodily, physically, to sit on the Jewish throne of David, in Jerusalem, and rule the world, literally, politically, for a thousand years (not to be mistaken with the antichrist's mock rule during the tribulation)] which is THE doctrine that underpins right division of the word of truth.
The series was a blessing to me, and I hope it will be to you.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

James Modlish preaching "which rapture?"

2007-02-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

I give so much importance to this subject because it is the next big event on the Lord God's calendar and a point of doctrinal confusion to many.
There's more to be said about the pre-tribulation rapture of the church but please listen to this excellent sermon.

Which Rapture?

notice that the title of the message implies MORE THAN 1 RAPTURE. Modlish gets into the doctrine 5-10 minutes into the sermon. It is 45 minutes long.

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, part3; which gospel?

2006-09-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

Please read disclaimer in Part 1. What you are about to read is firmly based on the 1st and most important rule of Bible study: THINGS DIFFERENT ARE NOT EQUAL UNLESS THE BIBLE DEFINES THEM TO BE.

Now I want to make one thing clear: The Bible doctrine for the church of God is that salvation of a man's soul is wholly apart from any work, by the Grace of God without any admixture and that salvation cannot, once obtained, in any way be lost.

But that's for the church of God only. We eternal security folks somehow got it right for us. But then in trying to defend the position we did not study to divide the dispensations and have ended up with crazy interpretations to negate verses that most clearly teach loss of salvation,JUST NOT FOR THE CHURCH. The Bible is not doctrinally all for the church. Get that man, get that.

Let's cut to the chase and see why the Church of God could not by any stretch be involved in the tribulation described by the chapters afore-mentioned.

The key that settles the issue is Matthew 24:14.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The Lord is saying that during the tribulation, the gospel OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached. Now what I'm about to say will cause even independent baptists to blow a casket. I am one, and thank the Lord for the good doctrine. But I had to submit to Bible doctrine, and the Bible is not a Baptist book.

Please observe how people who do not "DIVIDE the word of truth" stick their foot in their mouth

"Finally, Jesus made a profound statement in verse 14. He told the disciples the reason for the long delay in His coming back to earth. It is the completion of the task He assigned to the disciples, and to us as well. The gospel must be
preached among all nations before the end will come…"

Pasted from <;http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/od9.html

That this reading is bunk will be shortly displayed, but notice that according to the living word of God, the kind of gospel that can produce faith has already been preached to the entire world

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

So what was the point of history rushing past Matthew 24:14 if these folks are right?

Paul is referring to Psalm 19:2-4. You can't get out of that one. The Holy Spirit is saying this was enough to produce faith in a man.

Colossians 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

Col 1:6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Even if one argues that Paul is saying this in the sense that the gospel was designed for the whole world and was preached to every kind of human being, Jew or Gentile, you can still get a sense of the gospel's spread in Paul's day, bearing in mind that back then the world's population was about 150+ million. That's half today's USA population.

Now, they tell you "the gospel must be preached". That's NOT what Jesus said. He said "the gospel of the kingdom", not "the gospel". Remember the trump/trumpet problem? It's english folks, not greek.

You say " is there a difference?" Brother is there ever!

There is more than 1 gospel in the Bible. Don't freak out. I know your denomination would flip at that. So would mine. Patience, and check the scriptures.

Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, correctly identified 4 different forms the Gospel in the Bible (technically there are ten)

(1) The Gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; 4:23; 8:12;
9:35; 10:7; 24:14, Daniel 2, 2 Samuel 7:16)

(2) The Gospel of the grace of God. (Acts 20:24)

(3) That which Paul calls, "my Gospel" (Romans 2:16, 1 Timothy 1:10-11)

(4) The everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6)

This is not private interpretation. This is the Bible's division, as it is found, where it is found.

Don't get upset at me. Check the verses. What you have to drill into your head, as I've had to do, is that THINGS DIFFERENT ARE NOT EQUAL UNLESS THE BIBLE EQUATES THEM. Once you get that, things will be smoother.

(2) the Gospel of the grace of God is the good news in this age that God will save any sinner by grace who will simply trust him by faith; this is the good news of Romans 4:5, Romans 10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5…

(The hyper-dispensationalists are off.technically There can be no specific period of time known as the "dispensation of the grace of God". God's grace towards man is evident from Genesis to Revelation in myriad ways)

(3) the gospel of the grace of God is also called "my gospel" by Paul in Romans 2:16. Paul's gospel is the gospel of the grace of God in its fullest development, involving the revelation of the called-out church, the body of Christ, made up of Jews and Gentiles.

(1) Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

The gospel of the kingdom is the gospel preached exclusively to the Jews,(Matthew 10:5-7) being confirmed by signs (Matthew 10:8), that the
kingdom of heaven (not kingdom of God, which is a different kingdom; oh yes! Remember the rule above) which is a literal, physical, political, visible, earthly kingdom ruled by the son of Man on the throne of David, is offered to the converted nation of Israel. The KINGDOM, folks, is Israel's; NOT Rome's!

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel,
till the Son of man be come.

"The end" in the Bible is defined in Daniel as a period of time (tribulation) immediately preceding the literal coming of Jesus to set up his kingdom.

The disciples go over the cities and the Son of man (NOT "the Son of God")

does not return in glory. The prophecy could still have been fulfilled in Acts 2-7 had Israel accepted the resurrected Christ, for prophetically the scene was ready. The apostles finished their testimony to Israel before Acts 28 and still the
Son of man did not return. But the prophecy stands and over-leaps the church
age. During the tribulation saved Jews will be fulfilling it. Note how
"the end" has "the gospel kingdom" being preached. It is no coincidence that Matthew and Revelation both have the same gospel;they're in similar dispensations; the law returns during the tribulation as we'll see.

So what does the Lord tell them to preach? Look at it again

Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Now how can it be at hand with a set time if according to our last trumpet friends that actually means

"HEAR YE HEAR YE: the kingdom is at hand, we have to win you all to Christ before he can return and we're almost there. Repent, for the world is almost won to the Lord, and then He will return."

What nonsense man, what nonsense!

Anyway, Matthew 10:7 displays the gospel of the kingdom. Observe: No new-birth, no spiritual circumcision, no placement in the body of Christ.

Notice that the word "nations" is set in contra-distinction to the word "kingdom".

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Now if you've got people preaching a gospel "FOR A WITNESS" don't you think they are therefore WITNESSES? The witnesses in the tribulation are Jews.

This gospel of the kingdom (NOT THE GOSPEL THAT WAS COMMITTED
UNTO PAUL FOR THE CHURCH) involves loss of salvation (Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.) because it involves keeping faith alive through works as described in James 2:14-26; which epistle is doctrinally written "to the twelve tribes" and not "unto the church of God" as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2.

Matthew 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

Mat 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That ain't no temporal judgment. You can't get out of this one with "well the servant wasn't saved to begin with". First off, that servant is one of "THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM". I don't care what some scholar thinks it means. That's what it SAYS.

And besides last time I checked, God doesn't call lost folks to

ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Matthew 24:45

Numerous times you read of servants losing or in danger of losing their salvation, and the argument that they weren't saved is incredibly lame and ignorant of the Bible. You just learned that from Christian Education. Yes you did, follow the thread, you did!

Let me ask you this. If you believe that the believer cannot lose his salvation (WHICH IS TRUE FOR THE CHURCH AGE) and that the church goes through the tribulation, what, according to you would happen to a believer who takes the mark of the beast? If you say that wouldn't happen you don't know much about human nature and life, much less the Bible. And incidently, not taking the mark is a WORK!

Notice how salvation is described during the tribulation

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed (those are Jews, the woman being Israel), which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep (1)the commandments of God, and (2) the faith of Jesus.

That, my friend, is LAW if you ever saw it. And you need to KEEP the commandments during the tribulation.That's why the Lord Jesus says Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. That matches "the patience" of Revelation 14:12.

Is that how you witness to folks today? Do you tell them they must keep the commandmentS (IT'S PLURAL) of God and the testimony of Jesus? Why are those folks in the tribulation keeping the commandmentS (PLURAl)? You can't really explain it.

Observe the context of Matthew 24:

[A] It is the end of a time period, not an individual's life, (vs. 14).

[B] The land being discussed is Palestine, (24:16).

Are you living in Judaea and planning on escaping into the mountains?

Well? Are you?

[C] The audience addressed are Jews, (vs. 1-3).

[D] They are observing Old Testament Law then, (24:20)

Why would the Lord refer to the Sabbath if the church is around?

Are you keeping the sabbath? Not unless you are a confused sabbathist!

The sabbath's proper context is the law. The law is in effect for somebody at this point!

You know why people insist on relegating this passage to the past, going against the entire flow of the body of scriptures? Because, especially if they are not pre-millennial, it messes up their way of figuring the Bible. They can't get the dispensations, or refuse to get them. They will read how temple sacrifices come back in the millennium according to Ezekiel and get an indigestion,
so they spiritualize the passages until they don't mean what they say.

Listen, if you are really preaching the gospel of the kingdom now, you are preaching another gospel and you are under a curse!

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Paul did not preach unto you anything connected with Judaea and the Sabbath and loss of salvation.

[E] They are worshipping in a temple in Jerusalem, (24:15; 2 Thess. 2).

[F] They are physical, not spiritual Jews as in (Rom. 2:29).

[G] The Christian already has the promise that he will endure to the end if that is what is under discussion, (1 Cor. 1:7,8).

[H] The 2nd Coming follows the "end" in this passage, and not the Death of the believer, (24:14,21,29). So the passage is plainly a reference to a law-abiding Jew in Palestine immediately preceding the 2nd Advent.

Let's look at Matthew 25 which retains the context of chapter 24.

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and their lamps.

Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

The virgins are not, repeat, not, the church as you've probably been taught.

Observe

(1) those involved are "virgins", plural, AS FOUND IN REVELATION 7 AND 14, not a "virgin", singular. The church is a singular virgin

2Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin (singular) to Christ.

Watch the Holy Spirit work out the distinction

Song of Solomon 6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number.

Son 6:9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.

You have the tribulation Jews (Revelation 7,14) pictured as virgins and the church of God as one virgin ("undefiled").

Psalm 45:13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

Psa 45:14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework (for the
marriage!): the virgins (are) her companions that follow her (after she is raptured for the marriage) shall be brought unto thee.

(2) They don't go forth to marry the bridegroom, they go to meet him.

fitting perfectly into Psalm 45:14!

(3) ALL had oil to start with (v.3) but some lose ALL OF THE OIL (v.8)

(4) there is an element of works connected with the Holy Spirit and salvation which David at least realized in Psalm 51:11! (Matthew 25:9,13, 15-20)

The virgins can lose their salvation (Matthew 24:51, Matthew 25:30) and consequently Hebrews 9:28 is a fair warning of a tribulation split-rapture. Notice "unto them that look for him"!
So the parable is accurate in detail(not only in general as scholars teach you;
see Proverbs 26:7) in describing a time where works justify and if you think that's heretical, you better have the guts to tell that to James (James 2:24) who anyway wasn't doctrinally writing to you, dear born-again Christian of the church
dispensation (James 1:1)

Now if oil is a type of the Holy Spirit, please explain the following:

How can a believer in the church-age lose ALL of the Holy Spirit?

If the 5 foolish virgins are lost and were never saved, how could they go and "buy" the Holy Spirit? See Acts 8:20

But look at Revelation 14 where the virgins are mentioned.

"Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins…"

Now 8 verses later you read

Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.

Works! Ah! The workings of the King James Bible! You may refuse to believe it but you would never go out and preach Revelation 14:12 as salvation doctrine today unless you were a lost Jehovah's witness. And well you wouldn't brother because you'd heap up a curse on your head if you did it in this dispensation.

Brothers, you have relegated all the New Testament teachings to Pauline church doctrine to gentile believers. That's Gentile conceit.

You see during the church age you cannot lose your salvation but you can lose it during the tribulation just like it could be lost in the Old Testament and just like it can be lost during the millennium.

While the Baptists are running to some original greek to explain away verses that deal with loss of salvation because they study not how to DIVIDE the word of the truth, you've got a bunch of folks even more mislead, saying that YOU, in the church age, can lose your salvation, misunderstanding and therefore confusing the gospel of the grace of God given to Paul with the gospel of the kingdom.

Have you never noticed how all the verses talking about or hinting at loss of
salvation, are always in books like Matthew's JEWISH OLD TESTAMENT gospel (the new testament isn't instituted until 26:28) or HEBREWS or James writing to the "TWELVE TRIBES" or Revelation discussing the tribulation.

Even if you disagree that there are verses that teach loss of salvation (by having been taught by theologians how to disbelieve the plain English text) those are still the books where those thorny issues are.

Don't you think that's a bit odd?

What? You mean you never thought that the Bible would still be around after the rapture for people to read it and understand the doctrine that would save them during the tribulation? If God's focus becomes the Jewish nation once more, don't you think Matthew, HEBREWS and James (see James 1:1) will be especially salient for the Jews with Revelation also which displays their tribulation?

Yet another way you know that the church does not go through the tribulation is that in the church age, all believers are placed in one body. A saved Jew now is no longer a Jew, he is a member of the church of God; a saved Gentile now is no longer a Gentile, he is a member of the church of God.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

But that's not what you have in the tribulation if you can read English.

Revelation 7:3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Remember James 1:1?

And then you have the Gentiles who are saved thanks to the ministry of the

144 000:

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Notice how the "nations" and "kindreds" and "people" are placed in contra-distinction to "the tribes of the children of Israel". In the Bible, nations, kindreds and peoples always refer to NON-JEWS.

There is a differentiation there being made between saved Jews and saved Gentiles. You couldn't get that in the church age, no way.

Suddenly God starts off with the 70th week, while the church age is running, calls 144 000 folks who by definition are not in the body of Christ,
to preach a gospel which is not the gospel given to Paul, and win
gentiles which are not in the body of Christ, all this while the church is on
earth preaching something totally different, ignoring the Sabbath while a bunch
of folks are keeping it, and an angel is flying through heaven under the
condemnation of Galatians 1:8.

Great dividing of the word folks, just great. These guys have a
website running with over 600 000 hits. And they misleadingly call it "the
last trumpet" because they do not believe the words of the King James
Bible, even tough they use it. The Bible said "the last trump", not
"the last trumpet". But we've already covered that. 600 000+ hits on
a website that can't differentiate two english words.
There's your falling away folks, there it is; it ain't the doctrine of the
pre-tribulation rapture of the church.

Back to the gospel forms:

(4) "The everlasting gospel".Just as the Jews have their own "gospel of the kingdom" to be preached during the tribulation, so the Gentiles get to hear something specifically targeted at them, it is called "the everlasting gospel":

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Look at

Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount
Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand (Jews), having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man
could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

These guys are not one body with any gentiles. How can parts of the same body not know the same song? You have separate groups of saved people in the tribulation. Get that.

How peculiar to single out nations, kindreds, tongues and people in one block, and the Jews in another, WHILE THE CHURCH IS SUPPOSEDLY STILL THERE.

We've seen that Matthew 25 is tribulation setting, just like Matthew 24.

Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in is glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

That's end of tribulation, beginning of millennium.
Nations are gathered, and some are saved, some lost, but they remain distinct
Nations! No one body stuff.There's no marriage of the church there! Find it if you can!

Now read the rest of the chapter, they go into the millennium based on works! Paul's gospel is not mentioned whithin 100 miles. How odd. The Lord Jesus is dealing with works, for which he gives a millennial inheritance. (In fact that's even true for the church! You read that right. Go search the word "inheritance" in the Epistles. Everytime it is connected with the kingdom, there's an element of works. The church-age believer who doesn't work doesn't inherit much in the millennium.) And those are works concerning the Jews, the brethren of Christ

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Entire nations are judged based on their treatment of the Jew during the tribulation.Why? Because the gospel of the kingdom was being preached, and the kingdom is Jewish! It's clear.

Compare:

Matthew 10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Mat 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Mat 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Now in the chapter, as we've seen, the Lord tells the Jews not to go to the gentiles but rather to the Jews. But at verse 42 he adds "whosoever". Gentiles who nevertheless get the chance to help the Jew out, figure in this judgment then.
Watch how closely vss. 40-42 agrees with Matthew 25:40.

So it's all about how the Jewish "missionaries" were treated. Now let me ask you. WHY ISN'T IT ABOUT HOW THE CHURCH WAS TREATED?

I shudder to suggest that maybe it's because the church wasn't there during the tribulation?!

Note that the Lord is on "the throne of his glory", not the great white throne judgment which is a 1000 years later.

The throne of glory is a Davidic Jewish throne.

Jeremiah 14:21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.(Jews)

Jewish context.

Matthew 19:28

Jewish context.

Luke 1:32-33

Jewish context.

That's the context of the judgment, that's the context of Matthew 24-25. Jewish. Get that!

Another way you know that it has nothing to do with the treatment of the church (besides the fact that the church don't go through no tribulation) is that sheep and brethren are spoken of in the passage as distinct entities. The church is BOTH in the Bible.

The gentiles are from the beginning of the tribulation hearing the gospel of the kingdom, and at some point during the tribulation also hear

Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Please also note that this message to the Gentiles is not

"fear God, and keep his commandments" (Ecclesiates 12:13)

as it is given to the Old Testament Jew, but

"Fear God, and give glory to him" (Revelation 14:7)

Look back at the verse. It is very reminiscent of Romans 1-2 which discusses gentiles without the law!

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Brother, if that angel showed up during the church-age he would be accursed! But he isn't. And his gospel is straight as an arrow. It is just not Paul's gospel! It’s as simple as: Different gospel=Different dispensation…different dispensation.

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, part 2; why does Michael show up?

2006-08-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Please read disclaimer for Part 1 below.

I intend this study to be exhaustive. Too many folks ignore clear verses to concentrate on a handfull of obscure ones.

That there is a gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th week is painfully obvious to any Bible-believer. I will not go into interpretive details, for as previously mentioned, I assume a minimal degree of Bible-knowledge on the part of the reader. If you're amillennialist or post-millennialist, you should get back to believing the words of the Bible instead of men.

Gabriel is clear

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon
thy people and upon thy holy city,

He tells Daniel the seventy weeks concern his (Daniel's) people, i.e. the Jews; and his city, i.e. Jerusalem.

Fact: The seventy weeks then, including the 70th week, are not determined upon the Church of God, which is a separate entity.

Post-tribs brush off this fact.

While we agree that the focus of the prophecy is the Jewish people and Jerusalem, (emphasis mine) we do not agree that it in any way indicates God would stop dealing with Israel during the gap.

(emphasis mine) between the 69th and 70th weeks, or a change of program has occurred. The
evidence that God continues to deal with Israel throughout the present age (within the gap) is actually found in this very passage. There are two prophesied events in verse 26 that occurred after the 69th week, within the gap.

1. The crucifixion of Christ 5
days after the end of the 69th week

2. The destruction of Jerusalem 37 years after
the end of the 69th week

Pasted from <http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/pd_17.html>

It is hard to imagine a more self-effacing argument than that. Note that it doesn't strike them as odd that God's last eventful dealing (and what a dealing) with Israel was over 1900 years ago. Or that any event which might be pointed to is one of judgment. Of course God still has en eye on the nation of Israel, and in some sense, has been "dealing" with the Jews, yet that in no way equivalent to his use of his body on earth which is the New Testament church of God. Where He is dealing with the Jew today, like returning him to Palestine, He is setting up the scene for the tribulation judgment. (folks who teach that the New Testament church IS the nation of Israel, are blind leaders of the blind and we will not waste time with them in this study.)

Our post-trib. brethren acknowledge a focus but so far as I've read at least, do not practically define it.

They acknowledge the gap but fail to explain it. Why did God stop his clock after the 69th week only to restart it again at the beginning of the 70th if nothing in His dealings with Israel has changed? The gap, like "the focus", is a dummy variable in their reading.

They see God's continued unchanged dealing with Israel in

a) Crucifying their
King

b) Destroying the city
of the Great King

c) Provoking them to jealousy

Seriously, it is hard to imagine a more self-effacing argument
than that.

"Paul speaks of God's dealing with Israel in this age,
provoking the nation to jealousy through the Gospel going to the Gentiles (Rom.
11:11). How then can it be said that God is not dealing with Israel during this
gap?"(emphasis mine)

Pasted from <http://www.geocities.com/~lasttrumpet/pd_17.html>

"You see, you heretical pre-tribs, how can you say that!"

...

You see people believe that the Church was a mystery hid in God, but simultaneously refuse to rightly divide the word of truth in order to identify the passages doctrinally targeted at the church thereby forgoing the extra light a New Testament believer has to interpret the scriptures. They are not one step ahead of the Old Testament prophets when it comes to the Church of God in prophecy.

Look at this again

1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

In the 66 books of the Bible, there is only 1 angel
called an "archangel" and that's Michael

Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel,

Paul is telling you that along with the Lord Jesus Christ coming down to rapture you, there will be Michael showing up. Now why do you think that is? Can any post-trib answer that one?

Michael the archangel has another title

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people (matching 9:24): and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:and at that time thy people(matching 9:24) shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Now let me ask you another question. You, my post-trib. brother, believe that 1 Thessalonians 4:16 refers to a rapture. In that same verse appears the archangel, which ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, can only be Michael. Now since you believe the church is raptured at the end of the tribulation, that for you means that Michael shows up at the end of the tribulation, clearly contradicting Daniel 12:1 above, for the time of his standing up preceds/ushers the time of trouble. Now how do you reconcile that? Unless of course that's the first time you gave attention to "the voice of the archangel" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16.

Consider this. When you take Daniel 12:1, and run through the verses looking for some future manifestation of Michael, you land on the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. You can call that coincidence, or evidence. Maybe you wouldn’t call it proof, but you can call it evidence.

It's clear English. Michael shows up because he stands for "thy people" the Jews like in Daniel 9:24. God's "focus" as they call it, becomes the Jewish nation once again. Please notice that Michael shows up for the Jews in chapter 12! 12 is Israel's number in the Bible.

Ok, Then a "time of trouble"; that's "Jacob's trouble", if you please

Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

"saved" here matching the "delivered" of Daniel 12:1. You, my dear saved brother in Lord Jesus Christ and member of His body which is the church, are NOT Jacob, neither are you a Hebrew in the epistle which is doctrinally addressed to the Hebrews, neither are you of the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad of James 1:1 to whom that epistle is doctrinally addressed.
(Study that a little and it will solve a few thorny issues without any
knowledge of greek and hebrew.) Jacob is the Jew, not you. It is the time of his trouble, not yours. It is his judgment,not yours. Your judgment is the Judgment Seat of Christ, not the tribulation. The church (actually a percentage thereof if
the post-tribs are correct) cannot go through 2 judgments, and the tribulation is
a judgment.

The church's judgment takes place in heaven because it is a heavenly entity. Israel's judgment takes place on earth because it is an earthly entity.

Look again at Daniel 12:1

such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time

That matches

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Daniel 12:1 is about the tribulation and Michael as an archangel is connected
with it.

again

Revelation 12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael
and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

Again tribulation, again chapter 12, again Israel (see v.1)

but you can write off that last part again as mere coincidence because you've been taught better than to believe the Bible is inspired right down to its division by bespectacled men in stuffed shirts.

Can you see better now, why "the archangel" shows up at the rapture?

Pre-tribulation rapture of the church, Part 1; what last trumpet?

2006-08-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this study is to prove (yes, prove) the pre-tribulation rapture of the church, which rapture is different than at least 2 other raptures found in the Bible. I believe the words of the King James Bible to be the divinely preserved wordS of the living God. I acknowledge no other reading. You can critique this post using the King James Bible's words as much as you like, but please dump your nicolaitan use of greek and hebrew at the doorstep. I have no need of it even where it helps the position I defend.

Througout the study I draw very heavily on the writings of men of God who have humbled themselves before the words of God, foremost of which, Peter Sturges Ruckman (verbatim in a number of cases), Cyrus Ingerson Scofield (verbatim in certain cases), Clarence Larkin and James Modlish (verbatim in some cases).

This study presumes a significant minimal amount of Bible-knowledge and is not aimed at new-born believers. Let it be known that I am independent baptist, pre-millennial, dispensationalist.

I strongly recommend printing this out, just for practicality's sake. Please consider seriously as I've invested much in this study. There is much more coming. This part only deals with the so-called "last trumpet".

There are many born-again Christians who believe the church will go through the tribulation and be raptured out of it at some point.

One of the points I am making is that there are indeed verses dealing with a mid/post tribulation rapture. But given that those mid/post tribs can only identify ONE rapture in the entire 66 books of the Bible, they automatically assume that that rapture is the church's.
This church-centric approach to all scripture is the cause also of a
misunderstanding of salvation doctrine in various dispensations. More on that later when we tackle the tribulation.

Let's look at the two greatest passages on the rapture of the church in the New Testament.

1Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word
of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord
shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

In talking about the rapture of the church, Paul calls it a mystery (v.51). A mystery is something that has not been revealed before. Now if you believe that Matthew 24:40-41 deals with the rapture OF THE CHURCH,then your first obstacle is why the Holy Spirit calls the rapture OF THE CHURCH a "mystery" in 1 Corinthians 15. You can't explain that one if you only see 1 rapture. You'll have to duck and swerve and play around with the word "mystery" and rush to some mythological Septuagint or something.

The rapture OF THE CHURCH TAKES PLACE

v.52
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,

read carefully:

"at the last TRUMP". NOT "at the last TRUMPET"

Why is that important? Well many folks help out the Holy Spirit by adding an "et" to "trump" and search the Bible for "the last trumpET", landing in

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and
there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

a) The trumpet in Revelation 11 raptures nobody! It is blown at the END of the tribulation and it ushers the millennium.

In fact, a rapture has taken place before it in v.12

b) There is no angel in 1 Corinthians 15:52.
There's an ARCHangel involved in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, not an angel

c) That trump is called "the trump of God" in 1 Thessalonians 4:16; it is an angel's trumpet in Revelation 11:1

d) Moreover it is "THE trump", not one trumpet out of seven.

This is not facetious. If you check Zechariah 9:14 there's a trumpet there that God Himself blows.

By going to the Bible to interpret the Bible we learn that the trump is a certain NOISE. The word "trump" bears out that definition in the world

"trump: a sound of, or as if of, trumpeting"

-Webster's 9th Collegiate Dictionary

So a trumpet can, musically, emit more than one trump, more than one note, or sound. So far Paul is saying that at the last noise emitted by a certain trumpet, the rapture of the dead and living in Christ will occur.

We can know from the Bible that as far as heaven is concerned, a trump can span an extended amount of earth time. See

Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

(and again, the VOICE is sounding)

Moving on:

1 Corinthians 15:52

"at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound" The Holy Spirit gave us more details in

1 Thessalonians 4:16

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trump of God:

Here He has given you three noises to look out for.Notice that Paul is careful to say "trump" again, not "trumpet" within a verse dealing with NOISES. How's that for a fit?

This trump, scripture with scripture, is the voice of God speaking.

Now some of you are going to choke on this, but the rapture of the tribulation saints is present in the Old Testament. It is no mystery. That's what Jesus is refering to in Matthew 24.
It's the rapture of the CHURCH that was a mystery. Why? Because the church
itself was a mystery (Ephesians 3:1-6, 5:32) Makes sense, don't it?

First I will show you that it is the voice of God's mouth, not an actual trumpet, that effects the rapture, then I will show you that that voice sounds like the trump of a trumpet.

One should study Psalm 29.
The voice of God (7 times, like the 7 thunders of Revelation, another
coincidental match) is never without its effect on earth.

Now there is a commandment in the Bible to

Job 37:2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

Why? Because

Job 37:4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

After "the sound",which is associated with "the voice",

"he will not stay them when his voice is heard."
Now, you may not have studied or even heard how that the book of Job is a picture of Israel during the tribulation, but you can answer the following question nonetheless

"he will not stay them" WHERE, when his voice is heard?

Well? Could it possibly, perhaps, be that God won't stay some people on EARTH when his voice is heard? Is that not the kind of operation Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4, though in reference to the church? Flip to John 10 for a moment.

John 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Again the voice, again the rapture. He we go again.

"leadeth them out" of WHERE, when they hear his voice?

It should be easier this time around. Could it again be out from EARTH and into heaven?

Ok, let's identify that trumpet now. Notice how the
trumpet is said to have a voice in

Exodus 19:16 ...that there were thunders
and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud;

Exodus 19:19
And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and
waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

Notice how the voice of the trumpet is intimitely associated with God's very voice speaking ("answered").

Exodus 19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount
Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went UP.

Observe: trumpet sound, God's call, Moses goes UP!

Skeptical? Ask John.

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard

Now obey the commandment and hear the noise of his
voice attentively (Job 37:2) Well brother John, what did that voice sound like?

Rev.4:1 was AS IT WERE OF A TRUMPET TALKING with me; which SAID,

There you have it. The Bible defining its own terms. Actually, John had told you that in the first chapter

Revelation 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,
and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

How much clearer can it get?

At rapture then, the noise of God's voice is a shout which sounds (Job 37:2) like a trumpet and talks (Revelation 4:1) and at the last sound (1 Corinthians 15:52): wham! born-again believers are out'a here!

It ain't no last trumpet of an angel in Revelation. You have to believe the WORDS of God, not just the word, and search them to see how the Bible defines them. The Bible is its own dictionary. get that.

Given Job 37:4 and John 10:3, what do you suppose God says?

Rev.4:1 COME UP HITHER

Up from where? Earth

Where to? Heaven

Well yeah, he just told you "behold, a door was opened in heaven"

If you go back to John you'll notice there's a door there too.

John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

John 10:3 To him the porter openeth;
and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

There's a door also being opened in John. That's the door that John ends up seeing in Revelation 4:1
All those elements fitting perfectly is no coincidence.

Lastly, you will be called by name at the rapture. Something like "(name of person) come up hither!"

but the unsaved will only hear thunder (Job 37:3-4)

John 12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

So far I have said nothing concerning John representing the church which I know some dispute. All I've dealt with are operational elements of the rapture. That John represents the church will be the subject of an upcoming post.

it shall BRUISE THY head

2006-05-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall BRUISE thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

1Samuel 17:49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

Job 15:26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

Psalm 7:12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

Psalm 68:21 But God shall WOUND the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

Psalm 74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.
:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

Habakkuk 3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou WOUNDEDST the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

Zechariah 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye (THAT'S A LITERAL WOUND TO A LITERAL EYE OF A LITERAL HEAD) : his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads AS it were WOUNDED to death; and his deadly WOUND was healed: and all the world wondered after

the beast.

If one believes and compares the very words of the Bible as they stand, scripture with scripture, what emerges is the WOUNDING of the HEAD of SATAN HIMSELF after which it is cut off clean unto the NECK.

Never make exclusively spiritual anything that the Bible does not tell you to interpret as such. It interprets itself.

Jeroboam antichrist

2006-05-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

The latest PoI post was about Jeroboam. Here are some things the Bible reveals about this character. I will try to remain concise.

The beginning of the thread starts in Revelation.

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

Satan is a great mimicker of the Lord Jesus Christ. The student of the Bible will immediately recognize that truism. He is such a fanatic copycat (read copy-roaring lion 1Peter 5:8) that he is going to mimic the resurrection. Now Scofield will take that verse and talk about the rebirth of the Roman Empire. And he is not wrong. But the verse is primarily about the person of the Antichrist. The wound of Revelation 13:3 was prophesied by

Zechariah 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean DRIED UP, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

Just like “the Christ” of Matthew 16:16 is contrasted with “that antichrist” of 1 John 2:18 ,
“the good shepherd” of John 10:11,14 is contrasted with the “idol shepherd” of Zechariah 11:17

Something is going to happen to the antichrist that’s going to take out his right eye (THAT'S A WOUND TO THE HEAD) and dry up his arm, but he will recover and present that as a resurrection to the world.

Now, Zechariah says about his arm that it will be “DRIED UP”

Compare that to

1Kings 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, DRIED UP, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

nice fit wouldn't you say?

Now let’s zoom in.

1Ki 11:26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.

The hand that dries up is that hand which is lifted up against “the king”!
People who are weary of the character of Solomon will appreciate that the Bible employs “the king” instead of Solomon here.
Now, if Solomon’s reign is a type of the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, then Jeroboam is all the more a type of the antichrist, for Jesus Christ will also have a subversive adversary at the end of his reign just like Solomon had in the person of Jeroboam.
You can work in many prophetic parallels here.

(Gog and Magog is prominent in the end-of-millennium rebellion, see note 1 below)

further common points between Jeroboam and antichrist

Elected by the people

1Kings 12:20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

Notice there’s a faithful remnant, just like there is when the antichrist rules.

God’s anointed

1Kings 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

Zechariah 11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land

Mimic true religion

1Kings 12:28-33

Just like the antichrist will do, temple and all, mimicking even the resurrection

Associated with Dan

1Kings 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

I don’t have time here to explain the many associations between Dan and the antichrist but the student of the Bible will acknowledge the import.

punishment by scorpions

1Kings 12:14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Revelation 9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

[ Note 1: you may further observe that Jeroboam’s arm is dried up subsequent to “the word of the Lord” (1 Kings 13:1) which is “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17) and you have “the sword” in Zechariah 11:17 drying up the hand.
If I were NOW to guess what and when is the occasion of the dealing of that blow to the antichrist, I would associate it with the Ezekiel 38 attack of Gog, more specifically 38:21 “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD”, which attack seems to happen in the midst of the tribulation (coming in from the north, where Dan’s lot is...), when the antichrist breaks his covenant of peace with the Jew, and which attack is NOT Armageddon.
But I’ve barely begun to scratch that surface and so will proceed no further at this point. Any input is appreciated.]

[Note 2: Another point helps to see that the idol shepherd is the antichrist.

Here things get complicated.

In the preceding verses of Zechariah, you have a reference to Judas Iscariot

Zechariah 11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

Judas, like the “idol shepherd”, is also “anointed”

John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Whereas Jeroboam lifts up his hand against the king (see above), Judas lifts up his heel

Psalm 41:9 fulfilled in John 13:18

In a brazen attempt to REVERSE and PERVERSE Genesis 3:15!

Now, those of view who understand that the antichrist will be Judas back with a vengeance, will find in the fact that Zechariah prophecies in the same breath about Judas and the idol shepherd (vss.12-17) a new argument which I don’t think Pink mentions in his famous article, plus also that “Judas” is a mimic of “Judah”!

Link: http://www.biblebelievers.com/awpink001.html

[note 3: an interesting study would be trying to match the darkening of the idol shepherd's eye. please share what the Lord may reveal to you.]

Genesis 3:14

2006-05-11T03:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, as I was researching the Bible, the matter turned out more complicated than I had first envisioned.

Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all CATTLE, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

classifies the serpent as cattle. This is no zoological mistake on the part of the King James Bible.
We're not strictly talking about serpents here. God is talking to "that old serpent", Satan. Cattle brings to mind four-footed beasts, specifically the bovine species, though not exclusively. Yet "cattle" are distinguished from "every beast of the field". Well, Satan is not an angel. He can transform "into an angel of light", but that doesn't mean he IS an angel. To prove he is an angel you would have to prove that the Cherubim are angels. Why? Because Satan is said to be a Cherub.

Ezekiel 28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth;

So what does a Cherub look like, prophet Ezekiel?

Ezekiel 1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an OX on the left (coincidence?) side; they four also had the face of an eagle.

So then, God knows that Satan is a Cherub and associates him with the Ox Cherub by classifying him as "cattle". This is further vindicated by Job 40:15 wherein behemoth WHICH IS SATAN, is likened to an Ox.

What is the prominent feature of Oxen? Horns. What is the significance of horns in the Bible? Kingship/Kingdom.
Oxen have two horns; 2 horns = 2 kingdoms: kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven

(oh yes, they are different, and they are defined by the Bible. Note that heaven is a PHYSICAL entity. Just because people use "heavenly" as a synonym for "spiritual" doesn't change the Bible's definition of the kingdom of heaven. You have verses that show they are one? Of course, just like the Cherubim, the 2 kingdoms can fuse*. In fact they were fused and will be so again under the Lord Jesus Christ, for as "the Son of God" he inherits the Kingdom of God, and as "the son of Man", he inherits "the Kingdom of Heaven" though he had to battle for it, given that Satan had legally reclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven (Luke 4:6) when king Adam sinned and fell.)

Now we are in a position to understand why the people chose to make a golden CALF.

Exodus 32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this CALF.

(We are appalled by Aaron's silly subterfuge. But is it one really? Could Aaron seriously have expected Moses to have believed such an excuse? Why doesn't Moses reply? Simply because he didn't deem the excuse worthy of an answer? Would you have reacted the same way? Could there have been Satanic power at work in the making of the calf?)

Why does Jeroboam also make calves?

1Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two CALVES of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible MAN (cherub aspect), and to BIRDS(cherub aspect), and FOURFOOTED BEASTS (cherub aspect), and creeping things (serpent?).

Notice that the Devil is associated with every one of the four creatures found in the Cherubim.

You have

MAN:
2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that MAN of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

LION:
1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring LION, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

OX:
Job 40:15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an OX.

EAGLE:
Obadiah 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the EAGLE, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

1................................................2.......................................3

1) "Hathor": notice the horns and wings
2) "Apis": bull-god
3) Sumerian god: notice eagle's head

It's impossible to fit here all revelvant pictures or mention all relevant gods.
I might scan some sometime.
These people had no idea what they were dealing with, or did they?
People today are just as foolish, and Satan will fool them, again.

*[Analyzing the morphology of the Cherubim is a complication which is compounded by the fact that they seem to disassemble when not mobile. (Compare what Ezekiel sees in chapters 1 and 10 where God rides upon the Cherubim with what John sees in Revelation 4 where the throne is stationary.
If you like complication, further consider that Satan was the "cherub that covereth". Was there then, a 5th serpentine aspect to the Cherubim in the person of the embowering Satan? Is that the "Leviathan" aspect of Satan, while the Ox is the "Behemoth" aspect? (keep in mind that the original form of the serpent seems to have been footed, at least different, so that there was a transformation, as implied by Genesis 3:14 but also that the animalistic features of the Cherubim appear to be primarily if not exclusively facial) Also, why is the "ox" in Ezekiel 1:10, become a "calf" in Revelation 4:7? Lastly, what to make of the "dragon" aspect of Satan? Reptilian,yes, but more than a serpent.]

He will lift up his hand to heaven

2006-04-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
:40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
:42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.

I've wondered how God could lift up his hand to heaven since that's where He resides. Now you can start telling me that's anthropomorphological similitude and what not; but I realized that this is Second Coming, when the Lord Jesus Christ BODILY returns with a vengeance to the earth. This verse will then be literally fulfilled. Ha! Love it.

Luke 8:44 and Psalm 133:2; and Romans 10:4

2006-04-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Luke 8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, Luk 8:44 Came behind him, and touched the BORDER OF HIS GARMENT: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Luk 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

I was wondering all about this "border of his garment/ virtue" when I recalled the following

It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went DOWN TO THE SKIRTS OF HIS GARMENTS; Psalm 133:2

Aaron anointed was covered down to the skirts of his garments. Jesus filled with Holy Spirit also had virtue down to his clothes. This reminds one of Acts 5:15 and 19:11-12.Now we know Aaron was a type of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. :5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Now get this

Leviticus 15:25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. :26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. :27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. :28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. :29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. :30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.

That woman was made whole because she believed in Jesus Christ in his office as priest.
She had just fulfilled Leviticus 15:25-30 by touching the hem of Jesus' garment!
Talk about Christ being the end of the law of righteousness!!!

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

That sight should have stupefied all Jews who saw it who knew the law down to the letter.The same thing happens when Jesus reaches out and touches the leper.
Given

Leviticus 5:3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
and
Leviticus 13:46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.

and notice also that the plague could spread to the garments

Leviticus 13:47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment; :48 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;

You have

Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. :3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Now I still don't get the link between Psalm 133's verse 1 and verse 2, but Leviticus 13:46 which you have above could point in a certain direction.

how to study the Bible

2006-03-07T08:43:00.000-08:00

Literal Interpretation

Always take the Bible literally, unless it can't possibly be LITERAL, in which case it might be SYMBOLIC or FIGURATIVE.The Bible interprets itself, scripture with scripture, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
We have been infected with the Origen/Roman Catholic interpretive system.

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little::

1Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Context

God always means exactly what He says, as He says it, where He says it, when He says it and to whom He says it.In one sense this means: always notice the context of a passage before making application. Read the surrounding passages to understand the subject matter.
But more importantly, you have to understand what dispensation (a Biblical word) you are dealing with. You are today living in the church-age, which is not the same as living under the law, or living in the Millennium age.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.

That's a verse reflecting dispensationalism.

Don’t blur the lines where God has set them, in order to help Him be consistent where you think He couldn’t be otherwise. Also bear in mind that the Bible is a book of progressive revelation. Deuteronomy (Deuter Onomos; Second Law) is a progressive revelation from Exodus so that there are no contradictions. Christian education could have spared itself the headache had it got that.
Moreover the Bible divides the world into Jew, Gentile and Church

1Corinthians 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

Here's the base rule, if you don't get the Jew in his right place, most of the Bible will be closed to you and you will have to overspiritualize half the stuff, like identifying Israel with the church.

2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Those are 4 different things. Various passages that have the same devotional value have different doctrinal value.
Again, this doesn’t undermine God’s consistency. For example

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

whomoever you might be at whatever time.

Along the same lines, another Biblical principle always overlooked is

Things different are NOT equal

unless the Bible defines them to be!

Example:The Kingdom of God is NOT the Kingdom of HeavenHow do we know?

1) God is spelled G-O-D; Heaven is spelled H-E-A-V-E-N
2) God is eternal, the heaven is not
3) God is a spirit, the heaven is physical (just because “heavenly” has come to be equivalent with “spiritual” in peoples’ minds doesn’t change the fact that the heavens are made up of physical matter)
(1-3, P.S.Ruckman)
4) “The kingdom of God is within you” Luke 17:21; the kingdom of heaven is outward, visible, physical and earthly and Davidic; hence the words “Thy kingdom come”. If they are the same and they (it) is within them, why would they be instructed to pray that? Keep in mind that kingdom of Heaven went into mystery form in Matthew 13.
It is true that sometimes, they seem to be spoken of interchangeably. That’s because they are united in Jesus Christ as Son of God and Son of Man

John 5:39 Search the scriptures

Well, God’s didn’t write an A4 paper. He wrote a book, a book with interpretive difficulties, seeming contradictions and hard-to-swallow truths. Why?

a) Because he doesn’t want lazy flesh-led believers to sit around and drink spiritual milk. He wants you going over that book comparing scripture with scripture and hammering your head-out in study and supplication for illumination from the Holy Spirit. It affords the believer growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. You don’t learn everything about God in one reading, and the journey with the Bible is intensely rewarding. God chooses to reveal truth to us in bits and pieces like a puzzle. He seldom addresses a subject in it's entirety in one place. He'll introduce a doctrine, and then He'll wait maybe dozens and dozens of chapters before telling you anything else about it.

b) Because He has a design to condemn people who want to condemn the Word. There are stumbling blocks to the flesh of everyman in that book intentionally.

c) Because the Bible is a revelation of God’s eternal power and Godhead, as is nature. His self-existent nature is rich, complex, yet unique. Why are people surprised at that? Venus rotates in reverse and water does not obey the laws of expansion and contraction…(P.S.Ruckman)

There are other reasons, but we pass.

The omissions of the Bible are just as inspired as the text

For example the Holy Spirit intentionally chose not to give the world or include the other epistles of Paul. Sometimes a silence on an issue or lack of deterministic information stem from divine wisdom and you will be accountable over how you deal with the Word of God concerning those things

Application

All Scripture has at least three applications: Historical, Doctrinal, and Spiritual.
Moreover, don’t limit Scripture to only one meaning. Sometimes a portion of Scripture can refer to something near at hand, and then also have a future fulfillment. You can expect to see many double and even triple references in the Bible. For example, Hosea 11:1 says, "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt." In the immediate context this refers to the nation of Israel being God's "son", as we are also told in Exodus 4:22. However, a DUAL reference is found in Matthew 2:15, where Jesus' coming back from Egypt is said to be a fulfillment of Hosea 11:1.

First Mention

Get in the good habit of taking note of "first mentions" in the Bible. Often times God will use the first mention of a word, phrase, or even a number, to establish a certain association that you'll need to keep in mind throughout His word.

Types and Foreshadows
(my favourite)
The Bible is replete with all sorts of types and foreshadows.For example, the Old Testament offers many types of the Lord Jesus Christ. Abel is a type of Christ in that he offered to God an acceptable sacrifice, and also that he was murdered by wicked hands. Isaac is a type, only son to be sacrificed.
Eleazar is a type of the Holy Spirit. The sun is a type of Christ, Who is the light of the world. The Ark is a type of Christ in many ways. The offerings and the feasts in Leviticus all picture certain truths about Jesus Christ in His three offices as Prophet, Priest, and King. Moses and Joshua, great leaders of God's people, are types of Christ as are some of the Kings and Priests of Israel.There are also many other types, like types of the church, salvation, the second coming, the tribulation, the millennial kingdom, the Antichrist, etc...

Numerology

Another interesting design in God's word is His unique way of attaching meanings to various numbers. Developing a basic knowledge of what a number is generally associated with can be very helpful.One is unity. Two is division. Three is trinity. Some say four is the earth (?). Five is death. Six is man. Seven is perfection, or completeness. Eight is a new beginning. Nine is fruitfulness. Ten is the Gentile number. Eleven (no one yet “nailed” that one)Twelve is Israel's number. Thirteen is rebellion.

And don't be fooled, there is not one intimation in the Word of God in any verse that you need knowledge of the “original” languages in order to better understand the Bible.

Finally, believe what you read! and pray to have your eyes opened.

why did Legion fear the deep yet love the sea?

2006-01-23T11:56:00.000-08:00

The "deep" in the Bible sometimes refers to a great body of water beyond the heavens, sort of in space and beyond it.
It is associated with the earth when God jammed everything up in

Genesis 1:2
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

We read

Genesis 7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

A flood also came in from outer-space. There's no way those windows are clouds. The Bible describes clouds and the evaporation cycle a number of times, never like this. Besides, it seems there were no clouds and rain on the pre-Noah's flood earth.

Genesis 8:2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;

Now

Job 38:30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

What ocean do you know with a frozen surface?????????????????????????
This is a frozen firmament in space. This is that sea of glass you read about in

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

God, speaking about Satan as Leviathan says to Job

Job 41:31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
:32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to be hoary.

Hoary means white or whitish.

When's the last time you saw a white ocean? The Mediterranean sea is called the Great White Sea. I see it everyday, it ain't white.

This is not upon earth,,, no LochNess monster here my friends, this is in the waters above your heads, the waters of

Genesis 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.

Those are they spoken of in

Psalm 148:4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

HeavenS is plural, this is no water in the sky.

And note that Psalms are AFTER Noah's flood. There are still waters above the heavens today.

Leviathan, Satan, leaves a blazing WHITE path behind his serpentine trail through space. Milky Way, anyone?

Having shuffled through Peter Ruckman's outstanding commentary on Job, I leaned back thinking upon the Bible. Suddenly the answer to something I had wondered about in Luke 8 flashed in my mind. I was confused about the 2 following verses dealing with the demon-possessed "Legion"

Luke 8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.

and

Luke 8:33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.

The devils feared the deep (supposedly ocean), yet they rush into water moments later!
Why would they fear the deep but not the lake (Mark calls it a sea)?

I think those evils besought Jesus not to be sent "out into"(v.31) space. They feared being sent into the deep of heaven, as in "deep space". It wasn't so much the water they feared; in fact devils have an affinity for water as can be gathered from the Bible.
Why they feared being commanded to go "out into" the deep in space I can't tell;
most simply maybe, because demons seek embodiement of flesh; what would they embody in space? Who knows, there might be other more terrible reasons.

There is so much more to see between Job and Genesis.

What a great book that King James Bible

Eve and the only 3 things in the wolrd

2006-01-06T04:47:00.000-08:00

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

1John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

I want to share with you a gem I picked up from Clarence Larkin's insight into the Bible in his tremendous book "Dispensational Truth"

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (the lust of the flesh) and that it was pleasant to the eyes (the lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (the pride of life), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Isn't that great? I was so exicted when I read this and I wanted to call someone and tell them about it. The puzzle is a perfect fit.

Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

I also now realize that what Eve felt towards the tree was not of God, that is, I don't anymore think that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was especially appealing, or attractive in its outward appearance above the rest of the trees of Eden. Furthermore, it is not absolutely clear that this tree was in the midst of the garden, as was the tree of life

Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

See there, "every tree" was "pleasant to the sight, and good for food". Eve only felt the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was special because she read her own lust into the tree as goaded by Satan. In fact, the variable is "the pride of life", which the other trees did not offer. Once more, pride is the downfall. It is called "the condemnation of the devil"

1Timothy 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

A novice! That's exactly what Adam and Eve were.

It is in this context all the more revealing that John warns of the antichrist seemingly out of the blue 1 verse later

1John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

The spirit of Satan is a most subtle liar, who used, uses, and will use people's own dubiousness towards the word and words! of God, (even before the fall in Eve's case!), to bind their souls into his own condemnation.

God said if you sin
"ye shall SURELY die", Eve said "LEST ye die", Satan said "ye shall NOT surely die"
Genesis 2:17 Genesis 3:3 Genesis 3:4

Eve standing upon the base of her own understanding, was mid-way between the words of God and Satan. Unfailingly, one's own human understanding will be coopted by Satan. 1 verse later, Eve adopts Satan's viewpoint.

People, you are sinners, and you are already dead in your sins and transgressions. Don't let antichrists fool you into questioning God's words. They will try to make you feel stupid and naive for believing all the sayings of the God of the Bible who is blessed forever Amen.

Jesus Christ saves all those who believe in him as the Son of God from eternal death.
He is the promised seed after the fall; speaking to Satan through the serpent God had said

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee (Satan) and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed (Jesus); it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Beware of reading your own judgment of the words of God into the Bible. If you want to argue with the Bible, it will give you all the reasons you want to judge it, but it shall stand and you will perish.

Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written (Psalm 51), That thou (God) mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

The irony is that you may not believe this even as your cells are dividing wildly and your flesh is rotting and death beckons.

1 Timothy 6:10, Ezekiel 28:4-5

2005-11-02T12:41:00.000-08:00

This post serves a double purpose. One is to expose a wonder out of the law of God, another is to demonstrate the King James Bible's perfection, which needs no amending from anyone.

In his book "The King James Only Controversy", Mr. White at one point takes issue with

1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil

In trying to discredit this translation, he argues that a rape, for instance, could not have the source of its evil in the love of money.

Aside from committing a logical fallacy in the argument, there seems to have escaped him another scripture which sheds light on 1 Timothy 6:10

As Satan is directly addressed in Ezekiel 28 via the prince of tyrus, we read in verses 4 and 5:

With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:
By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches

We are given the reason behind Lucipher's distension of heart; "because of thy riches". He loved money so much he invested his wisdom and understanding in gathering gold and silver, and his heart was lifted up along with his treasures.

Turning to Isaiah 14, we see the consequence of that pride and the first chronological sin in the universe (v.13,14)

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

also in

Ezekiel 28:2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

futhermore

Ezekiel 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

His beauty was also a cause of his heart being lift up

Ezekiel 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

But that beauty was closely linked with his riches, read

Ezekiel 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold

Shift your attention to:

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

You see then how the Bible is teaching you that;

since sin and hence evil came into the world by Adam, and Adam was deceived by Eve, and Eve was deceived by Satan, and Satan was deceived by his own heart (Jeremiah 17:9) because of his riches;

therefore, quite literaly, the ROOT of ALL evil is the LOVE OF MONEY

Well look at that, the King James had it right afterall,,,my my my...

With this in mind, please reread the following and shiver

Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

v21 heart and treasure are linked, just as they were with Satan in Ezekiel 28:4-5

vs 22,23
interesting that light is mentioned in the context when Satan is Lucipher
(lux fero; lightbearer), and that darkness is countless times associated with Satan.
hearken back also to Ezekiel 28:17 where his wisdom is corrupted because of his brightness (you can be sure that those gemstones in Ezekiel 28:13 did much to reflect and amplify that brightness)

v24 notice "hold to the one and despise the other" That's exactly what Satan did and could no more serve God. He held his riches so close he wore them! they were his "covering"! (Ezekiel 28:13)

Look how James hammers it in

James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

Do you get now why James links those images? No mere poetry my friends; but some dreadful truths to the one who delights in the law of God. Take heed to it.

Noticing moreover such mention of the flesh, now how do you read

Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

?
There's what should be your covering and what you should hold to (Matthew 6:24)

Under a whole new light eyh?

may the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the God of the Bible, bless you and keep you

A forgotten word and a little known one

2005-08-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

I wish to talk to you about a dreadful word, one which itches the ear.
A word soaked in connotations of dogmatism and separation.
D-O-C-T-R-I-N-E; doctrine

It is a biblical word, mentioned 50 times in the Word of God
But what does it mean? Noah Webster's 1828 dictionnary has:

DOCTRINE, n. [L., to teach.]
1. In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. [...]
2. The act of teaching.
He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine. Mark 4.
3. Learning; knowledge.
Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Isa 28.
4. The truths of the gospel in general.
That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. Titus 2.
5. Instruction and confirmation in the truths of the gospel. 2 Tim 3.

It is undisputable that doctrine has caused unspeakable damage and much petty and vicious strife. The Word of God concerns Himself with "sound", "good", "uncorrupt", "grave", and "sincere" doctrine.

1Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained

2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Titus 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Titus 2:7 : in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Timothy is said to have "attained" "good doctrine". So there's some searching of the scriptures and studying involved, right? right!

John 5:39 Search the scriptures;

2Tiomthy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

"Rightly dividing the word of truth"... who here has ever heard of another biblical word,

D-I-S-P-E-N-S-A-T-I-O-N; dispensation?

2Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Did you know that as far as DOCTRINE is concerned (notice also that it comes first in the verse) not all the books of the Bible are targeted toward the church-age believer?

If you don't have this distinction, you are going to have a tough time reconciling some verses.
I always hesitated to believe in eternal security, "once saved always saved", though I felt it was true. I knew the verses of Romans, Peter, John... but then I would walk, for instance, into

Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;

I've heard many interpretations, many glossings over, and tried to convince myself of them but if when I had to be perfectly honest with myself,something wasn't right, so I took it by faith, and studied the Bible, because I knew I was the problem.

Now consider that after the church's rapture, some will believe during the tribulation, and will be reading the Bible, you understand that for them it will be possible to lose their salvation. And they will understand more than we do, given accumulated knowledge and the advantage of hindsight. They will understand that Hebrews and James, and the beatitudes of Matthew,for example, are doctrinally theirs.
Notice the fact that in Revelation they KEEP BOTH the commandments of God AND the testimony of Jesus Christ, commandments coming first:

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, AND have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.

And to think that hundreds of churches and sites duke it over whether one can lose his salvation or not...

See what this understanding will do to clear up Paul (THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES WRITING TO THE CHURCHES) and James WRITING
"TO THE TWELVE TRIBES..."(James 1:1)

now try reconciling

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

and

James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Doctrinally, Romans is to you Bible-believers, in this time, the church (not Hebrews for example. Incidently, today there can be no such thing as a "Jew for Jesus", anyone who believes in Jesus is a Christian Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek)
; and James doctrinally is to the Jews of the tribulation

See how that clears up justification by faith vis-a-vis justification by works???
You are not saved in the same way that Old Testament folks were saved, are you? Can you think of a single epistle that tells you to keep "the commandments of God AND the testimony of Jesus Christ" in order to be saved? Must you sacrifice bulls and goats?
Remark also that when those Revelation verses are written there is no more mention of the church until the very end of the book...

Now granted this is meat, no milk

Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Naturally, one won't jump with this at the first Catholic or Jehovah's witness that passes by, lest they choke on it, but it is high-time for Bible-believers to get into the meat.
Do you now see the importance of 2 Timothy 2:15?

And of

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

So we must be equiped

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

The Bible yet also says of the Father

"...with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

And so to the mind that would charge God with precisely such things as he understands dispensationalism to be, there are few words as apt and fit as those of Calvin

"written before either the covenant or dispensational systems had been developed"
http://gospelpedlar.com/dis_dispensation.html

"It is not fitting, they say, that God, always self-consistent, should permit such a great change, disapproving afterward what he had once commanded and commended. I reply that God ought not to be considered changeable merely because he accommodated diverse forms to different ages, as he knew would be expedient for each. If a farmer sets certain tasks for his household in the winter, other tasks for the summer, we shall not on this account accuse him of inconstancy or think that he departs from the proper rule of agriculture, which accords with the continuous order of nature. In like manner, if a householder instructs, rules, and guides his children one way in infancy, another way in youth, and still another in young manhood, we shall not on this account call him fickle and say that he abandons his purpose. Why, then, do we brand God with the mark of inconstancy because he has with apt and fitting marks distinguished a diversity of times?"
http://gospelpedlar.com/dis_dispensation.html

I am no theologian, and some points need clarification while others werent dealth with, but I do hope I have pricked your consciences to study the Bible, and understand doctrine in a way scarcely taught, the soundness of which would avoid us many, many a problem.

The Bible is a deep deep ocean to swim, a mine to explore, yielding its delicious truths to the Holy Spirit and prayer and study. Isaiah teaches us how the Word of God is revealed

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little[...]

Isaiah 29:24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.