Shalom, mishpachah.
Okay, let's move on. Another definition will be a "sacred" word to some. "Sacred" words are those words that one can use respectfully, but NEVER let someone hear you attack those words! Such words fall into the same classification as a revered pastor, a "reverend." The Scriptures admonish, "Touch not the Lord's Anointed!" Well, in the case of these words, these are irrationally and superstitiously said to be SPECIAL words that no one should touch!
But, I'll dare to touch them. Let's look at the word, "church," for instance: There are two ways to go with this word. First, the etymology of the English word "church" is, according to Random House Webster's College Dictionary, "before 900; Middle English chir(i)che, Old English cir(i)ce, borrowed from Greek kuri(a)kon (dooma) the Lord's (house); akin to Dutch kerk, German Kirche, Old Norse kirkja. See KIRK."
The second way to go is the Greek word usually translated as "church" in the King James (Authorized) Version of the Bible, "ekkleesia." This Greek word is a compound word coming from the small prepositional word "ek," meaning "out of," and "kaleoo" meaning "I call." The word itself is a participle, not a noun; however, used AS a noun, it more resembles our gerund. Thus, it is a "called-out (group)" of people. Looking at how the word was used in the New Testament, it was used not only for individual groups of people in various cities and towns, such as Korinth and Ephesus, but was also used for the congregation of Isra'el at the foot of Mount Sinai in Acts 7:38 and the "town council meeting" at Ephesus in Acts 19:32, 39, and 41. Theologians will also point out that the word was used for the congregation of ALL believers in heaven in Hebrews 12:23, but there are qualifications to this concept. Remember that "heaven" means "the sky." Therefore, the "general assembly (Greek paneegurei, meaning 'to a mass-meeting') and called-out (group) of the firstborn (ones) in the sky" is a reference to the actual collecting of the believers as described in 1 Thes. 4:13-17.
The mere fact that the word is usually used in the plural for multiple groups of people is proof enough that there is no such thing as a "universal body" of believers called the "Church" (note the capitalization). They were always "churches!" Indeed, the word "catholic" means "universal." Therefore, for a protestant to claim there is a "universal body" is a MAJOR backpedaling! They are saying they are once again part of the "Catholic Church" or "Universal Church," usually and particularly the "ROMAN Catholic Church" (as opposed to the Eastern Orthodox or the Greek Orthodox Churches)!
Furthermore, if the "church" is said to be a body of members that work together and can share each other's pain and burdens (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31), then it doesn't even make sense for the "church" to be a "universal body." How does a "finger" in Albuquerque scratch a "nose" in Timbuktu?! They must be able to interact and instantly react to one another, as in a local body of believers can. It's hard for a "congregation" to be "gathered together" if they're still all over the world!
Therefore, I conclude that the "church" is a LOCAL body of believers. As the Complete Jewish Bible puts it, it is a Messianic Congregation, a congregation of members who believe in the Messiah Yeshua` - that Yeshua` is the Messiah of God.
So, it makes much better sense to see the "church" NOT as an organization or a corporation, but as a COLLECTIVE NOUN (GERUND)! It's the same kind of word as our words "flock (of sheep), school (of fish), pack (of wolves or dogs), pride (of lions), gaggle (of geese), or even murder (of crows)!"
The only passages of Scripture that SEEM to be saying something otherwise are Ephesians 4:4 and Colossians 3:15, but one should notice and remember that each of these verses is talking to ONE group of people in each town, Ephesus and Colosse, and each passage is referring to those who can "forebear one another in love," and can "teach and admonish one another in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs." These are intimate encounters that require close fellowship as in a LOCAL assembly.
Now, that being said, what does that do to our understanding of Ephesians 5?
Ephesians 5:17-33
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
KJV
Well, at the least, Paul is talking about each LOCAL body of believers, but I believe that there are a couple of other interpretations possible:
First, it is possible that the "ekkleesia" in these verses is a two-person "called-out (group)." Here's why: When Paul said that "Christ also loved the church (ekkleesia) and gave himself for it," did the Messiah love and give Himself for some organization or corporation? OR, did He love and give Himself for PEOPLE, for INDIVIDUALS? He loved and gave Himself for INDIVIDUALS! Also, in talking of the "body," Paul includes verses 28, 29 and 31 above. And, we might call a "two person called-out (group)," a "UNION." Thus, Paul may have been referring to the importance of the marriage union and why the husband and the wife should remain monogamous.
Second, another possibility that may be applicable to this passage as well as others is that the "ekkleesia" is first and foremost the SAME congregation as in Acts 7:38!
Remember that Paul said in Romans 11,
Romans 11:1-32
1 “In that case, I say, isn’t it that God has repudiated (disowned) his people?” Heaven forbid! For I myself am a son of Isra’el, from the seed of Avraham (2 Chron. 20:7; Ps. 105:6), of the tribe of Binyamin. 2 God has not repudiated his people (1 Sam. 12:22; Ps. 94:14), whom he chose in advance. Or don’t you know what the Tanakh says about Eliyahu? He pleads with God against Isra’el, 3 “Adonai, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I’m the only one left, and now they want to kill me too!” (1 Kings 19:10, 14) 4 But what is God’s answer to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not knelt down to Ba‘al.” (1 Kings 19:18) 5 It’s the same way in the present age: there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 (Now if it is by grace, it is accordingly not based on legalistic works; if it were otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.) 7 What follows is that Isra’el has not attained the goal for which she is striving. The ones chosen have obtained it, but the rest have been made stonelike, 8 just as the Tanakh says,
“God has given them a spirit of dullness —
eyes that do not see
and ears that do not hear,
right down to the present day.” (Deut. 29:3; Isa. 29:10)
9 And David says,
“Let their dining table become for them
a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a punishment.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see,
with their backs bent continually.” (Ps. 69:23-24)
11 “In that case, I say, isn’t it that they have stumbled with the result that they have permanently fallen away?” Heaven forbid! Quite the contrary, it is by means of their stumbling that the deliverance has come to the Gentiles, in order to provoke them to jealousy. (Deut. 32:21) 12 Moreover, if their stumbling is bringing riches to the world — that is, if Isra’el’s being placed temporarily in a condition less favored than that of the Gentiles is bringing riches to the latter — how much greater riches will Isra’el in its fullness bring them!
13 However, to those of you who are Gentiles I say this: since I myself am an emissary sent to the Gentiles, I make known the importance of my work 14 in the hope that somehow I may provoke some of my own people to jealousy and save some of them! 15 For if their casting Yeshua aside means reconciliation for the world, what will their accepting him mean? It will be life from the dead!
16 Now if the hallah (a piece of the Jewish egg bread) offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole loaf. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you — a wild olive — were grafted in among them and have become equal sharers in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 then don’t boast as if you were better than the branches! However, if you do boast, remember that you are not supporting the root, the root is supporting you. 19 So you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True, but so what? They were broken off because of their lack of trust. However, you keep your place only because of your trust. So don’t be arrogant; on the contrary, be terrified! 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he certainly won’t spare you! 22 So take a good look at God’s kindness and his severity: on the one hand, severity toward those who fell off; but, on the other hand, God’s kindness toward you — provided you maintain yourself in that kindness! Otherwise, you too will be cut off! 23 Moreover, the others, if they do not persist in their lack of trust, will be grafted in; because God is able to graft them back in. 24 For if you were cut out of what is by nature a wild olive tree and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree!
25 For, brothers, I want you to understand this truth which God formerly concealed but has now revealed, so that you won’t imagine you know more than you actually do. It is that stoniness, to a degree, has come upon Isra’el, until the Gentile world enters in its fullness; 26 and that it is in this way that all Isra’el will be saved. As the Tanakh (a Hebrew acronym for the OT, the Torah or Instruction, the Navi'iym or Prophets, and the Ketuviym or Writings) says,
“Out of Tziyon (Zion) will come the Redeemer;
he will turn away ungodliness from Ya‘akov (Jacob)
27 and this will be my covenant with them, . . .
when I take away their sins.” (Isa. 59:20-21; 27:9)
28 With respect to the Good News they are hated for your sake. But with respect to being chosen they are loved for the Patriarchs’ sake, 29 for God’s free gifts and his calling are irrevocable. 30 Just as you yourselves were disobedient to God before but have received mercy now because of Isra’el’s disobedience; 31 so also Isra’el has been disobedient now, so that by your showing them the same mercy that God has shown you, they too may now receive God’s mercy. 32 For God has shut up all mankind together in disobedience, in order that he might show mercy to all.
CJB
(Here, I've chosen to use the Complete Jewish Bible, simply because it is more readable and easier to understand what is being said here.)
The point I'm making is this: The "church" is not the combination of believing Jews and Gentiles, although many would like to believe that. Rather, the root of the Olive Tree, the true Isra'el, found in the Person of the King, Yeshua` haMashiach, contains both believing Jews and believing Gentiles who have both been grafted in. The Gentiles were grafted in for the first time, but the Jews were grafted in AGAIN into THEIR OWN Olive Tree, the Isra'el of King David! The Isra'el as it was MEANT to be!
And, while it is true that within the Messiah there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same cannot be said for those outside the Messiah! There is still a difference between the Jews and the Gentiles outside the Messiah. They have different histories, and they have different prospects for the future, because it was the Isra'elites who were given the prophecies, and the promises, and the Torah, and the Messiah Himself!
Rom 9:1-5
9:1 I am speaking the truth — as one who belongs to the Messiah, I do not lie; and also bearing witness is my conscience, governed by the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit): 2 my grief is so great, the pain in my heart so constant, 3 that I could wish myself actually under God’s curse and separated from the Messiah, if it would help my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4 the people of Isra’el! They were made God’s children, the Sh’khinah (Presence) has been with them, the covenants are theirs, likewise the giving of the Torah (Instruction), the Temple service and the promises; 5 the Patriarchs are theirs; and from them, as far as his physical descent is concerned, came the Messiah, who is over all. Praised be Adonai (the Lord) for ever! Amen (Truth).
CJB
Eph. 2:1-22
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
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.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ (a Messiah), being aliens from the commonwealth (citizenship) of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain (two) one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
KJV
So, I believe that the True Isra'el, the Kingdom over which David reigned, IS the "ekkleesia," the "church!" It's not that "the Church is the True Isra'el," as some claim, but quite the opposite! It's not that "the Church is the Kingdom of God," but again, the opposite: God's Kingdom should be recognized as the "called-out (group)" of believers who will be among His loyal subjects when the Messiah returns.
Oh, yes, and to show that there are not just two groups of people (believers and non-believers), we also have this passage in which Paul lists all three in the town of Korinth:
1 Cor. 10:32-33
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
KJV
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
More definitions to avoid daffy-nitions
Shalom, mishpachah.
Okay, the last entry like this was focusing on the definition of "justification." Now, let's take the definition of "salvation":
The word "salvation" is often misapplied for the "justification by God" that we just covered. This is not a horrific blunder, but it DOES present a problem when it comes to prophecy.
"Salvation," a translation of the Hebrew word "yeshuw`ah," just means "something saved" or "deliverance." Another English word that fits the definition better is "rescue" as a noun, like "The life guard jumped into the water to perform the rescue of the drowning man." This is the Hebrew word from which our Lord's given name, Yeshua`, was derived. In the Tanakh (the OT), Yeshua` is transliterated into the KJV English as "Jeshua," since the "J" in 1611 English used to be pronounced as a "Y."
An early use of the word is found in Exodus:
Exodus 14:13-16
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
KJV
You can see here that the deliverance of Isra'el from the Pharaoh of Egypt and his army is such a rescue.
In prophecy, this word is similarly used. It is a word that often refers to the Messiah Yeshua`s rescue of national Isra'el as they come under some future attack by their Islamic neighbors.
So, when one is reading along in OT prophecies and sees this word, one should not go off half-cocked thinking that this word is being used about God's justification of an individual (although it may if the context warrants it) but is more than likely talking about God's RESCUE of Isra'el through His Emissary, His Respresentative, His Anointed-One, His Mashiach, His Messiah, His Christ, Yeshua` (Jesus) when He returns.
Have a great day!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Okay, the last entry like this was focusing on the definition of "justification." Now, let's take the definition of "salvation":
The word "salvation" is often misapplied for the "justification by God" that we just covered. This is not a horrific blunder, but it DOES present a problem when it comes to prophecy.
"Salvation," a translation of the Hebrew word "yeshuw`ah," just means "something saved" or "deliverance." Another English word that fits the definition better is "rescue" as a noun, like "The life guard jumped into the water to perform the rescue of the drowning man." This is the Hebrew word from which our Lord's given name, Yeshua`, was derived. In the Tanakh (the OT), Yeshua` is transliterated into the KJV English as "Jeshua," since the "J" in 1611 English used to be pronounced as a "Y."
An early use of the word is found in Exodus:
Exodus 14:13-16
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14 The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
15 And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
KJV
You can see here that the deliverance of Isra'el from the Pharaoh of Egypt and his army is such a rescue.
In prophecy, this word is similarly used. It is a word that often refers to the Messiah Yeshua`s rescue of national Isra'el as they come under some future attack by their Islamic neighbors.
So, when one is reading along in OT prophecies and sees this word, one should not go off half-cocked thinking that this word is being used about God's justification of an individual (although it may if the context warrants it) but is more than likely talking about God's RESCUE of Isra'el through His Emissary, His Respresentative, His Anointed-One, His Mashiach, His Messiah, His Christ, Yeshua` (Jesus) when He returns.
Have a great day!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Davidic Covenant fulfills Dan. 9:27 in part
Shalom, Mishpachah.
I should have been a little more thorough in the verses I chose to support this view:
Consider Psalm 89:
Psalm 89:1-52
1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
18 For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
36 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me.
37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
46 How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
KJV
Daniel 9:27
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
KJV
38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
KJV
Therefore, it was HE, the MESSIAH, who put the gap in the seventy "sevens" of Daniel 9:24-27. HE left them desolate until such time as they could say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD," or in Hebrew, "Baruwk haba' b'shem YHVH!" such that "Baruwk haba'" means "Welcome, comer!" And, the gap is not between the 69 "sevens" and the last "seven," but between the first 69.5 "sevens" and the last HALF of the last "seven."
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
I should have been a little more thorough in the verses I chose to support this view:
Consider Psalm 89:
Psalm 89:1-52
1 I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.
11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
18 For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him.
23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.
24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.
26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;
32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
36 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me.
37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin.
41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah.
46 How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?
48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen.
KJV
Actually, more time than just 483 years had passed since Gavri'el delivered the prophecy to Dani'el when Yeshua` rode into Yerushalayim a few days before He was crucified, and it
was then the 487th year. Yeshua`s "ministry" (His offer of Himself as
the Messiah, the Anointed TO BE KING) was the first 3.5 years of the last
"seven" of Gavri'el's "seventy sevens" of years. They
rejected Him as their King, however, and He had pronounced them
"desolate" in Matthew 23:38 which He had just done while still in the
Temple 9:27 :
Daniel 9:27
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
KJV
Matthew 23:37-39
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not!38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
KJV
I know that many are of the opinion that Daniel 9:27 is talking
about the "antichrist," but it CANNOT - by either the rules of
English grammar in the translations or more importantly the rules of Hebrew
grammar in the original text - refer to the "prince that shall come"
of verse 26! It must refer back farther to the Messiah of verse 26!
Furthermore, it is the MESSIAH who confirmed the Davidic Covenant in insisting
that Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) immerse Him to "fulfill all
righteousness." (See Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; and Psalm
89:1-4, 26-37.) And, it was the Messiah who caused the sacrifice and the
oblation to cease THE VERY DAY that Yeshua` was crucified! (See Hebrews
10:1-22.) It was for the overspreading of abominations COMMITTED BY THE JEWS in
their rejection of Himself that forced Him to leave them "desolate."
(See Matthew 23:1-36.)
Therefore, it was HE, the MESSIAH, who put the gap in the seventy "sevens" of Daniel 9:24-27. HE left them desolate until such time as they could say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD," or in Hebrew, "Baruwk haba' b'shem YHVH!" such that "Baruwk haba'" means "Welcome, comer!" And, the gap is not between the 69 "sevens" and the last "seven," but between the first 69.5 "sevens" and the last HALF of the last "seven."
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Definitions to avoid daffy-nitions
Shalom, mishpachah.
Before I begin on the interesting things I've been studying lately, let's go back to a few definitions of common (and abused) words:
The foundation for any meaningful communication is in the definitions parties may use. All parties need to be "on the same page," so to speak. I am reminded of my early days trying to witness to a "Jehovah's Witness."
We were saying all the same things, but because our definitions were SO VERY different, we weren't really communicating! What I was saying he was interpreting differently, and what he was saying I misunderstood as well. We basically had to go back to square one and define our terms in order to know what the other was saying. We had been talking about 2 months before we realized that we weren't speaking each other's language, but once we laid a foundation of definitions, we made much better progress.
Thus, to begin a study in the meaning of a particular prophecy, we must start with the meanings of the words within that prophecy. I am convinced that the B'rit Chadashah (the New "Testament") has far more references to prophecy than we give it credit. So, let's begin:
First, let's start with the most crucial subject in the Bible (at least, in my opinion): God's Justification of an individual. Many evangelical congregations call this "salvation," but that's really the wrong word to be using for this concept.
What happens when one is justified by God? Well, first the Ruach haQodesh (the Holy Spirit) has been working with that individual for some period of time prior to the actual conversion. To get a handle on this, we must backtrack to a point in Yeshua`s first advent when He gave a huge crowd a very unusual Pesach (Passover) Seder:
John 6:1-71
1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. (Lake Kinneret in the Galiyl of Isra'el today.)
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. (Thus, it was Pesach, and He was providing the feast meal called a "Seder" for them.)
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him (to test him): for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? (Since this was the Pesach season, these were unleavened barley loaves.)
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
There is a bit of a break in the account here as Yeshua` and His students left the crowd for a few hours.
16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs (3.5 miles, more or less), they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
So, now they'd arrived on the shores of Capernaum which is K'fer-Nachum in Hebrew on the north side of the lake.
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? ("When did you get here?")
I think they were too afraid of asking, "HOW did you get here?" but it was implied. Yeshua` is not much for small talk, though:
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.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.
KJV
So, Yeshua` was saying that God, through His Ruach haQodesh - His Holy Spirit, has to give a person the desire to come to Yeshua`; it's not the person's OWN idea!
Psalm 130:2-4
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
KJV
Secondly, GOD must declare a person righteous for that person to be justified by God. A person cannot declare himself to be justified; self-justification always leads to deceptive delusion. Every person is a sinner; every person's good deeds are as filthy rags in God's sight! (Romans 3:10-20)
It is not accomplished by a person's good deeds; God is without sin and holy and demands a person to be likewise without sin. (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16) That's impossible because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) It's already too late! Furthermore, that is not only true for one's initial justification by God but is also true for the maintenance of one's justification by God! (Galatians 3:1-6) It must ALL be of God and not of oneself!
Finally, the justification is completed by a transference of God's righteousness and one's sin, and this, too, is the result of God's declaration!
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he (God) hath made him (Yeshua`) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Yeshua`).KJV
Thus the transfer is completed when God declared Yeshua` "our sin" that we might be declared "God's righteousness" found in Yeshua`!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Before I begin on the interesting things I've been studying lately, let's go back to a few definitions of common (and abused) words:
The foundation for any meaningful communication is in the definitions parties may use. All parties need to be "on the same page," so to speak. I am reminded of my early days trying to witness to a "Jehovah's Witness."
We were saying all the same things, but because our definitions were SO VERY different, we weren't really communicating! What I was saying he was interpreting differently, and what he was saying I misunderstood as well. We basically had to go back to square one and define our terms in order to know what the other was saying. We had been talking about 2 months before we realized that we weren't speaking each other's language, but once we laid a foundation of definitions, we made much better progress.
Thus, to begin a study in the meaning of a particular prophecy, we must start with the meanings of the words within that prophecy. I am convinced that the B'rit Chadashah (the New "Testament") has far more references to prophecy than we give it credit. So, let's begin:
First, let's start with the most crucial subject in the Bible (at least, in my opinion): God's Justification of an individual. Many evangelical congregations call this "salvation," but that's really the wrong word to be using for this concept.
What happens when one is justified by God? Well, first the Ruach haQodesh (the Holy Spirit) has been working with that individual for some period of time prior to the actual conversion. To get a handle on this, we must backtrack to a point in Yeshua`s first advent when He gave a huge crowd a very unusual Pesach (Passover) Seder:
John 6:1-71
1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias. (Lake Kinneret in the Galiyl of Isra'el today.)
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. (Thus, it was Pesach, and He was providing the feast meal called a "Seder" for them.)
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him (to test him): for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? (Since this was the Pesach season, these were unleavened barley loaves.)
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
There is a bit of a break in the account here as Yeshua` and His students left the crowd for a few hours.
16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs (3.5 miles, more or less), they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
So, now they'd arrived on the shores of Capernaum which is K'fer-Nachum in Hebrew on the north side of the lake.
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? ("When did you get here?")
I think they were too afraid of asking, "HOW did you get here?" but it was implied. Yeshua` is not much for small talk, though:
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.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.
KJV
So, Yeshua` was saying that God, through His Ruach haQodesh - His Holy Spirit, has to give a person the desire to come to Yeshua`; it's not the person's OWN idea!
Psalm 130:2-4
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
KJV
Secondly, GOD must declare a person righteous for that person to be justified by God. A person cannot declare himself to be justified; self-justification always leads to deceptive delusion. Every person is a sinner; every person's good deeds are as filthy rags in God's sight! (Romans 3:10-20)
It is not accomplished by a person's good deeds; God is without sin and holy and demands a person to be likewise without sin. (Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16) That's impossible because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) It's already too late! Furthermore, that is not only true for one's initial justification by God but is also true for the maintenance of one's justification by God! (Galatians 3:1-6) It must ALL be of God and not of oneself!
Finally, the justification is completed by a transference of God's righteousness and one's sin, and this, too, is the result of God's declaration!
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he (God) hath made him (Yeshua`) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (Yeshua`).KJV
Thus the transfer is completed when God declared Yeshua` "our sin" that we might be declared "God's righteousness" found in Yeshua`!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Shalom, Mishpachah.
Okay, as one might be able to tell from the verses cited so far, I consider the fulfillment of Dani'el 9:27 in part to be the Davidic Covenant given to David and his descendants, including the "Son of David," the Messiah Himself, Yeshua`.
Now, the obvious question would be: WHEN was the Davidic Covenant "confirmed" by Yeshua` when Gavri'el said, "he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week?"
Consider the logic of the following:
1 Chron. 22:7-12
7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God:
8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.11 Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee.
12 Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God.
KJV
1 Chron 28:2-10
2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
4 Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
5 And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.
9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
10 Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and
KJV
Ps 2:4-9
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.KJV
Hos 11:1
11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
KJV
Matt 2:13-15
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.KJV
Through Psalm 2 and Matthew 2, we can see that the key is that the Messiah Yeshua` is the Son of God. Matthew 2:15 indicates that Hosea 11:1 is actually talking about the OFFSPRING of Isra'el, rather than Isra'el himself (Ya`aqov or Jacob). There's a telescoping effect that the author of Hebrews gives us in that each subsequent generation is in the seed of the previous generation. (Heb. 7) Thus, just as Leviy paid tithes to Malkhi-Tsedeq through Avraham, being yet in his "loins," so too Yeshua` was called out of Egypt while still in the "loins" of His father Isra'el, or rather the great-great-great-great grandson of Isra'el, Nachshown, who was the leader of the tribe of Y'hudah when they left Egypt!
Now, when did God acknowledge Yeshua` as His own Son? At His baptism!
Matthew 3:1-17
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.KJV
So, the Davidic Covenant was confirmed by Yeshua` coming to Yochanan the Immerser for His immersion and God's subsequent declaration that He was His "beloved Son."
More to come!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
Okay, as one might be able to tell from the verses cited so far, I consider the fulfillment of Dani'el 9:27 in part to be the Davidic Covenant given to David and his descendants, including the "Son of David," the Messiah Himself, Yeshua`.
Now, the obvious question would be: WHEN was the Davidic Covenant "confirmed" by Yeshua` when Gavri'el said, "he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week?"
Consider the logic of the following:
1 Chron. 22:7-12
7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God:
8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.
9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.
10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.11 Now, my son, the Lord be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee.
12 Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God.
KJV
1 Chron 28:2-10
2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
4 Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
5 And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.
7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.
9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
10 Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and
KJV
Ps 2:4-9
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.KJV
Hos 11:1
11 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
KJV
Matt 2:13-15
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.KJV
Through Psalm 2 and Matthew 2, we can see that the key is that the Messiah Yeshua` is the Son of God. Matthew 2:15 indicates that Hosea 11:1 is actually talking about the OFFSPRING of Isra'el, rather than Isra'el himself (Ya`aqov or Jacob). There's a telescoping effect that the author of Hebrews gives us in that each subsequent generation is in the seed of the previous generation. (Heb. 7) Thus, just as Leviy paid tithes to Malkhi-Tsedeq through Avraham, being yet in his "loins," so too Yeshua` was called out of Egypt while still in the "loins" of His father Isra'el, or rather the great-great-great-great grandson of Isra'el, Nachshown, who was the leader of the tribe of Y'hudah when they left Egypt!
Now, when did God acknowledge Yeshua` as His own Son? At His baptism!
Matthew 3:1-17
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.KJV
So, the Davidic Covenant was confirmed by Yeshua` coming to Yochanan the Immerser for His immersion and God's subsequent declaration that He was His "beloved Son."
More to come!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
The Covenant that Yeshua` confirmed
Shalom, Mishpachah (Family).
Well, I'm back now.
In a nut shell, I've come to the conclusion that the tribulation is indeed something that has been going on (primarily for the Isra'elis) since the first century A.D.
Here are the basics:
First, Dani'el 9:24-27 says,
Dan 9:24-27
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
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.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
KJV
As one can see in verse 26, the subject of the first phrase is "Messiah"; the subject of the second phrase is "people"; the subject of the third phrase is "end" and the subject of the fourth phrase is "desolations." The subject of the first phrase of verse 27 is "he"; the subject of the second phrase is "he"; the subject of the third phrase is "he"; and the subject of the fourth phrase is "that."
Of course, this is according to the English grammar of the King James Version translation.
Who is the antecedent of the "he's" of verse 27 is of primary debate. Those who believe this is a reference to the "Antichrist" suggest that the antecedent is "the prince that shall come" in verse 26; HOWEVER, the main concern with this view is that "the prince that shall come" is part of a prepositional phrase beginning with the preposition "of." As the object of a preposition, the word "prince" may NOT participate in ANY of the primary parts of speech for that phrase. In other words, it cannot be the subject, the direct object, or an indirect object for that phrase. Yet, the pronoun "he" found three times in verse 27 is the subject of each subsequent phrase. Therefore, their antecedents should also be a primary part of speech in one of the preceding phrases. The nearest word that acts as a subject is the word "Messiah." "Desolations" is plural; "the end" is not personal; and "people," although singular in number, is a collective noun and therefore refers to multiple persons, not just a "he."
So, in English, the antecedent of "he" being the "Messiah" means that...
1. "The Messiah" shall confirm the covenant with many for one week,
2. In the midst of the week "the Messiah" shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and
3. For the overspreading of abominations "the Messiah" shall make it desolate, even until the consummation.
So now one will ask, "How did the Messiah confirm the covenant with many for one week?"
Let's look at some verses:
Israel
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God ofIsrael
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
KJV
Israel Hebron
2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest inIsrael Israel Israel
3 Therefore came all the elders ofIsrael Hebron Hebron Israel
KJV
2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
6 Wheresoever I have walked with allIsrael Israel
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my peopleIsrael
8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
9 Also I will ordain a place for my peopleIsrael
10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my peopleIsrael
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
KJV
Well, I'm back now.
In a nut shell, I've come to the conclusion that the tribulation is indeed something that has been going on (primarily for the Isra'elis) since the first century A.D.
Here are the basics:
First, Dani'el 9:24-27 says,
Dan 9:24-27
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
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.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
KJV
As one can see in verse 26, the subject of the first phrase is "Messiah"; the subject of the second phrase is "people"; the subject of the third phrase is "end" and the subject of the fourth phrase is "desolations." The subject of the first phrase of verse 27 is "he"; the subject of the second phrase is "he"; the subject of the third phrase is "he"; and the subject of the fourth phrase is "that."
Of course, this is according to the English grammar of the King James Version translation.
Who is the antecedent of the "he's" of verse 27 is of primary debate. Those who believe this is a reference to the "Antichrist" suggest that the antecedent is "the prince that shall come" in verse 26; HOWEVER, the main concern with this view is that "the prince that shall come" is part of a prepositional phrase beginning with the preposition "of." As the object of a preposition, the word "prince" may NOT participate in ANY of the primary parts of speech for that phrase. In other words, it cannot be the subject, the direct object, or an indirect object for that phrase. Yet, the pronoun "he" found three times in verse 27 is the subject of each subsequent phrase. Therefore, their antecedents should also be a primary part of speech in one of the preceding phrases. The nearest word that acts as a subject is the word "Messiah." "Desolations" is plural; "the end" is not personal; and "people," although singular in number, is a collective noun and therefore refers to multiple persons, not just a "he."
So, in English, the antecedent of "he" being the "Messiah" means that...
1. "The Messiah" shall confirm the covenant with many for one week,
2. In the midst of the week "the Messiah" shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and
3. For the overspreading of abominations "the Messiah" shall make it desolate, even until the consummation.
So now one will ask, "How did the Messiah confirm the covenant with many for one week?"
Let's look at some verses:
2 Samuel 23:1-5
1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of
Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of
Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of 2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
KJV
1 Chronicles 11:1-3
1 Then all 2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in
3 Therefore came all the elders of
KJV
1 Chronicles 17:1-14
1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David
said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of
the covenant of the Lord remaineth
under curtains.2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
6 Wheresoever I have walked with all
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people
8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
9 Also I will ordain a place for my people
10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
KJV
Monday, March 19, 2012
What's been goin' on:
Shalom, mishpachah (family).
I've been doing some ... personal research ... into several different position-altering subjects:
First, I've been exploring the concept of the "Tribulation" being different than the "70th Seven" of Dani'el 9:24-27.
Second, I've been investigating the potential of a "Great Tribulation" that many take from Matthew 24:21.
Third, I've been researching and studying `Ezra and Nechemyahu (Nehemiah), as well as 1 and 2 Esdras, regarding when the second Temple's construction and the completion of the walls and city of Jerusalem were completed. I believe that it wasn't finished as early as the date that is commonly accepted. This is largely due to Ezra 4.
Fourth, I've been debating the amillennial position. I find it totally unsatisfactory as an explanation for prophecy, and I've been dealing with the verses that another debater has produced in support of the amillennial position.
Sorry I've been gone so long.
I'll try to post more often and bring my readers (if any) up to speed on what I've found so far.
That's all for now, though. Tomorrow is another day!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
I've been doing some ... personal research ... into several different position-altering subjects:
First, I've been exploring the concept of the "Tribulation" being different than the "70th Seven" of Dani'el 9:24-27.
Second, I've been investigating the potential of a "Great Tribulation" that many take from Matthew 24:21.
Third, I've been researching and studying `Ezra and Nechemyahu (Nehemiah), as well as 1 and 2 Esdras, regarding when the second Temple's construction and the completion of the walls and city of Jerusalem were completed. I believe that it wasn't finished as early as the date that is commonly accepted. This is largely due to Ezra 4.
Fourth, I've been debating the amillennial position. I find it totally unsatisfactory as an explanation for prophecy, and I've been dealing with the verses that another debater has produced in support of the amillennial position.
Sorry I've been gone so long.
I'll try to post more often and bring my readers (if any) up to speed on what I've found so far.
That's all for now, though. Tomorrow is another day!
In the Messiah's love,
Retrobyter
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