capital punishment 505 - 8 - 4

What is repentance? “It is a change of mind that leads to a change of heart that leads to a change in actions. This change involves both turning from sin and turning to God. [Hal Lindsey ministries]

Is repentance enough? No, redemption affords the person on death row the comfort of knowing that they will be with the Lord, however, actions have consequences.

For the  unredeemable capital punishment  guarantees that the person will never commit another crimes. This protects the public from at least those monsters of this fallen world who are caught and convicted.

Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” While Jesus assured the thief of his salvation, He did nothing to prevent the man from paying for his crimes with his life, justice was served.

Prisoners on death row are told when and what to eat, when and how to conduct personal hygiene, and more. They have lots of time “To reflect on their own lives, their own pasts, their own beliefs, their own convictions and guilt, and their own impending future. In addition to time comes atmosphere. The walls of the cells are daily reminders of what they’ve done”.

[Horn, Thomas; Howell, Donna (2014-11-21). Redeemed Unredeemable: When America’s Most Notorious Criminals Came Face to Face with God]

While the Bible speaks of a lake of fire I think hell is more of an absence from God and being alone with yourself for eternity. To me this would represent a burning of the Soul. Something of an equivalency to being on death row.

I remember when Karla Faye Turner was on death row for her part in the very violent ice pick murder of two people. Karla was strung out on drugs at the time but that is no excuse. On the surface it would seem that she was totally unredeemable. Then she went to a puppet show/ Bible study and the rest is history.

It was 14 years before Karla was executed and early in those 14 years she became a born-again Christian. Some refer her coming to faith as a death row conversion in the desperate hope that her sentence would be reduced to life imprison. However, several in the religious community petition for Karla to be spared the death penalty. Had she been spared the death penalty would this not have cheapened sincere death row conversions?

Karla paid the ultimate price for her crime and Justice was served. During her incarceration she led many to faith and perhaps she was there for such a time as that. The story goes that she was humming as she walked to the death chamber and died with a smile and eyes open. I rather expect that she was seeing Jesus who said “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Book of Numbers, great study 505 - 8 - 7

What did I learn in the Book of Numbers? God says what he means and means what he says. When in God’s will thing go smoothly, however, the reverse is true. Israel often was not doing God’s will.

God provided great detail for the transport of The Ark of the Covenant. Later in King David’s time it was placed on a cart counter to God’s directions. As a result, a man died.

Israeli’s lack of courage and faith at Kadesh-Barnea condemned them to the wilderness for nearly forty years. Numbers 14: 29, “Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.”

Numbers 20:12, “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.” Known as the water of Meribah, rather that speaking to the rock Moses struck it. The rock was a type of Jesus who is woven throughout the Old Testament.

Israel failed to destroy all her enemies and inhabit all the land promised by God. Today Israel's enemies attack her verbally and/or physically. Gaza, the West Bank and The Golan Heights have been and continue to be a threat to the security of Israel. Also the Mantra of Israel being an occupier in these regions is being perpetuated by the liberals and the UN.

CM cited an equivalency between Dan and our spiritual walk. Jesus did it all on the cross and we are saved by grace and not by works. However, as it was with Dan, it is up to us to appropriate that gift. Once we truly internalize our justification by grace it's only natural that we will out picture it as we work out our sanctification as ambassadors for God.

God can use something meant for evil for good. Balaam was paid to curse Israel and instead blessed her with a Messianic prophecy. Numbers 23:17, “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.” Unfortunately, Balaam finally provided Israel’s enemy with insight into the Israeli’s weaknesses.

Often with God there is a hint of something hidden in plain sight, something of a Remez. This is the case with the layout of the camp forming a near perfect cross.

Then there is the accuracy of God. The numbering of the people and the very detailed genealogies are absolutely amazing. As someone who has done quite a bit of genealogy, this is a subject near and dear to my heart. The course Ezra and Nehemiah starts next month. I’m studying ahead in preparation for this class. I'm once again amazed at detail with which God organized the Jews with respect to which tribe, etc.

We serve an awesome God.

Scripture from KJV

Grieve not the Holy Spirit 537 - 6 - 3

Ephesians 4:29-31, “29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:”

Grieve, Strong’s Number G3076 is to distress, cause grief, grieve be in heaviness, sorrow, make sorry. Thayer’s Definition includes to offend, a word I consider more fitting.

 We are to edify the Church, not cause dissention among the community. The things that God hates includes; Proverbs 6:19 “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”

The Holy Spirit is not to be taken lightly or to be offended. Matthew 12:31-32, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”

Forgiven “neither in this world, neither in the world to come” really gets my attention and as I understand this is the unpardonable sin that would bring destructions. Also, taken in the context of Matthew 12:28-33, not only will those who oppose the working of Jesus “by the Spirit of God” be scattered abroad, if their tree is corrupt, so will their fruit be corrupt.

It seems that there is a difference between lying to the Holy Spirit and blaspheming it. Ananias and Sapphira sold their property and claimed to have given the full amount to the community of the early church. This was a lie as they had held back a portion of the price they had received for the property. While holding back the money was not a sin lying about it was. Both Ananias and Sapphira fell dead at Peter’s feet. First was Ananias and then several hours later his wife Sapphira. Peter gave Sapphira the opportunity to be truthful, however, she continued the lie. Ananias and Sapphira did not lie to the early church, they lied to the Holy Spirit. Lied but did not commit blasphemy.

A little off topic, James warns us in 5:12, “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.” Taking an oath and not honoring it can lead condemnation. This was something I had to learn as I used to say, “I swear that…”

Scripture from KJV

Trying to be third after Jesus and others 537 - 6 - 5

Matthew 22:37-40, “37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself which implies, not mere animal or worldly affection, but love from the highest moral considerations, without self-interest, holy. Our "neighbour" is every one with whom we are concerned, i.e. virtually all men. He is to be loved because he is God’s image and likeness, heir of the same hope as we ourselves, and presented to us as the object on and by which we are to show the reality of our love to God."

[The Pulpit Commentary]

Putting Jesus first is a given as he gave everything that I might be justified before God. In addition to his horrific death on the cross following a severe beating, Jesus went through life under the cloud of illegitimacy. Psalm 69 gives us some insight into his early life and rejection by his siblings. So Jesus first, absolutely.

Putting family ahead of oneself is natural. With the exception of abortion what mother would fail to protect her children, even with her very life? As for friends, there are people in my life as close as family members, so family and friends, second only to Jesus.

What I find difficult is placing the interests of others ahead of my own when they do the same or similar self-destructive things repeatedly resulting in a need. I winner in Quartzsite, AZ, which turns into a huge winter swap meet. As a result, we get many passing thru during the winter. Some get jobs for the winter but many have addictions. It can be difficult to see God’s image and likeness in addicts.

We have a local church whose pastor and members really manifests being third. During the swap meet season they provide a meal every day for those needing a meal as well as showers and clean clothes. Other churches in town help with meal preparation.

In Matthew 25 Jesus talks about the sheep and goat judgment. Verse 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." This passage refers to the Jews, Jesus' brethren, specifically and perhaps by extension, generally to the Gentiles. As an aside, our current administration is putting the Jews a far distant third or possibly fourth or fifth. Lots of goats in the administration.

While I support the good work of organizations such as the Voice of the Martyrs and CBN, in my opinion, the same level of need is not nearly as prevalent here in the United States. Perhaps it's pride in the fact that I overcame great obstacles to get a good education resulting job opportunities that I have problems relating to the victim mentality that seems to be growing exponentially here in the United States. I like the concept of Leviticus gleaning.

In summary, Jesus as first, absolutely! Others as second, well, I often fail that one. However, Matthew 22:39 speaks to “as thyself” so perhaps…..

All about the “Tola?” 505 - 7 - 2

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. 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.”

After following in the footsteps of Jesus for three and a half years the disciples still didn’t get it. “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” Luke 24:44

The prophecy of the incarnation of God as the man Jesus was prophesied in the Garden. 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. The scarlet thread that began in Genesis would have its culmination on a blood stained cross. Psalm 22 reads like it was dictated by Jesus from the cross and includes the mention of a worm. “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” Psalm 22:6

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]

This harkens back to the Coccus ilicis, the scarlet worm. When she 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 leaves a red stain on the tree.

Alpha Omega Institute’s The Crimson or Scarlet Worm is an interesting read.

“After three days, the dead mother Crimson worm’s body loses its crimson color and turns into a white wax which falls to the ground like snow.”

[http://www.discovercreation.org/blog/2011/11/20/the-crimson-or-scarlet-worm/]

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.

How did Jesus perform the duty of the Azezel? 505 - 7 - 6

In surfing the Internet for Azezel I found an explanation that was nearly too much information: JewishEncyclopedia, The unedited full-text of the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia

“The name of a supernatural being mentioned in connection with the ritual of the Day of Atonement (Lev. xvi.). After Satan, for whom he was in some degree a preparation, Azazel enjoys the distinction of being the most mysterious extrahuman character in sacred literature. Unlike other Hebrew proper names, the name itself is obscure.”

Further in the article, “According to Talmudical interpretation, the term "Azazel" designated a rugged mountain or precipice in the wilderness from which the goat was thrown down.”

[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2203-azazel]

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement is one of The Fall Feasts and falls on the 10th of Tishri, the 7th Month. It is a day of national repentance. Yom Kippur is the only time the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies. In the unlikely event of the High Priest dying in the Holy of Holies a rope was secured to his ankle so his body could be pulled out. Two Goats were involved, one for the Lord and one as the the Azezel, the Scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:7,-9, "7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering."

The High Priest fastened a scarlet woolen thread to the head of the scapegoat and it was "presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness." Leviticus 16:21-22, "21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness."

Jesus performed the duty of the Azezel as He hung on the cross. Rather than a scarlet woolen thread fastened to His head it was a crown of thorns. Jesus became sin and God would not look at Him. 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?" My God, not Abba, Father.  Jesus not only performed the duty of the Azezel He also perform the duty of the sin offering. 

The doctrine of Imminence and its impact my life 537 - 5 - 5

The doctrine of Imminence impacts my life with great expectations and interesting Bible study discussions. So is it's a Pre-Tribulation, Mid- Tribulation or Post-Tribulation Rapture? Perhaps a pan-Tribulation, it will all pan out in the end.

Matthew 25:13, "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Good advise I try to follow.

The Doctrine of Imminence deals with “next expectation.” According to “The Doctrine of Imminence” 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.

Jesus told The Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. At the midnight cry the five foolish virgins discover that they didn’t have oil for their lamps and rushed out to buy some. Unfortunately for them when the bridegroom arrived they shopping. The five virgins who were ready with oil went in with him to the wedding banquet “and the door was shut.” 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. Part of waiting on the Lord to call us home is to be as righteous as humanly possible befitting the bride of Christ.

Then there is Revelation 12:5-6. Here we read that the woman “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.” The woman then fled into the wilderness to a place of safety (Petra) for the duration of 1,260 days, the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble.” The woman is the remnant of Israel fleeing the Antichrist mid-tribulation when he is totally indwelled by Satan and breaks the seven year covenant with Israel after three and a half years.

The Son of the woman/Israel is Jesus. Is His ascension to the Father is a representation the Church with Jesus as the Head the Church as the body. Does this imply a mid-tribulation rapture which goes against The Doctrine of Imminence? Or does a mid-Tribulation really go against The Doctrine of Imminence?