Is Miach 6:8 Often Misunderstood, if so why?

The invocation given at a recent town council meeting included a reference to Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Excellent reminder for those in charge.

Is Micah 6:8 misunderstood today or rather is it rejected as too simple? Does it eliminate man’s control through works?

What does God seek from us? Not extravagant animal sacrifices and certainly not human sacrifices most notably blood shed on the alter of abortion! Rather justice, mercy, and humility. A person not convicted by the Holy Spirit likely is incapable of righteousness.

The gospel is so very simple, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Our salvation/ justification rests upon the substitutionary character of the death of Christ, Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Jesus was the propitiation for our sin, Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

I’m reminded of the serpent in the garden, “Did God really say that.” Can it be this simple? No requirement for burnt offerings, for works? Satan would have us believe that we take part in our own salvation. Not so, it is a gift which seems to go against man’s pride in doing it his way.

Grace, not works, justifies us, however, good works tend to follow. As we work out our sanctification, we are to do justly, to love mercy and to walk by God. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” As God’s creation, we are “that which has been made, a work, of the works of God as creator.” [Thayer]

"God hath already told you in his word, with what you ought to come before him. To do justly - To render to every one their due, superiors, equals, inferiors, to be equal to all, and oppress none, in body, goods or name; in all your dealings with men carry a chancery in your own beasts, and do according to equity. To love mercy - To be kind, merciful and compassionate to all, not using severity towards any. Walk humbly with thy God - Keep up a constant fellowship with God, by humble, holy faith.” [John Wesley Commentary]

Milk vs Meat for the Christian

 A few weeks ago Pastor talked about Milk vs Meat for the Christian, Milk for the baby Christian and Meat for the mature Christian. For me this subject hits close to home. More than a decade ago I started to intensely study the Bible with the Koinonia-Institute, an online Christian Think Tank. Here we examine the Bible verse by verse plus related verses. As the brilliance Dr. Chuck Missler oftentimes remarked, "The Bible is a hologram."

Under the unique teachings of Dr. Missler I more or less graduated from Milk to Meat. I was flexing my Christian Meat muscles and then I hit a dry spell. Marketing at Koinonia-Institute changes plus the passing of Dr. Messler, well I let my studies go.

My faith never faltered but was I drifting back to Milk? Was I regressing to need Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby:”

No, I'm still clinging to the Meat of the Word.

I felt like The Apostle Paul was talking to me through the centuries when he called the Hebrews immature, backward, untaught, and dull of hearing. Paul expected far more of the maturing/ mature believer who should not only seek the Meat of the Word, rather should teach the Word.

The Apostle Paul said it even more harshly, "Hebrews 5:11-14, “Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 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. For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 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.”

I'm responsible to God in the sure knowledge of John 14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." The study of God's Word is a commitment I've made for the remainder of my earthly incarnation. After that I hope to hear from the Master Himself.

Ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.

End of file from my sister Mary's records. Mary provided lots of family information researched via books before the availability of Internet programs. I added her information and more to PAF decades ago.

I'm adding this to my Christian blog so the information doesn't get lost.

William Robbins is:

1.  First known American ancestor of this family per US,D2,31,VOL2, pg 731.

2.  William was included in the land grant given to soldiers who took part in the campaign against the Mipmuchhs near Webster in King Phillips War, 1675 per "The Robbins Family"  compiled by Frank Eggleston, Ann Arbor 1926-27. Located at Michigan State Library on Michigan Ave. 929.2 R63r.

3.  William was said to be of Scotch ancestry but not proven.

4.  A Williams of Reading was made freeman 18 Apr 1691.

Williams Robbins is the 7th great grandfather of Sally Jane Cooper.

The father of his wife Priscilla Gowing was Robert Gowing born 1618 Edinburg Scotland.

‐‐---Clark Robbins:

MISC: FOUGHT IN REV WAR

      IGI 13,121 745031/0

batch: 7450361 sheet: none call: 002947

Samuel Burley

1. FOUGHT IN REV. WAR DAR Patriot Index, Washington 1966, located at Michigan State Library, Lansing, MI 973.344 D23d:

Samual Burley (Burleigh) b. 9-22-1745 d. 4-9-1825 m. Rachel Roberts Pvt. Ct.

2. Record of Services of Connecticut Men in the I. War of Revolution II. War of 1812 III. Mexican War Compiled by authority of the General Assembly Hartford 1889:  Under list of ther men who marched from the Connecticut towns "for the relief of Boston in the Lexington Alarm" April 1773:

FROM THE TOWN OF UNION:

Samual Burley -- no. of days 6

Jacob Burley -- no. of days 6


2. HELP REFERENCE 213362


!BATCH #: 7450311 NO SHEET CALL NUMBER #: 002898 FOR BIRTH OF SAMUAL AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS

BATCH #:7207012 CALL NUMBER #:820264 FOR MARRIAGE

4. See family bio ref in father's notes for additional children, also added to PAF file.  Samual and Rachel Roberts had 13 childredn.  Samual was a farmer at Union, moved to Monson 1797.

The Rapture of the Church revisited 2025

It seemed to me that recently there's been less talk about the Rature of the Church. However, with our bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities and the great offensive of Israel against Iran perhaps it's time to revisit the coming Rapture of the Church.

The three major viewpoints of the rapture of the Church are Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation and Post-Tribulation.

Call it the Rapture, The Harpazo or the Blessed Hope it will be when Jesus calls His Church home. A wonderful day, an unusual doctrine with a scriptural bases.

1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught (G726) up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

G726 - harpazō - From a derivative of G138; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).

Pre-Tribulation Rapture is Jesus coming for His Church before the start of the seven year tribulation and this view is in accordance with “The Doctrine of Imminency.” We can expect Jesus at any moment; there is nothing more required for the Rapture of the Church to occur. 

The Jewish Wedding is analogous to what will happen in the lead up to the rapture. Jesus, the bridegroom, ascended into his father's house to prepare a place for his bride, the Church, just as was done in biblical time. Just as the bride was to be ready as the bridegroom could come at any time, the Church should eagerly anticipate the coming of Jesus for his Church. A recent video, "Before the Wrath" deals with this.

A Mid-Tribulation Rapture embraces the belief that the Church will be caught at the midpoint of the seven year tribulation before the start of the final three and half years known as the time of Jacob’s troubles.

A post-Tribulation rapture point of view claims that the church will go through the seven year Tribulation. We would meet ourselves in the clouds as Jesus calls us to him as He descended to earth.  We would be going up and coming down at the same time.  seems rather convolted so no, the Church will not go through the Tribulation!

Both the mid- trib rapture and a post-trip rapture point of view deny “The Doctrine of Imminency”.

While there are several Scriptures that imply that the Church will be removed prior to the Tribulation there is that bothersome Revelation 12:5-6, “She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.”

The woman is Israel fleeing after the desecration of the Temple and the breaking midpoint of the seven year year covenant and the start of Jacob’s troubles. The Son of the woman/Israel is Jesus and if His ascension to the Father represents the Church, could this be a mid-trib rapture?

Regardless of my question concerning Revelation 12:5-6, I am still of the belief that the rapture of the church will take place before the start of the seven year tribulation. That said, Christians are being imprisoned, tortured and murdered in many parts of the world.

Although we have been relatively safe since 9/11, we live under the growing threat of jihadists within our country and the indoctrination of our youth. New York City may elect an outspoken believer in Islam as more violence is voted into office. Many students on campuses are turning against Israel and supporting their enemies.

With all this we, the Church, are still here. We've gone through three presidential elections. 

2016 ushered in the Warrior Jehu. Like Jehu President Trump tore down some strongholds.

2020 brought in Biden who followed Isaiah 5:20...
The Rapture seemed so close.

2024 and a return of the Warrior Jehu...
King Cyrus? Or is the fulfillment of Psalm 83 happening? Leading to unwalled villages... a subject for another time. 

Does 2 Timothy 3:16 apply to all scripture revisited?

Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, (G2315) and is profitable (G5624) for doctrine, (G1319) for reproof, (G1650) for correction, (G1882) for instruction (G3809) in righteousness: (G1343).

Doctrine: What's right
Reproof: What's not right
Correction: How to get it right
Instruction: How to stay right

In my opiniom 2 Timothy 3:16 is not applicable to all scripture, rather it is in most cases. To me 2 Peter 1 an example of its applicability and deals mostly with “Instruction.”

2 Peter 1:1, “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:”
Doctrine

2 Peter 1:2, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:3, “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
Correction/ Instruction

2 Peter 1:5, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:6, “And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:7, “And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.“
Instruction

2 Peter 1:8, “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Reproof

2 Peter 1:9, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.”
Reproof

2 Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:11, “For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Instruction

2 Peter 1:12, “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”
Correction/ Instruction

G2315 - From G2316 and a presumed derivative of G4154; divinely breathed in: - given by inspiration of God.

G5624 - From a form of G3786; helpful or serviceable, that is, advantageous: - profit (-able).

G1319 - From G1320; instruction (the function or the information): - doctrine, learning, teaching.

G1650 - From G1651; proof, conviction: - evidence, reproof.

G1882 - From a compound of G1909 and G461; a straightening up again, that is, (figuratively) rectification (reformation): - correction.

G3809 - From G3811; tutorage, that is, education or training; by implication disciplinary correction: - chastening, chastisement, instruction, nurture.

G1343 - From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness.

My Polio Story

 

It all started shortly after the start of first grade. I had a horrific headache and rigid neck and was sent home from school. This was in 1947, several years before the polio vaccine was available. My mother was a registered nurse and likely had an idea of what was going on with my body. I don't remember much until the next day but Mom said that she took me into her bed that night and I think she said I was burning up with fever but I can't remember. 

The next day I had a spinal tap that didn't hurt amazingly enough. It was performed by dr. Paul Kilmer who was my mother's boss as she worked in his office for years. Well it was polio so the next thing I was in an ambulance taking a 70-mile trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan. I was taken to Blodgett Hospital and subjected to a second spinal tap this time I very painful spinal tap. I remember there was a window washer and he heard me screaming in pain and looked so compassionately up through the window. 

Later in the day or early evening I was nearly undressed and two nurses or therapist put me through a series a physical test. I had total movement of my body. They had me bending over and doing turns and such. At that point there was no paralysis. I slept that night and the next morning my mother was visiting and had a friend with her. I was laying in bed and I remember picking up my left wrist and telling my mom I can't move anything on my left side. My left arm and left leg were totally paralyzed. Years later I sent for some of my records and found out that after two weeks I could walk with help, however, I was supposed to be on complete bed rest. 

 As I recall, I spent two weeks at Blodgett Hospital during what would have been considered the more contagious part of the disease. After two weeks I was transferred to a children's Rehabilitation facility called Mary Free Bed. There I had the sister Kenny hot pad treatment. The packs were so hot they nearly seared my skin but they did keep my muscles from seizing. I remember I had a cold and at that time penicillin was far more viscous than today and had to be given every 3 hours. I was having a hot pack session and I thought a nurse was coming towards me with a blue pen in her hand. No pen, it was a hypodermic needle and I got a shot of penicillin in my posterior. I don't remember the rest of the shots but they did hurt. 

While we were mostly children's at Mary Free Bed there was a woman there who was really bedridden and she had polio once before and then contracted again and it just wiped her out. It's funny even at 6 years old I felt sympathy for her. I remember one little girl who did not have polio, rather she had lost her 2 feet and I'm not sure how much of her legs. She had a doctor helping her with learning to use her prosthesis. The doctor had two artificial arms possibly from the war. I remember this courageous little girl wrote a tricycle and I think possibly roller skated. 

Like I said we were supposed to be on bed rest but after three months I found out I could walk, not only could I walk I could run. Although my left leg still has a few minor effects of polio such as a little bit of a drop foot and downward turning of the ankle, I was ambulatory. My left hand and arm were a different story. Even after four reconstructive surgeries the best part of my hand is my little finger which is almost normal. My thumb literally sticks out like a sore thumb but I'm very protective of it. 

I had a few small victories while at Mary Free Bed. I'm not sure what I did both times but I actually was restrained because I was being rather naughty. One of my fondest memories is getting ahold of a roll of toilet paper and getting to the third floor of Mary Free Bed. I looked down the stairwell and holding on the toilet paper, I let it unroll all the way to the first floor. I don't think the nurses were too mad at me but I remember being restrained in a chair until I settled down. 

Being in Michigan, we had a number of snow storms. Family was only allowed to visit once a week, on Sunday. I was told I had a phone call and it was my mother telling me the weather was too bad and she couldn't make the trip. I cried and I said I just knew you weren't coming today. I don't know who was more broken hearted of the two of us. I don't remember the occasion, possibly Christmas, we were sending cards to our mothers. I wrote the word mother on the envelope with the card and gave it to the nurse to mail. By the time Mom received it in the mail mother had been crossed out in the proper address was added. I don't know why the mailman wouldn't know where Mom was I sure did. 

 The Shriners were good to us kids in the hospital. One time they took us to the circus and I had two cotton candies and threw up. At Christmas time they gave us Toys and mine was a little Kewpie doll. After I was released from the hospital I was playing with the Kewpie doll at my friends house. Her father was the local Baptist pastor and by mistake he stepped on my doll and of course felt really bad for breaking it. Strange the things you remember

Dave Hunt’s Book, MP3 "A Woman Rides the Beast"

Here we are in 2025 and a new Pope so time to revisit my posting from 2017. "Good Reading, Dave Hunt’s A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days"

Revelation 17:3, “So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns."

Dave Hunt’s “A Woman Rides the Beast: The Roman Catholic Church and the Last Days“ opens with "To the nearly billion Roman Catholics misinformed by their hierarchy; to the 400 million Protestants equally ignorant of the facts; and to the genuine martyrs on both sides, this book is dedicated.”

The book ends with appendix I: "The Lutheran – Catholic Joint Declaration Justification," subject of another Discussion. The joint declaration (JD) was signed on October 31, the same day as in 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle chapel.

Dr. Hunt’s book is well written and is thoroughly documented. Although I started reading Dave Hunt’s book several years ago I haven’t read it in order, rather I've skipped around and watched Mr. Hunt’s video, The Woman Rides the Beast. I also have the two MP3 set, "Kingdom of Blood." The first MP3 is recorded by Dr. Missler and is titled "A History of the Church." The second is recorded by Dr. Hunt and is titled "The Woman Who Rides the Beast." Both are very informative and, again, well documented.

Listening to the MP3s, watching the video, and reading about the woman who rides the beast caused me several years ago to take a closer look at the book of Revelation most notably Chapter 17. I grew up Protestant with Catholic friends and never paid much attention to the differences in doctrine. Were it not for my concern for Catholic friends and family members and exposure to Dr. Missler's teachings I would not have dug as deeply into the subject of the modern-day version of the Church in Thyatira as I have.

The RCC promotes a works based salvation basically calling Jesus a liar, John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

A few of the work based perversions (sacraments) of scripture by the Roman Catholic Church includes the belief in the transubstantiation of the bread and wine during mass, that indulgence can be brought, the existence of purgatory, the Marian worship, and the claim of papal authority. Vatican II states 'If anyone says that the sacraments of the new law are not necessary for salvation...... And that without them men obtain from God through faith alone the grace of Justification... let him be anathema." Anathema can be something/ someone denounced and/or are cursed.

And in addition to corrupting biblical truths and promoting sacraments the church was also extremely morally corrupt as well. There was great evil committed during the grand Inquisition. Millions were hunted down like animals, and tortured and brutally murdered in these dark days of the Papacy. The grand Inquisition was pretty much an evil alliance between the Spanish government and the Papacy to rob victims of their land and wealth and ultimately their lives. A possible equivalency to 1 Kings Chapter 21. As an aside, it didn't end well for Jezabel, 2 Kings Chapter 9.

Dr. Hunt brings out example after example of popes being appointed by Kings, popes appointing kings and purchase of clerical office. In addition to this marriage of the church to the world, the church has a dismal record of sexual improprieties. In just one example a Bishop Rathurio complained that if he excommunicated unchaste priests "there would be none left to administer the sacraments, except boys. If he excluded bastards, as canon law demanded, not even boys would be left."

Is the woman who rides the beast in the last days the Roman Catholic Church as the One World Religion! Revelation 18:4-5, “4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”

The Pope's Red Shoes meets The Wizard of Oz

 Another decade, another Pope. While I'm not particularly interested in Catholic affairs, I respected former Pope Benedict's intellect. That said and full disclosure, I can have a very convoluted sense a humor at times and see patterns were perhaps none exist.

Years ago when Pope Benedict resigned I was half-way listening to the bloviating about the pope’s departure. I heard a comment about his red shoes. I was not aware that the Pope wore red shoes as one of the symbols of his office. I thought about the comparison between the Jesus and the regalia of the Pope. Rather than special red shoes and royal vestment, Jesus walked about in a pair of sandals and homespun and served as our propitiation before a righteous God.

Now where else were red shoes of such importance as at the Vatican? The Wizard of Oz comes to mind. Like me, most of you have probably watched the Wizard of Oz any number of times. After Dorothy's house was flung by a tornado into Oz crushing an evil witch, Dorothy was presented with the witch's red shoes.
I started to make a mental inventory of the primary cast of characters in the story. There was sweet innocent Dorothy who was just trying to get back to Kansas. There was a scarecrow looking for a brain. There was the immobilized tin man looking for a heart. It was amazing how much a few drops of oil enabled him to move his joints. Completing the trio of Dorothy's new friends was the lion looking for courage.

What does all of this have in common with the Catholic Church? Perhaps Dorothy could be compared to the millions of Catholics hoping to go home/ heaven and placing their reliance on church clergy. Accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus to me would be as simple as Dorothy clicking her red shoes together. Given the history of the Catholic Church, popes such as Innocence the third certainly could have used a heart as could the tin man. The requirement for oil by the tin man brings to mind the five foolish virgins who had no oil and were "frozen" in place and not allowed into the Marriage Feast. Like the lion in the Wizard of Oz, there is certainly no comparison between the Catholic Church and the coming Lion of Judah. As for the scarecrow wanting a brain, I would again compare this to those who don't seem to be able to think for themselves and/ or are lacking in Discernment of spirits.

Then there is Malachi and the Prophecy of the last pope... recall the Wizard was exposed as being little more than a puppet master operating the gears and pulleys of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy.  When Francis became the 112th Pope the question of his name came up, Francis not Petrus. Interestingly and convoluting enough the name Peter is somehow in Francis' line.

So what of Malachi and the Prophecy of the Popes. The prophecy concerning the 112th and final pope states: “In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Petrus Romanus, who will feed his flock amid many tribulations; after which the seven-hilled city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people. The end.” 

Revisiting "A very blessed colt of a donkey," originally posted April 6, 2018.

 Pastor Bruce, former pastor of our local Assembly of God Church, inspired several of my blog posting including his Palm Sunday, 2018 message and the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

First a little background. Daniel 9:25, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”

This was a timeline brought to Daniel by the angel Gabriel; from the time Nehemiah was sent to Judah to rebuild the walls until The Triumphal Entry and when the “Messiah be cut off.” This prophecy was hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus and His crucifixion.

But I digress, back to the colt. Jesus sent two disciples to find a tethered donkey, and a colt with her and bring them to Jesus. If the owner asked why, they were to explain that the Lord needed the animals. Jesus would ride into Jerusalem to the cheering of the crowd as they spread palms before him.

Matthew 21:5, “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” This was in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”

Pastor Bruce’s points concerning the colt:

1. Jesus choose the younger colt

   a. It was not brainwashed

   b. It was ready to be used

2. The colt was prophesied {Zechariah 9:9)  

   a. Are we, like the colt, the generation to fulfill prophecy?

Joel 2:28-29, “28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29  And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” 

3. The colt had to be loosed, men had him tied up

a. Like the colt we are too often tied up by the cares and expectation of the world. We need to be set free (set aside) to follow Jesus. Recall that after Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave he told the people to remove his grave clothes. Are we wrapped in "grave clothes" that restrict us?

b. Lesson learned, don't let the world (fresh) tie us up.

4. The colt was tied up, but Jesus knew where he was.

a. Jesus unties us as we accept His gift of grace, confess our sins, and repent.

b. The colt obeyed Jesus

c. Jesus turned Jerusalem upside down.

5. More lessons learned.

a. If God can use the colt of a donkey He can surely use us.

b. The colt received no recognition, nor should we, it’s all about Jesus.

As an aside, there is another donkey, a talking donkey, mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Numbers. Balaam was a soothsayer, a “prophet for profit,” for hire. He agreed to use his ability contrary to God’s will.

Balak, king of the Moabites, feared the Israeli so he sent messengers to Balaam and asked him to curse Israeli. God intervened. Numbers 22:12, "And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."

At first Balaam refused to curse Israel and eventually traveled to Moab but not until after a conversation with his donkey. Numbers 22:28, “And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” Numbers 22:31, “Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face.”  

Balaam did suggest a way for Balak to corrupt Israel through the flesh. However, there was a final blessing, Numbers 24:17, “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.:

There is an earlier reference to a scepter, Genesis 49:10, “The sceptre (H7626) shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh (H7886) come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

H7626, to branch off; a scion, that is, (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan: -  X correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.

H7886, Shiloh, an epithet of the Messiah: - Shiloh.

Build the wall with one hand and a sword in the other hand

 After the Jews came back to Israel after the 70 year captivity a few attempts were made to rebuild the Temple. Progress was nullified by the fact the wall was in very bad shape. So Nehemiah was in charge of rebuilding the wall against great pushback. Lessons learned, build the wall and have weapons at hand if need be.

Nehemiah and the men working on rebuilding the wall and the gates pretty much worked with a tool in one hand and a sword in the other. Nehemiah 4:17, “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.” So some stood guard as others work and the men slept where they worked. Nehemiah worked out a system such that should a work area be under attack a warning would be sounded and those in other work areas would join in their defense.

Remarkably the wall be finished in less than two months. Nehemiah 6:15, “So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.”

So where am I going with this... fast forward about two and a half millenniums. Descendants of Nehemiah were eliminated like fish in a barrel.

“The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,” the ultimate victim of replacement theology revisited

 Having recently revisited the unconditional covenants made by God with Israel... on an related topic... time to revisit my post from 11 years ago "The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas," The ultimate victim of Replacement of Theology.

Replacement theology promotes the concept that when Israel rejected her messiah she forfeited the promises/ covenants made to her by God and these passed to the Church which became “spiritual Israel." Replacement theology marginalizes Israel and the Jewish people making it easier for the world to turn its back on the Jews, most notably during the Holocaust. For the Christian, it implies that God can't be trusted to honor our salvation.

The movie “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” is set during World War II and involves the growing friendship between two 8-year-old boys separated by a fence in a concentration camp. Bruno is the son of the commandant of the concentration camp where Shmuel is imprisoned for the crime of being born a Jew.

Months earlier Bruno is living in his home in Berlin playing with his many friends while being impervious to the Jews being loaded into a transport truck. Playtime done, Bruno goes home to learn that his father is being transferred to the country. At first the family members don’t realize that what they call a nearby farm is really an extermination camp and Bruno’s father is the commandant.

One night several high-ranking officials of the Nazi party are shown a propaganda movie depicting how well the Jews were being treated in the extermination camp. Bruno watches the propaganda movie and believes it.

Bruno has no friends so he hikes through the woods to what he thinks is a farm and meets the boy in the striped pajamas. They become friends separated will by a fence and far more than either one of them knew

One day Bruno asks his little friend in the striped pajamas about all the kids in the camp and all the fun they had. Shmuel had no idea what Bruno was talking about.

A few days later the boys arrange for Shmuel to bring an extra pair of “striped pajamas” for Bruno. The upshot is that Bruno sneaks into the concentration camp. Shmuel and Bruno search the camp looking for Shmuel’s father who disappeared a few days before.

The back story to this fateful search for Shmuel’s father is that earlier Bruno betrayed his friend Shmue who was cleaning crystal glasses in the commandant’s house. Bruno stops to talk to Shmuel and asks if he wants something to eat. They are discovered by one of the Nazis and Shmuel told the officer that Bruno gave him the pastry. With the Nazi screaming at both the boys, Bruno denied even knowing Shmuel. Guilt over his betrayal was part of the reason Bruno later offered to help Shmuel find his father.

That guilt leads to the tragic conclusion of the movie.The boys make the mistake of entering a building that is holding dozens of men about to be herded into the gas chamber.

Meanwhile back at home Bruno’s mother realizes that he is missing and breaks up a meeting between the commandant and his minions. Ironically they are discussing the status of the ovens. The commandant and his subordinates start to back-track Bruno to where he had crawled under the fence to get into the concentration camp.

The movie ends with the door to the gas chamber being sealed and crystals being dropped into the chamber as Bruno’s father frantically looks for him. Sad as the ending of the movie is, Bruno’s father was about to learn the deadly efficiency of his camp of extermination.

Time once more to review the unconditional covenants made by God with Israel

 Time once more to review the unconditional covenants made by God with Israel. 

February 2016 I posted, “As for the United States, again and again the POTUS and his minions fail to support Israel and actually undermine her in mockery of God’s Word. Isaiah 5:5, “And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:” So much for the hedge of protection around America. As America has done to Israel….”

We had a four year reprieve during the Trump Administration which was very supportive of Israel. Just one accomplishment was to finally move our Embassy to Jerusalem.  Now the election of 2020, questionable as it was/ is, removed God’s Warrior Jehu from office.  

2 1/2 years of a Biden/ Harris /Obama administration, what of Israel? At least our Embassy remains in Jerusalem. That said, the Biden administration has been less than supportive of Israel. 

So it is time once again to review the Four Unconditional Covenants made by God with Israel:

The Abrahamic Covenant:

 “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting  covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8).

The Land Covenant:

In Genesis 15 God instructed Abram to construct an offering and then caused Abram to enter a deep sleep. God foretold of the time that the Israelites would be strangers in a land not theirs, however, when they would come out of a period of enslavement they would be given an unconditional title to land as described in verse 18 through 21. This was a unilateral land covenant granted to Abram and his descendants.

The Davidic Covenant:

Nathan the prophet told King David God’s unconditional covenant. 2 Samuel 7:12, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.” 2 Samuel 7:16, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.”

The Everlasting Covenant:

God promised Isaac in Genesis 26:3-4, "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

Now with the current administration have we lost God’s blessing? Genesis 12:3, “ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” 

What a wild ride the last few years have been. A pandemic and experimental "vaccines," iron control of many on the planet, friends and family turned on each other over wearing masks and vaxxed vs the unvaxxed. Economical ruin, churches closed many not to be reopened. Globalists talk of a reset.

My concern, we've just seen the tip of the iceberg. 

How it all started... my first blog posting Saturday, December 17, 2011

 How it all started... my first blog posting

Saturday, December 17, 2011

First Class Tomorrow - Koinonia Institute!

Tomorrow, 12/18, I start my first class with Chuck Missler's Koinonia Institute:

Survey of the Old Testament is a Bronze Medallion course that reviews the Old Testament with an emphasis on the integrity of deliberate design found throughout the entire Bible. With 66 books penned by over 40 authors and over a period of several thousand years, virtually every detail in the text — every number, place name, even the structures hidden beneath the text itself— reveal a master plan which transcends the perspective of any of the individual writers and demonstrates an extraterrestrial origin from outside our time domain.

There is so much depth to the Bible and again, the more I learn the more I know I have to learn. I've long had a heart centered connection to Jesus, however, in these last days I want to better be able to defend the faith. I'm not sure what a Bronze Medallion represents but the knowledge gained will be helpful.

I've downloaded several of Dr. Missler's teaching in MP3 with a slideshow presentation format. His DVDs take up far more computer storage space and the main difference is being able to watch Dr. Missler rather than listen to him. I'm happy to hear him while viewing the relevant slides. In addition to the slideshow version, there is an audio only format that I can load to my smart phone. Dr. Missler goes into great detail in his teachings.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

A little Bit More....

Another eBay post I wrote in reply to a member's question about the Bible

I believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God.

I recently enrolled in the Koinonia Institute.  Here is part of what I wrote in the KI Discussion Boards' Introduce Yourself:

I'm from a very small town in Michigan. I can't remember a time as a child that I wasn't in Sunday School. As a teenager I sang in both the junior and senior choir. I was in a rather conservative protestant church, however, for a few years in grade school my best friend was the local Baptist Pastor's daughter so I received a more through introduction to the Bible there. Her father was called to another city but I never forgot the peace I found in that church.

I was a young mother of two and divorced in college. The church I attended with my former husband made sure my children and I had a ride to church Sundays. After college I started to drift away from church membership and am thankful that God is so forgiving. I played at the edges of the so-called New Age and New Thought, you know, the all roads lead to God. Thankfully I belonged to the Lord from such an early age that He never really let me go. Now older and far more discerning I've been delving deeper and deeper into the Word for several years. The more I study and attend Bible studies the more I hunger.

I finally decided that I have an unusual mission field. I've been a member of eBay for years, both as a buyer and seller. I stumbled into a chat room and read incorrect doctrine and lots of Christian bashing. My concern is that far more people read these online threads than reply. I try to correct posts such as Allah is the same God as in the Old Testament.

I moved around a lot after graduating from college in the 60s and now am retired and live in Quartzsite, Arizona where I attend a local Baptist church. Summers I spend in Michigan in a park with it's own Chapel. I am truly blessed.

As an aside and back to 2023, more than a decade ago, I promoted Slideshows over DVDs, nearly a 1 to 90 ratio of storage required. Now I store volumes of Chuck's teachings on very small media,  a valued treasure trove. AIlthough I'm still a buy/ seller on eBay, I no longer post there rather to Facebook, a huge mission field, possibly to Twitter in the near future. 

Thinking Outside the Box, What if Adam...

Another of my musings from outside the box. We all know about the fall in Chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis. The serpent appealed to Eve's pride, her desire to become as God. She took one little bite of the forbidden fruit and offered it to Adam, Adam who ate knowing the penalty. Eyes now opened, Adam and Eve realized they were naked. Typical of humans they tried to cover their sin with figleaves. God had another plan and provided them with animal skins, a foreshadowing of God's requirement of a blood sacrifice for sin. Thousands of years later it would be Jesus who was our propitiation.

But back to my musings. What if Adam stayed in Eden rather than taking a bite out of the "apple." What would happen to Eve after being forced out of Eden. Without Adam would Eve have fallen to such a lowly and lost state that she would have accepted Satan as her god? Would Eve have become the bride of Satan and created a race of fallen angels?

Would God have created another bride for Adam and would they be restricted to an area in Eden guarded by cherubim? Would such a restriction mean the planet would not be populated by the race descending from Adam and his second wife?

Cherubim were posted at the entrance to Eden to keep Eve out and away from the Tree of Life. Would Eve be able to see past the cherubim and see her husband Adam with a new bride? Satan uses the eyes is a portal to man or in this hypothetical case Eve. Would she become jealous and seek to aid Satan in his battle against God?

God uses hearing as the portal to man, again in this case, Eve. Perhaps Eve would remember enough of her conversations with God in the Garden to resist Satan out in that cold lonely and hostile world. Would she unite with God in defeating Satan and eventually redeem herself in the eyes of God? Would God provide Eve with a husband? Would we then decend from Eve and her second husband. 

God Said “Go Close the Windows” Revisited

Today I was once again at a Gospel performance featuring Michael and his father Ed Cullipher. Ed sang a song that likely touched  even the hardest heart, “Go Close the Windows.”

As Jesus hung on the cross “Angels cried Father please stop them" and God answered "Go close the Windows." What anguish God must have felt, nevertheless, as the Suffering Messiah Jesus was to serve as the propitiation for sin. Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” This is the one time Jesus called His father God as He, Jesus, was the  conciliation that permitted us to stand before our  righteous God. 

 

Once more as I listened to Mr. Cullipher I thought back several years to when Pastor Bruce talked about “The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross.” All those many years ago Pastor Bruce inspired me to look into some of the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled while Jesus hung on that cross. Sadly Pastor Bruce went home to be with the Lord, a victim of Covid-19.

 

The following is from my earlier blog postings:

# 1. Forgiveness: Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Numbers 15:26, “And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.”
Psalm 22:18, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

#2. Salvation: Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John the Baptist is often referred to as the end of The Old Testament.

#3. Relationship: John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Psalm 69:8 “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.”

#4 Abandonment: Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

#5 Distress: John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

Psaml 69:20, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

#6 Reunion John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

#7 Triumph: Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” 

Tetelestai means, “It is finished.” Jesus paid the price, it is up to each of us to choose to accept or reject the gift of Grace. 

The Tola Worm Revisited

 The Tola worm was mentioned during last Sunday's sermon. As an aside, the Tola worm brings to mind the scarlet thread that runs throughout the Bible, a subject for another time. 

But I digress; the Tola worm. Psalm 22 reads like it was dictated by Jesus from the cross and includes “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” Psalm 22:6

On the cross Jesus gave His life as a propitiation to bridge the gap between a righteous God and fallen man, something of a similitude to the Tola, the scarlet worm, who gives her life so that her young may have life. 

When the Tola, the scarlet worm. reproduces, the female attaches herself permanently to a tree and covers her eggs with her body. The worm gives her life to feed her baby worms resulting in a crimson liquid that after three days leaves a red stain on the tree and a white shell.

Isaiah 1:18, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord : though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Perhaps there is a deeper meaning in the use of the word worm and the expression son of man in Job. “How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman? 5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. 6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?” Job 25:4-6.

Our righteous God could not look at Jesus on the cross as Jesus represented our sin.

Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
In fulfillment of another prophecy prophecy.
Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

Worm - H8438 - tôlâ‛ - a maggot, the crimson grub, in this connection of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith: - crimson, scarlet, worm. [Strong’s]

Chuck Missler's Teachings

Years ago I posted this on the Koinonia Institute wall, it dealt with DVDs vs Slide show's. I'm still pushing for a file of slides be provided for studies that don't include slide shows.

"I feel like Don Quixote's tilting at windmills, a followup to my March 31 post. I unsuccessfully brought up the suggestion with KI management that in the event that slideshows are not available it would be great if a file of CM's slides as presented on his DVD would be included with the audio. I pointed out that not only are the DVD more expensive than the slideshows, they take up far more hard drive storage. 

As an example, I mentioned that a friend who bought the DVDs Learn the Bible 24 hours required about 45 gigabytes hard drive storage as compared to less than half a gigabyte storage for the slideshows that I bought.

It's been my experience that CM mentions things on his DVD/ slideshows that are not always in the PDFs. For me it is easier to find these nuances with the slides, at least I have some idea where in the hour lesson to look rather than once again listening to the full hour.

Full disclosure, I am not one for shuttling DVDs on a computer. My choice is to download the slideshows and have them at my fingertips so to speak. I have both a summer and winter home so it is easier to carry my computer around that a bunch of DVDs.

I seem to be fortunate in the nearly 40 courses that I have taken through KI all had slideshows available. Back when I took the basic Issachar courses I was able to download both MP3s and PDFs with slides. I could listen to the audios while "flipping" through the slides while offline.

I am currently taking two courses with KI, the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and Isaiah part two. Ezra and Nehemiah does not have slideshows available. Fortunately, the Isaiah downloads do. This is been a learning experience for me and I will avoid any KI courses that do not provide slideshows in the future. Unfortunately two courses that I really want to take, Exodus and Joshua, do not have slideshows with them so...."

Time for Awareness

 The following a an interesting dream I had a few years ago. I was being analytical in my dream rather than just being an observer as is usual for me. I rarely feel fear in my dreams but a month or more ago I was feeling threatened in a dream. I remember thinking to myself this is a dream and I can come out of it and I woke up.

From 2018:
"Although  I am usually an observer  during my dreams, in the last few weeks I've had dreams where I'm analyzing my situation. A week or so ago I dreamt that there had been/ was about to be an EMP incident, solar or nuclear I'm not sure. I was taking an inventory of what I had and how to protect it in faraday bags. For some time I've been concerned about our power grid and how vulnerable we are to an EMP incident.

In last night's dream I was with a group, family or friends, not sure which. We had been told that we were to be forced to take a chip. My associates didn't seem to be very concerned about it but I was packing to get away. I was being rather analytical as to what I would be taking. My cell phone and charger and my tablet and charger. I was very specific in that these were small enough to be carried. I was packing enough clothes to last a day or two. I vaguely remember meeting up with one of my friends and asking are you really going to take the chip and he answered in the affirmative. Then in that between sleep and waking up I remembered my solar chargeable audio Bible and decided to include that as well. Interesting as it should have been first to pack.
I felt no fear and either of these dreams just a sense of needing to be prepared."

Fast forward to March of 2021, a time for discernment and to pay attention to the prompting from the Holy Spirit.

A couple Bible verses come to mind:

Matthew 10:16 KJVS
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."

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

2021 Review of the Unconditional covenants made by God with Israel

February 2016 I posted, “As for the United States, again and again the POTUS and his minions fail to support Israel and actually undermine her in mockery of God’s Word. Isaiah 5:5, “And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:” So much for the hedge of protection around America. As America has done to Israel….”

We had a four year reprieve during the Trump/ Pence Administration which was very supportive of Israel. Just one accomplishment was to finally move our Embassy to Jerusalem.  Now the election of 2020, questionable as it was/ is, removed God’s Warrior Jehu from office.  

Now that we have a Biden/ Harris administration in Washington DC that some refer to an a third Obama Administration, what of Israel? At least the US Senate nearly unanimously to keep our Embassy in Jerusalem. That said, I expect that the new administration will be less than supportive of Israel.

So it is time once again to review the Four Unconditional Covenants made by God with Israel:

The Abrahamic Covenant:

 “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting  covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8).

The Land Covenant:

In Genesis 15 God instructed Abram to construct an offering and then caused Abram to enter a deep sleep. God foretold of the time that the Israelites would be strangers in a land not theirs, however, when they would come out of a period of enslavement they would be given an unconditional title to land as described in verse 18 through 21. This was a unilateral land covenant granted to Abram and his descendants.

The Davidic Covenant:

Nathan the prophet told King David God’s unconditional covenant. 2 Samuel 7:12, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.” 2 Samuel 7:16, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established forever.”

The Everlasting Covenant:

God promised Isaac in Genesis 26:3-4, "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed."

Now with the current administration will we lose God’s blessing? Genesis 12:3, “ And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” 

God Said “Go Close the Windows”

 Last week I was at a Gospel performance featuring Michael and Ed Cullipher. Ed sang a song that likely brought tears to even the hardest heart, “Go Close the Windows.”

As Jesus hung on the cross “Angels cried Father please stop them" and God answered "Go close the Windows." What anguish God must have felt, nevertheless, as the Suffering Messiah Jesus was to serve as the propitiation for sin. Ephesians 2:8-9, “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Jesus was the  conciliation that permitted us to stand before our  righteous God. 

 

As I listened to Mr. Cullipher I thought back several years to when Pastor Bruce talked about “The Seven Sayings of Jesus on the Cross.” I was inspired to look into some of the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled while Jesus hung on that cross.

 

The following is from my earlier blog postings:

 

# 1. Forgiveness: Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

Numbers 15:26, “And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.”
Psalm 22:18, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

#2. Salvation: Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Isaiah 40:3, “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John the Baptist is often referred to as the end of The Old Testament.

#3. Relationship: John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Psalm 69:8 “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.”

#4 Abandonment: Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Psalm 22:1, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?”

#5 Distress: John 19:28, “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.”

Psaml 69:20, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

#6 Reunion John 19:30, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

#7 Triumph: Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” 

Tetelestai means, “It is finished.” Jesus paid the price, it is up to each of us to choose to accept or reject the gift of Grace.