Road to Emmaus

Are you still on the ‘road to Emmaus’ - walking with Christ - yet not recognizing whom you’re walking with? Luke gives an account of two of Christ’s disciples walking 7 miles from Jerusalem to the town of Emmaus. The resurrected Jesus joins them enroute, but as the narrative tells us, ‘their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” (LUKE 24:16) Even though He took them through the O.T. Messianic prophecies about Himself, they still didn’t recognize who He was… the same is true today of millions of Christians! When they are taken through the O.T. texts about who and what the promised Messiah would be - they don’t recognize this portrait of Christ. Conspicuously absent from all the Messianic prophecies of the O.T. is any narrative about a 2nd person with God or in God metamorphosing into a Human child.

Probably the first Messianic prophecy Jesus took his 2 disciples through, on the ‘road to Emmaus,’ was this one found in the book of Genesis: “So the Lord said to the Serpent: ‘Because you have done this you are cursed… And I will put enmity (conflict) between you and the woman (Eve), and between your seed and her seed; He (Christ) shall bruise your head, and you (Satan) shall bruise His heel.” (GENESIS 3:14,15) The Lord could have just as easily told Satan, that because he had deceived Eve into sinning against Him, He was going to incarnate ‘God the Son’ and that you may bruise His heel (temporarily kill Him on the cross) - but He is going to bruise your head and take your rulership of this world away from you - but He didn’t. The Lord’s reference to the woman’s ‘seed’ emphasizes that the promised Messiah would be a ‘Son of Man,’ one of His future titles.

Near the end of the book of Genesis we read another reference to the promised One: “The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” (GENESIS 49:10) This verse amplifies the Human lineage of Messiah, here called ‘Shiloh,’ as one coming from the tribe of Judah. But once again, no reference to this person being a heavenly being, who would one day incarnate as a Human Being.

In the book of Numbers a Seer from Moab is given a revelation from the God of the Bible about the coming Christ: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come ouf of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel and batter the brow of Mo’ab and destroy all the sons of tumult.” (NUMBERS 24:17) Notice that the coming Messiah rises out of Israel, with no dual reference to heaven.

Then the book of Deuteronomy adds: “I (God) will raise up for them (Israel) a prophet like you (Moses), from among their brethren and will put MY words in His mouth and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” (DEUTERONOMY 18:18) Combining all the texts so far, we are told that the promised Messiah would be the Seed of Eve, rise up out of the nation Israel, be born of the tribe of Judah, and be a prophet like Moses. But we’re not told that the Christ would be the incarnation of a person with God or in God.

The prophet Isaiah is given a vision from God which includes several references to the prophesied Messiah: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you (Israel) a sign: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel.” (ISAIAH 7:14) This text makes it clear that Messiah will be conceived miraculously within a virgin woman of Israel sometime in the future. Some see here, in the name ‘Immanuel,’ a clue that this child would be a God-being descending from heaven. But the nation of Israel is also called Immanuel in the next chapter (8:8) - which literally means ‘with us is God.’ God showed the people of Israel that HE was ‘with them’ through many miraculous interventions throughout their history. Prophesying that HE would one day grant them a Savior is just one more way God showed the people of Israel HE was with them!

In a subsequent prophecy, Isaiah speaks of the coming Messiah in this way: “A child is born to us and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, God the mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace.” (ISAIAH 9:6 Drake version) Trinitarians focus on the title ‘God the mighty,’ saying this is a clear reference to the Incarnation of Christ. But the Judges in Israel were also referred to as El and Elohim (translated as god & gods) in PSALM 82. What too many Christians ignore is the explicit references to Messiah as ‘a child’ and ‘a son’ - terms which mean one who is generated and brought into being - everywhere else in Scripture!

In parallel statements, Jesus is called “His (The Father’s) only begotten son” (I JOHN 4:9) - and Isaac is called “His (Abraham’s) only begotten son (HEBREWS 11:17). Yet Theologians don’t want us to believe that the words child, son, begotten, and born are literal in reference to Jesus. And they don’t want us to believe that father means ‘father’ in reference to God the Father - as one who generates and brings into being a son.

Isaiah writes another prophecy about the coming Christ, later in his book: “The Lord (YHVH) has called Me (the coming Christ) from the womb (not heaven); From the matrix of My mother HE has made mention of My name… Who formed Me from the womb to be HIS servant.” (ISAIAH 49:1,5)

The Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament say nothing about the incarnation of ‘the coming Christ’ - but rather that He will be the Seed of Eve, of the tribe of Judah, a descendant of David, a prophet like Moses, miraculously conceived in the womb of a virgin, and a mighty one like the Judges of Israel. If Jesus walked 7 miles with most Christians today and rehearsed these prophecies in their ears - they too would fail to recognize their Messiah as the “firstborn among many brethren (us).” (ROMANS 8:29)

When Jesus asked Peter who he thought He was, Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of THE LIVING GOD.” (MATTHEW 16:16). 46 times Jesus is called the “Son of God” in the New Testament. Paul wrote: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage… Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (HEBREWS 2:14-17)

The Apostle John was inspired to write: “This is the One who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood (the normal birthing process). And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are 3 that testify: The Spirit, the water and the blood; and the 3 are in agreement. We accept Human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God, which He has given about His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about His Son.” (I JOHN 5:6-10 NIV)

John is telling us that Jesus came into this world the way we all do: the water breaks in our mother’s womb and we come through the birthing canal in blood. Therefore the water and blood testify that Jesus was a full-fledged Human Being born in the natural way that we all have experienced. The Spirit is a third witness John says, probably referring to this statement in the Gospel of Luke: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you (Mary) and the power of THE HIGHEST will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.” (LUKE 1:35)

We’re told that all of Mankind is made in the image of God (GENESIS 1:27; 5:1,2). But the book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is “the express image of HIS (God’s) person.” (HEBREWS 1:3) We’re also told by the Apostle Paul: “For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity.” (COLOSSIANS 2:9 GNT). Paul prayed: “…May you (the Church) come to know His love…and so be completely filled with the nature of God.” (EPHESIANS 3:19 GNT). Jesus had the Divine Nature from birth. Converts to Christ develop that same Divine Nature by yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit: “…But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of GOD, these are the sons of GOD.” (ROMANS 8:13,14) Peter wrote: “…by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (II PETER 1:4)

The 2 signs of a Saint according to the Book of Revelation is that they keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus. (REVELATION 12:17) Do you have THE FATHER’S testimony of Jesus - or the Human testmony of Jesus? The Human testimony of Jesus is that He was the incarnation of a 2nd person with God or in God - an idea and concept nowhere taught in the pages of your Bible. Walk and talk with the Real Jesus - your older brother and soon coming King!

Pure Religion

Pure Religion - what is it according to your Bible? The word religion is a pejorative term for many, conjuring up images of people who come across ‘holier than thou’ in their walk with God. The word ‘religion’ is only found a few times in Scripture, mostly in reference to false worship systems of this world. But the Apostle James does give us one very positive reference: “Religion that God our Father accepts as ‘pure & faultless’ is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

It’s a very pithy definition of religion, causing some to ask “Is that it? Is there nothing more to it than that? But if you take the time to analyze James definition in light of the rest of Scripture, you’ll understand that it really was inspired by the Spirit of God! God instructed Moses to tell Israel: “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child (orphan). If you afflict them in any way and they cry out at all to ME, I will surely hear their cry; and MY wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” (EXODUS 22:22-24)

God knows what a difficult road it is for widows & orphans! The children grow up without their father, or in some cases their mother, which numerous studies show is very debilitating to a child’s development. The widow is forced to raise the children alone, while somehow trying to provide for his or her household. And historically, orphans & widows were ostracized by complete families, who tended to encourage their children not to hang out with, or marry kids from such households.

According to the ‘World Widows Report’ by the Loomba Foundation, there are more than 258 million widows around the world, with 38 million of them living in extreme poverty where basic needs are unmet. The report also states that there are 585 million children affected by widowhood globally.” That’s a quarter of a billion families that King David says that God personally cares for: “A Father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.” (PSALM 68:4,5)

But God doesn’t give us a pass on the care of these single families: Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.” (DEUTERONOMY 27:19) Part of the ‘justice’ due these unfortunate folks is the ‘laying aside all the tithe of a person’s increase every third year.” (DEUTERONOMY 26:12,13) That’s about 3.3% annually, which is less than what is taken out in payroll taxes today in the United States, in part to give financial assistance to single-parent families. But it’s not enough to fulfill the letter of God’s law, as Jesus expounded in the Sermon on the Mount (MATTHEW 5-7). God says: “My son, do not forget My law, but let your heart keep My commands.” (PROVERBS 3:1)

The heartfelt intent of God’s law is that we learn to love God with all our heart, mind & soul - and that we love our neighbor as ourselves (MATTHEW 22:36-40) Through James, God is telling us that ‘Pure Religion’ is ‘Pure love,’ the kind of love that goes beyond financial assistance to the most challenged in our Society, to a ‘complete family’ adopting and serving an ‘incomplete family’! Is your love for others pure? Or is it tainted, corrupted, and modified by selfishness, pride, and condescension? The Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “Now that you have obeyed the truth and have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one another intensely and with a pure heart.” (I PETER 1:22 ISV). Paul wrote: “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart…” (I TIMOTHY 1:5)

God condemned King Jeroboam because he did not keep God’s commandments and follow HIM with all of his heart, the way King David did (I KINGS 14:8). God said of King Amaziah that “he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal heart.” (II CHRONICLES 25:2) “Pure Religion’ involves not only doing the right thing as God lays out in His commandments - but doing it with a ‘Pure Heart.’ Jesus said: “Blessed are the ‘pure in heart,’ for they shall see God.” (MATTHEW 5:8)

So what about that 2nd part of the Biblical definition of ‘Pure Religion’ - keeping onself unpolluted by the world? How are Christians polluted??? Let us count the ways:

1) “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (COLOSSIANS 2:8)

2) “Demas has forsaken me (Paul), having loved this present world.” (II TIMOTHY 4:10)

3) “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I AM THE LORD.” (LEVITICUS 19:31)

4) “And the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.” (MATTHEW 13:22)

One of Job’s friends said about him, “For you (Job) have said, ‘My doctrine is pure and I am clean in YOUR eyes.” (JOB 11:4) Most Christians never ask themselves “How pure is my doctrine?” When it comes to doctrine - purity means ‘How Biblical is my doctrine?’ Too many Christians have not kept their doctrine unpolluted by traditions of men, and Church Council edicts. That’s why Jude was inspired to exhort us to “Earnestly contend for ‘the Faith’ that was once for all delivered to the Saints.” (JUDE VS. 3) That’s the original Faith, passed on by Jesus to His Apostles, who then passed it onto the original Christians.

Only 3 other times in the New Testament do we find that Greek word translated “polluted” in James definition of ‘Pure Religion’: in reference to Christ as a lamb ‘without spot’ (I PETER 1:19); in reference to Christians, “be diligent to be found by Him (God)… without spot’; and in an admonition to Timothy by Paul that he and we “keep the commandment ‘unstained’ and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I TIMOTHY 6:13)

So ‘Pure Religion’ is having ‘Pure Love’ and ‘Pure Doctrine’ in the sight of God Almighty! No wonder we’re told in the Psalms: “Lord, who can live in Your holy tent? Who can live on Your holy mountain (Kingdom)? Only those who live PURE lives, do what is right, and speak the truth FROM THEIR HEARTS.” (PSALM 15:2)

"The Way"

It’s no secret that Hollywood and Disney are not fans of Christianity, yet they love to borrow Christian imagery and themes in making their fictional cinema dramas.

Many of you have probably watched ‘The Mandalorian’ Disney series, which uses a phrase found in the Bible to describe its moral code and approach to life. When a Mandalorian is asked why he does things in a certain manner, he responds by saying, “This is the Way.” The ‘Mandalorian Way’ includes protecting fellow Mandalorians, protecting foundlings (New converts to ‘The Way’), keeping one’s word, wearing a special armor, and never removing one’s helmet in the presence of others. When a Mandalorian strays from ‘The Way’ he can only be restored to the Order by entering the living waters of Mandalore.

Do you see any parallels in Christianity? Your Bible says that we are to be looking out for the interests of others (PHILIPPIANS 2:4). The original Christians were instructed by the Apostle Paul to “put on the whole armor of God” (EPHESIANS 6:11), including the Helmet of Salvation (EPHESIANS 6:17). Both Bible Testaments stress the importance of ‘keeping one’s word’ (NUMBERS 30:1,2 - JAMES 5:12). And people enter the Christian Order through the waters of Baptism (ROMANS 6).

All this is part of ‘The Way’ of the Lord described in the pages of your Bible. But there is much, much more! God says way back in Genesis: “For I have known him (Abram) in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep ‘The Way’ of the Lord and do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what HE has spoken to him.” (GENESIS 18:19) This verse tells us that justice and righteousness are part of ‘The Way’ of the Lord. What is righteousness? “All YOUR commandments are righteousness.” (PSALM 119:172) Abraham’s chief servant spoke of Abram as he “who led me in the Way of truth” (GENESIS 24:48) - showing that truth is also a vital part of ‘The Way.’ What is truth? Well, according to Jesus: “Thy (The Father’s) word is truth.” That makes the whole Bible part of ‘The Way,’ which is why your Bible says “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” (MATTHEW 4:4)

God told the leaders of Israel: “You (Priests) shall teach them (Israel) the statutes and the Laws and show them ‘The Way’ in which they must walk.” King David wrote: “Blessed are the undefiled in ‘The Way,’ who walk in the Law of the Lord.” (PSALM 119:1) The book of Proverbs gives this warning: “Forsake foolishness and live, and go in ‘The Way’ of understanding.” (PROVERBS 9:6)

By contrast your Bible says, “There is ‘A Way’ that seems right to a man, but its end is ‘the Way’ of death.” (PROVERBS 14:12) Solomon, who is believed to have written Proverbs, wrote: “The Way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but HE loves him who follows righteousness. Harsh discipline is for him who forsakes ‘The Way’ - And he who hates correction will die.” (PROVERBS 15:9,10) So it’s a hard life for those who depart from ‘The Way’ - because they incur the wrath of God in the form of loss, sickness, catastrophe, and emptiness. But it’s Human Nature to want to be self-ruled and self-directed. After all the miraculous ways God delivered Israel over the centuries, we read this: “They (Israel) turned quickly from ‘The Way’ in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord.” (JUDGES 2:17) That righteous man Job said: “If my step has turned from ‘The Way,’ or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any spot adheres to my hands, then let me sow and another eat…” (JOB 31:7,8)

Jesus said: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is ‘the Way’ that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is ‘The Way’ which leads to life and there are few who find it.” (MATTHEW 7:13) Jesus also said: “I am ‘The Way,’ the truth and the life. No one comes to THE FATHER except through Me.” (JOHN 14:6)

Saul, before he became Paul, persecuted ‘The Way’ (ACTS 9:1,2). We also read this in the book of ACTS: “This man (Apollos) had been instructed in ‘The Way’ of the Lord and being fervent in Spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila & Priscilla (Deacon & Deaconess) heard him, they took him aside and explained to him ‘The Way’ of God more accurately.” (ACTS 18:25,26)

A woman who is described as having the gift of prophecy said of Paul and his companions: “These men are the servants of THE MOST HIGH GOD, who proclaim to us ‘The Way’ of salvation.” (ACTS 16:17)

So we’ve seen from the pages of your Bible that ‘The Way’ is described as being a path of truth, justice, righteousness, commandment keeping, understanding, and salvation. What is conspicuously absent from the Bible’s description of ‘The Way’ is any reference to ‘By Grace Alone,’ ‘By Faith Alone,’ ‘Once Saved Always Saved,’ the ‘Health & Wealth Gospel,’ or any traditions of men or their Councils.

After the return of Christ, and during His thousand year reign over all nations (ISAIAH 2) - your Bible says that we who have been immortalized through the 1st resurrection, will teach ‘The Way’ to Human Beings then living: “Your ears (mortals) shall hear a word behind you saying, ‘This is the Way, walk you in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand - or whenever you turn to the left.” (ISAIAH 30:21) As the resurrected Saints rule with Christ during the Millenium - we will be actively guiding people to walk in ‘The Way’ - and that may include some of your own Grandkids or Great-Grandkids!

Who & What is the Church?

How does your Bible define ‘the Church’? When you hear the word ‘Church’ - what images does it bring to mind? A building of Romanesque or Gothic architecture? A particular Protestant denomination? Why did Jesus Christ build His Church? What is its function, purpose, and reason for being? What are the Biblical names for the Church? Is that which is called a Church by a non-Biblical name still a legitimate Christian Church? Where do we find ‘the Church’ in the pages of History? We’re all aware of the ‘Visible Church’ in our communities, but what’s the ‘Invisible Church’ that past Church leaders talked about? And how is ‘the Church’ to be organized and governed?

These are questions that very few Christians ever ask themselves, yet none of them would join a Social Club without investigating what it stands for and how it’s run!

Who makes up ‘the Church’ according to your Bible? The Greek word for ‘Church’ is Ecclesia, which means an ‘Assembly of called out ones.’ The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise… that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (I Cor.1:26-29)

People don’t just wake up one day and decide to join ‘the Church’ - they must be ‘called.’ Jesus said: “No one can come to Me unless the FATHER who sent Me draws (or calls) him…” (JOHN 6:44) Now a person may wake up one day and decide to start attending the ‘Visible Church’ on the corner, but that doesn’t mean they’ve been called to become part of the Invisible Spiritual Body of Christ.

Protestant Reformer John Calvin referred to the Invisible Church as “That which is actually in God’s presence, into which no persons are received but those who are children of God by grace of adoption, and true members of Christ by sanctification (setting apart) of THE HOLY SPIRIT… It includes not only the Saints presently living on earth, but all the Elect from the beginning of the world. In the (Visible) Church there is a very large mixture of hypocrites, who have nothing of Christ but the name and outward appearance.”

The Apostle Paul said as much in his warning to a young Church leader named Timothy: “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourselves.” (I TIMOTHY 6:3-5)

The Apostle John was inspired to write: “They (Christian charlatans) went out from us (the Church), but they were not of us; For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they may be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” (I JOHN 2:19)

Millions of people join ‘the Church’ as a social group, but their hearts are not transformed, and they have no personal relationship with God. But God knows those whom He has called, and He sees the invisible nature of people: “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I SAMUEL 16:7)

One of the Biblical definitions of a Christian, and therefore a member of the true invisible Church, is found in the book of Romans: “For as many as are led by the SPIRIT OF GOD, these are sons of God.” (ROMANS 8:14) Too many Christians are led by their flesh and egos, having not learned to truly acquiesce to God and His Spirit. So while they may be part of the ‘Visible Church’ - they are not members of the ‘Invisible Spirit-led Church.’

What are the names given to ‘the Church’ in Scripture? Well, there are many: “Church or Assembly of God” (I CORINTHIANS 1:2); “The Church of the Living God'“ (I TIMOTHY 3:15); “The Churches of Christ” (ROM.16:16) “The Sect of the Nazarenes” (ACTS 24:5); “The Household of God” (EPH.2:19); “Church of the Firstborn” (HEB 12:23). This last name is probably the most informative, because it shows that ‘the Church’ is God’s first harvest of souls: “Christ the Firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” (I COR.15:23) The Second-fruits will come during Christ’s thousand year reign, when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea.” (ISAIAH 11:9) And the Third-Fruits will come from the White Throne Judgment, when “the rest of the dead” (REV.20:5) will live again and have the books (The Bible) opened to them (REVELATION 20:11,12)

So what is the foundation of ‘the Church’? What is the Church built upon? According to your Bible the Church is built upon one central truth that was uttered by Peter and confirmed by Christ. Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” And Jesus answered and said… “On this rock (or foundational teaching) I will build My Church.” (MATTHEW 16:16-18) The Church is also built upon six foundational doctrines: Repentance from dead works; Faith toward God; the doctrine of Baptisms; Laying on of Hands; Resurrection of the Dead; and Eternal Judgment. (HEBREWS 6:1,2) The Household of God, Paul tells us is built upon the foundation of the Apostles (N.T.) & Prophets (O.T.) - Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (EPHESIANS 2:19,20). The Apostle Paul told Timothy, “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those that are His, Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’” (II TIMOTHY 2:19) The ‘Invisible Church’ is built upon these foundational statements - but unfortunately, most versions of the ‘Visible Church’ are not.

Where do you find ‘the Church’ in the pages of History and in the world today? You look for people and organizations emphasizing these foundational characteristics. Jesus said, “Therefore, by their fruits you shall know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My FATHER in heaven. Many will say to Me in That Day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; Depart from Me, you who practice Lawlessness.’” (MATTHEW 7:20-23)

When does the Church gather? The ‘Original Christians’ gathered on the Sabbath (ACTS 13:42,44; 17:2; 18:4) and the Festivals (ACTS 2:1; 18:21; I CORINTHIANS 5:7,8). It’s the only cycle of Worship that God set up, and in the future they will become the gathering days for all Mankind: “And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me, says the Lord.” (ISAIAH 66:23)

Why did Christ build His Church? “For the equipping of the Saints for the work of ministry, for edifying of the Body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of ‘the Faith’ and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head - Christ - from whom the whole Body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the Body for the edifying of itself in love.” (EPH.4:12-16)

How is the Church to be organized and run? “So when they (the Apostles) had appointed Elders in every Church & prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” (ACTS 14:23) The Apostle Paul encouraged the brethren, saying, “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose Faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct… Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable to you.” (HEBREWS 13:7,17)

The ‘Invisible Church’ is not perfect, and the ‘Visible Church’ even less perfect. But what should we expect when the Church is led by imperfect leaders and made up of members who are in a wide range of maturity and immaturity. The degree to which Christians acquiesce to God’s Spirit, instead of their flesh and ego, determines how mature they are, and how unified a congregation is. So if you’ve been offended and had some bad ‘Church Experiences’ - remember that we must not forsake “the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (HEBREWS 10:25)

Countdown to Armageddon

The Apostles once asked Jesus, "‘What will be the sign of Your coming and of the ‘End of the Age’? (MT.24:3) Jesus proceeded to answer with some signs common to most centuries, like, coming false Messiahs, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences. But then He followed with some very specific signs like the setting up of the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in the Holy Place (Temple grounds), and heavenly signs like the sun and moon being darkened, and stars falling from heaven. While these more specific signs become key markers in the Biblical prophetic portrait, they don’t tell the whole story of what is to come.

But if you search the rest of Scripture, you’ll find a sequence of events leading up to the Battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ, some of which give us a countdown of days to the culmination of this present Age.

In the past decade, we’ve seen 2 ‘End Time’ prophecies fulfilled. The rise and fall of ISIS as foretold in the first chapter of Habakkuk, and the ‘whole earth resting quietly’ (Zechariah 1) as a result of the Covid-19 pandemice shutdowns all over the world. I explain both of these prophecies in detail, in my book entitled: FORETOLD: The Covid-19 Effect (which you can purchase on Amazon - or get a free copy by texting your address to Tony at (916) 696-1299).

The next major prophecies to be fulfilled are the war against Iran (JEREMIAH 49:35-), and the subduing of 3 kingdoms by the Little Horn (DANIEL 7:8,20,24) both of which I’ve explained in detail in previous blogs. The Little Horn, modern day Turkey, will pluck up and subdue 3 nations (Iran, Iraq & Syria) when Shia Iran is attacked by the Sunni nations all around her. This war may be prompted by Iran getting more involved in the Israeli-Gaza conflict we see unfolding before our eyes! When it happens - Israel will help the Sunni nations against Iran, leading to a 7 year treaty with Israel that begins the 70th week of the ‘70 Weeks Prophecy” (DANIEL 9:27) And that’s when the ‘Countdown to Armageddon’ begins!

The book of Daniel shows the 70 ‘Sevens’ prophecy to span both comings of Messiah: “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for Your people (Israel) and Your holy city (Jerusalem) to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Christ), the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ (49 years in rebuilding Jerusalem) and sixty-two ‘sevens’ (558 years till Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey wiith shouts proclaiming Him a King - LUKE 19:38). It (Jerusalem) will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble (from peoples now living there - EZRA). After the sixty-two ‘sevens’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler (The Beast) who will come will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the End, and desolations have been decreed. He (The Beast) will confirm a Covenant with many for one ‘seven’ (the last 7 years of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy). In the middle of the ‘seven’ (3 1/2 years into Covenant) he (The Beast) will put an end to ‘Sacrifice & Offering’ (allowed to start up again because of the Covenant). And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the End that is decreed is poured out on him.” (DANIEL 9:24-27 NIV)

This final ‘seven’ of the 70 ‘sevens’ prophecy is a period of seven years, or 2520 Days. About 220 days into this ‘Covenant period” begins the 2300 Days Prophecy (DANIEL 8:8-14), when war breaks out in heaven between Angels & Demons: “It (the Little Horn, the Beast) grew until it reached the host of the heavens (Angels - I KINGS 22:19), and it (Satan, the power behind the Beast (REV. 13:2) threw some of the starry host (Angels) down to the earth and trampled on them. It (Satan) set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord (Michael the Archangel); It (Satan, through the Beast) took away the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ from the Lord, and His sanctuary was thrown down (REV.11:2). Because of rebellion,- the Lord’s people and the ‘Daily Sacrifice’ were given over to it (Satan & the Beast). It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. Then I (Daniel) heard a holy one (Angel) speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled - the vision concerning the ‘Daily Sacrifice,’ the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary (Jerusalem) and the trampling underfoot of the Lord’s people?” He said to me, “it will take 2300 evenings & mornings (days); then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated (Done by Christ - ISAIAH 4:2-4)

This Angel-Demon war is also described in the book of Revelation: “Then another sign appeared in heaven: An enormous red dragon with 7 heads and 10 Horns and 7 crowns on its heads (showing Satan’s influence behind the 7 kingdoms of the past represented by the 7 headed Beast). It’s tail swept a third of the stars (Angels) out of the sky and flung them to the earth (same as we just read in DANIEL 8:10)… Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon (Satan), and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.” (REVELATION 12:3,4,7,8)

When does this Angel-Demon war in heaven end? We don’t have to guess, Scripture tells us: “When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel & the grafted in Church) who had given birth to the male child (Christ). The woman was given the 2 wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time (1260 DAYS - REV.12:6 - halfway through the last prophetic week of 2520 Days). This means that the epic battle in heaven between Angels & Demons lasts about 1040 days (2300 minus 1260 remaining days of the 2300 days prophecy = 1040)

After Satan is cast down to the earth, “He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.” (REV.12:12) So he stirs up the ‘King of the South’ (Egypt), to attack the ‘King of the North’ (Turkey), but the King of the North overwhelms Egypt and takes over many Countries of the Middle East including Israel (DANIEL 11:40-42). The King of the North who is now ‘the Beast,’ sets up the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in Jerusalem’s Holy Place (Jesus: MT. 24:15) - An event that the prophet Daniel is told occurs 1290 days before the end of Gentile rule in Jerusalem. The ‘Daily Sacrifice’ is also taken away at this time. The Gentiles we’re told will reign for 42 months over Jerusalem (1260 Days - REV.11:2). The 2 Witnesses begin their witness to the world of God’s true religion (also 1260 Days REV. 11:3) The Church is taken into the wilderness at this time - and protected for 1260 Days (REV.12:6,14) Jesus warns that when we see the Abomination of Desolation set up (1290 Days), the ‘Great Tribulation’ begins, a time of unparalleled trouble in Human History because of the reign of the Beast.

Then the 5 Seals are opened (REV.6) and the 4 Horsemen ride resulting in the death of 25% of Humanity by war, famine, pestilence and wild beasts (REV.6:8). When the 5th Seal is opened, it results in the martyrdom of many Saints - individuals who did not have enough oil in their lamps (MT.25) to be taken into the wilderness for protection from the Beast (REV.12:14-17)

But approximately 2 1/2 years into the ‘Great Tribulation,’ the tide turns, and God’s vengeance against the Beast begins with the opening of the 6th Seal (REV.6:12-17) - A time called the ‘Day of the Lord’s Vengeance’ and the ‘YEAR of Recompense for the cause of Zion (Jerusalem - ISAIAH 34:8). During this final year of the reign of the Beast, the 7th Seal is opened, resulting in the 6 Trumpet plagues being poured out upon the Beast and its followers (REV.8 & 9). Nevertheless, “…the rest of Mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent…” (REV.9:20)

Then the 7th Trumpet is blown and an announcement is made to Mankind by Angels: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord (God the Father), and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” (REV.11:15) This is the culmination of the 1260 Days of Gentile rule over Jerusalem. This last trumpet blast also results in the Angels gathering the Saints from all over the earth (MT.24:31) to rise up in the 1st Resurrection (I CORINTHIANS 15:50-55 & I THESSALONIANS 4:13-18) and ascend to the throne of God where they sing the song of Moses, while standing on the Sea of Glass (REV.15:2) - awaiting the vanquishing of the Beast, and the Marriage Supper (REV.19:7-21)

Finally, the 7 Bowls of plagues are poured out by Angels upon the Beast and its followers (REV.16). But God in His graciousness accompanies these last plagues with 3 successive Angelic messages preaching the Gospel to the Beast’s followers (REV.14:6-10), warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God…” (REV.14:9,10) Then the Beast gathers armies at Megiddo to battle Christ, where they are defeated in the Battle of Armageddon (REV. 16 &19).

After Daniel was told by Michael the Archangel that there would be 1290 Days from the time the Abomination of Desolation was set up till the end of the Gentile rule over Jerusalem, he is told by Michael: “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the 1335 Days.” (REV.12:12).” This would suggest that the pouring out of the 7 bowl plagues, accompanied by the Angelic final warning, and the Battle of Armageddon - is a period of about 45 Days - and those who Humanly survive it, or are at the Marriage Supper in heaven - will truly be BLESSED!”

Focusing on people's FORTE

Swordsmanship refers to prowess in using a sword. It conjures up images of Medieval battlefields in which a gifted swordsman is putting down one opponent after another, or in sport, images of 2 men or women fencing. There are many types of swords that soldiers and athletes use, including the Gladius, the Sabre, and the Foil. But all swords are made up of 3 major parts: The Hilt, which is the handle, usually including a hand-guard; the Forte, which is the first half of the blade, and strongest part of the sword; and the Foible, which is the second half of the blade containing the sharp tip, and weakest part of the sword. We’ve all seen swordsmen parry, their blades meeting where the Forte ends and the Foible starts, when the fencing descends into a pushing match. And we’ve all seen a swordsman strike his opponent’s sword so hard in the Foible area, that it breaks one of the sword tips right off.

The Strength of the Forte, and the weakness of the Foible have become metaphors for people’s strengths and weaknesses. Thus we speak of someone’s forte, when they are obviously gifted in some area, while we speak of their foibles, when they chronically fall short in some way.

So do you tend to focus on a person’s forte or their foibles? Ironically, we all want others to focus on our forte, while we ourselves tend to focus on other’s foibles! But the happiest and healthiest relationships focus on one another’s forte.

The Bible is full of examples of people focusing on other’s foibles: “And when she (Hagar) saw that she conceived, her mistress (Sarah) became despised in her eyes.” (GENESIS 16:4,5) Hagar, who was one of Sarah’s hand-maids, gloated over her own forte in being able to bear children - while making a public spectacle of Sarah’s weakness (foible), in not being able to conceive. This was especially cruel in a culture where women were evaluated by how prolific they were in producing children.

When dating, a man & a woman tend to do just the opposite, focusing on one another’s forte (good looks, pleasing personality & abilities), while ignoring one another’s foibles. In the most successful marriages, the couple continues this approach, overlooking one another’s foibles and focusing on one another’s forte. But many couples unfortunately begin to lose focus on their mate’s forte that they were so enraptured with, and begin to focus on their mates’ weaknesses instead.

This happened with King David: “Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; And David was wearing a linen ephod (a priest’s garment). So David and all the House of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. Now as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal (David’s wife), Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.” (II SAMUEL 6:14-16) Michal had forgot about all the king’s accomplishments and strengths (forte) and disdained her husband because she thought he was acting undignified by shedding his royal garments and dancing in the streets in priestly garments.

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world (average folks like us) to put to shame the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world (the foible part of the sword of Humanity) to put to shame the things which are mighty (those with lots of forte, good looks & ability); and the base things of the world (the foible laden of Mankind) and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not (full of forte) to bring to nothing the things that are, THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY in His presence.” (I CORINTHIANS 1:26—29)

Christ Himself was considered by the ‘forte’ of His day (the Sanhedrin), as part of the ‘foible filled’ members of Jewish Society: “For He shall grow up before HIM as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness (the forte of ‘good looks’); and when see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men…” (ISAIAH 53:2,3)

So how about you? Do you tend to focus on other’s forte or foibles? In His message to one of the 7 churches in Asia (the Ephesian church), Christ showed us the way - focusing on the congregation’s forte: “I know your works, your labor, your patience and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are Apostles and are not and have found them liars. And you have persevered and have patience and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love…” (REVELATION 2:2-4) After listing 9 strengths of the congregation at Ephesus, Jesus mentions only one foible for them to work on. Oh that Christians had a 9-1 ratio in focusing on people’s forte over their foibles!

Ezra wrote: “You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve…” (EZRA 9:13) Shouldn’t we punish our brothers and sisters in Christ less than their iniquities deserve?

The Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (II PETER 3:18) Many Christians have grown in the knowledge of Christ, but haven’t grown to the point they show grace to others the way Christ did in His earthly days: “Woman (caught in Adultery), where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, ‘No one Lord.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (JOHN 8:10,11)

The word of God is compared to a 2 edged sword in the book of Hebrews. So when you pick up your Bible - let it remind you to use the strong side of that Biblical sword in conversation with others - and focus on their forte!

TOLERANCE: Is God for it or against it?

What does your Bible say about tolerance? Is God for it or against it? Are Christians demonstrating a maturity of love when they tolerate any lifestyle, behavior , or belief? Some Christian Denominations think so, touting the World’s mantra that if everybody would just permit and embrace all lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs as equally valid - then everyone would get along and the World would be at peace.

That’s the idea or concept behind the COEXIST bumper sticker, which you’ve probably seen somewhere along the way. Back in the year 2000, a Polish Graphic Designer, Piotr Mlodozeniec, created it by turning the letter C into a crescent moon symbolic of Islam, turning the x into the star of David symbolic of Judaism, and by changing the T into a latin cross symbolic of Christianity. A few years later another graphic designer named Jerry Jaspar, modified the other letters in the word COEXIST, putting a peace sign within the letter ‘o’, adding the male & female gender signs to the letter ‘e’, dotting the ‘i’ with a pentacle, symbolizing paganism and the Occult, and changing the ‘s’ into the yin-yang symbol of Chinese philosophy. A third version came out a few years later, coloring the word COEXIST with the colors of the rainbow to include the Gay community.

All this sounds very ‘high minded’ and conciliatory, but it ignores the fact that there is a God who has standards! And that He blesses those individuals and nations who practice His standards, and curses those individuals and nations who don’t.

So how is the word TOLERATE defined? Well dictionaries generally give two meanings: 1) To allow the existence or practice of, without prohibition or hindrance; and 2) To endure without repugnance, objection or condemnation. Most people have no problem with allowing the religious and social groups symbolized by the word COEXIST - to exist and practice their lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs. But it’s the second definition of the word TOLERATE that many people have a problem with, believing that no one should be forced to accept and condone ALL lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs as equally valid.

The book of Esther recounts an incidence in which the first definition of TOLERATE was ignored: “Then Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There is a certain people (the Jews) dispersed among all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them…” (ESTHER 3:8,9 NIV)

This was a decree of genocide! But Almighty God prevented it from happening, as we read in the rest of the book of Esther. Many such pogroms have been conducted against the Jewish people, including those in Russia and the Holocaust in Germany, but most recently by the terrorist group Hamas. But Christians and Armenians have also not been TOLERATED by some in the sense of the first definition: allowed to exist and practice their beliefs.

Your Bible lists many behaviors that God told Israel they should not allow to be practiced while He was in their midst: Sorcery (EXODUS 22:18); Adultery & Incest (LEVITICUS 20:10-14); Beastiality (EXODUS 22:19); kidnapping (EXODUS 21:16) Idolatry (EXODUS 22:20). Those who practiced such behaviors were to be put to death.

I imagine that if God Almighty decided to tabernacle in Washington D.C. or any other national capitol, these same behaviors would quickly be outlawed. But people who sinned in this manner would not be put to death, because we are no longer under the Administration of Death: “But if the Ministry of Death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the Ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?” (II CORINTHIANS 3:7,8)

Corporal and Capitol punishment have been a part of just about every government in history, bringing about order and civility among carnal people who need such strong deterrents, in order to avoid behavior that is destructive to themselves and society. But under the ‘Ministry of God’s Spirit,’ Christians are governed by God writing His laws in their hearts and minds (HEBREWS 10:1617) So unlike the Ministry of Death, conducted in ancient Israel, the Christian Church is given no such commands to put people to death for infractions of God’s Law.

However, the Church is told not to tolerate chronic sin in its midst. The Apostle Paul addressed the congregation at Corinth saying, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?” (I CORINTHIANS 5:1,2 NIV) So while the Church is to allow sinners to exist (not stone them), the Church is not to allow people to practice such sin incessantly - in their midst.

Christians individually, and the Church collectively, are not to accept, approve, or condone all lifestyles, behaviors and beliefs. Jesus Christ praised the congregation in Ephesus saying, ‘I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.” (REVELATION 2:2) In contrast, Jesus criticized the congregation in Thyratira, saying, “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads My servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” (REVELATION 2:20)

The apostle Paul prayed for the Church at Philippi, saying, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent…” (PHILIPPIANS 1:9,10) As Christians we must approve in ourselves and others - only the things that are excellent from God’s point of view. For a broader persepective on the subject of TOLERANCE - watch our show by that title on our YOUTUBE channel titled: ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY.

Current Israeli-Palestinian War prophesied?

Which nation is the legitimate owner of the Levant - that narrow strip of land that the Palestinians and Israelis are fighting over - which is called the ‘Landbridge between Africa & Eurasia?’ What peoples have occupied the Levant historically? Well, many peoples according to the Bible & Archaeology - including the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Horites, the Jebusites, the Israelis and the Philistines - to name a few.

So who should decide which of these former and current occupants of the Levant have the most legitimate claim to it today? Should the United Nations be convened to vote on it? Should the World Court at the Hague in Europe decide the matter? Or should God have the final say? And which god? The god of the Quran or the God of the Bible? Well, it just so happens that the God of the Bible & the god of the Quran are in perfect agreement about which people are the legitimate owners of the Levant - and I’ll show you which people - right from the pages of both books!

But we also need to see what your Bible prophesies about Israel and the people of Gaza. Was the war between Israel and Gaza, which we’re seeing unfold on our televisions on a daily basis, actually foretold? Where is all this headed? Is this the beginning of the ‘End Times’ prophesied in Scripture?

In the Table of Nations found in the 10th chapter of Genesis, we read of where some of the descendants of the 3 sons of Noah (Ham, Shem & Japheth) migrated: “The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon (Modern day Lebanon) as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.” (GENESIS 10:19) If you google a map of this text - you’ll see that it encompassed most of what is called the Levant, and very similar to the later borders of the nation of Israel.

We also read this in the first book of the Bible: “So Abimelech… returned to the Land of the Philistines.” That historical statement is made hundreds of years before there was a Jew alive and dwelling in the Levant. A fact which causes many to say that Israel cannot lay the oldest claim on the Levant.

But the book of Genesis also records this statement: “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place you are - northward, southward, eastward, and westward; For all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.” (GENESIS 13:4,15) The second book of Chronicles adds: “Are you not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this Land before Your people Israel and gave it to the descendants of Abraham, your friend, forever?” (II CHRONICLES 20:7)

So why did God make and fulfill this promise of Israel dispossessing the Land of the Canaanites? He told Abraham’s son Isaac part of the answer: “I will give to your descendants all these lands, and in your seed (Christ) all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; BECAUSE Abraham obeyed My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.” (GENESIS 26:3-5)

A second reason is given in the book of Deuteronomy: “Do not think in your heart (Israel), after the Lord has cast them (the Canaanites) out before you, saying, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this Land; BUT IT IS BECAUSE of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you.” (DEUTERONOMY 9:3,4) God sent the descendants of Abraham into Egypt for 400 years because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” (GENESIS 15:16) But after 400 more years of corruption - the people of the Levant had become so wicked that God now sentenced them to death through the Divine disasters and the sword of Israel He brought upon them. And to show God’s fairness - He later displaced the Israelites from the Levant for their sins (read II KINGS 17). But because of the promise He made to Abraham, about the Levant belonging to Israel forever, God inspired Persian King Cyrus to write a decree allowing Judah to return to their lands and rebuild (EZRA 1).

And you’ll be shocked to read that the god of the Quran also gave the Levant to the people of Israel: “We (Islam’s god is always referred to in the majesty of plural) gave the persecuted people (the Jews) dominion over the Eastern & Western Lands which we had blessed (The East & West Banks of the Jordan River). Thus your Lord’s gracious word was fulfilled for the Israelites, because they had endured with fortitude; and We destroyed the edifices and towers of Pharoah and his people.” (Surah 7:137) There’s also this in the Quran: “We settled the Israelites in a blessed Land and provided them with good things.” (Surah 10:93)

So what does your Bible say prophetically about Israel and the people of Gaza? Is this war between Israel and Gaza the beginning of the ‘End Times’ prophesied in Scripture? Watch our television program by the title ‘Israeli-Palestinian War prophesied?’ when it debuts on YOUTUBE Saturday October 21st to find the answers to these questions! Just type the words ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY in the search line on YOUTUBE and you’ll see this and other titles of programs.

Rational Beliefs & Behavior

Are you insane? Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind? These are questions we ask ourselves and others whenever we say or do something irrational. A rational person believes and acts according to reason - that is they have a sound basis for their beliefs and behavioral choices. An irrational person, by contrast, has no sound basis for their beliefs and behaviors - they act impulsively, erratically, and emotionally - with few proven beliefs.

Today, such clarity between rationality and irrationality has been muddied, blurred and confused by Academia, the Media, and the entertainment industry.

So what about you? Do you have valid, proven, sound reasons behind what you believe and how you behave?What does your Bible have to say about rationality and irrationality? How can you develop a sound mind like that of Jesus Christ?

The trial of Jesus Christ before His death, is a Biblical example of irrational behavior: “Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him!’ Then he said to them the third time, ‘Why, what evil has He done? I have found no REASON for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.’ But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified, and the voices of these men and chief priests (Not Reason) prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.” (LUKE 23:20-24)

Pilate knew that this crowd had been stirred up by Jewish leaders, but his rational plea was ignored by an irrational crowd. So he finally gave into their demands, just as many political and religious leaders do to crowds today! Your Bible says: “You shall not follow a crowd to do evil.” (EXODUS 23:2) One of the greatest evils there is played out here: Sentencing an innocent man to death!

Scripture tells us: “Surely oppression destroys a wise man’s REASON…” (ECCLESIASTES 7:7) We live in a nation that is increasingly oppressing free speech in schools, Social Media, athletics and the public square. Reasoning, public debate and discussion of all points of view are frowned upon. Conservative speakers are rarely invited to Universities and Colleges, but when they are, they’re often booed off the stage before they can even make their presentation.

Contrast that tyrannical approach with that of Almighty God: “Come now and let us REASON together, says the Lord…” (ISAIAH 1:18) And in a similar text: “Present your case,’ says the Lord. Bring forth your strong REASONS, says the King of Jacob.” (ISAIAH 41:21)

The Original Christians never forced their beliefs on anyone, but rather encouraged debate and discussion. Scripture tells us: “Now as he (Paul) REASONED about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix (Roman Governor) was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.” (ACTS 24:25) The Biblical message Christians bring is based on sound reasoning, which makes some people uncomfortable enough to want to censor it.

The Apostle Peter encouraged people saying, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a REASON for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (I PETER 3:15)

The Bible describes irrational people as fools: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.” (PSALM 14:1) It also refers to them as ‘Leftists’: “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left… Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked MADNESS - and fools multiply words.” (ECCLESIASTES 10:2,12,14 NIV)

Horns Vs. Blacksmiths - Zechariah's 2nd Vision

The world, failed to recognize God’s first warning about the impending doom that is about to come upon Mankind. I’m talking about the fulfillment of Zechariah’s first vision - in which he saw a Horseman, who was soon surrounded by other horsemen who are sent by God to walk to and fro on the earth - after which they reported one simple statement: ‘ALL THE EARTH IS RESTING QUIETLY.’

The Worldwide shutdown of all non-essential businesses, along with Global Government Shelter-in-place orders in the Spring of 2020 - was an unprecedented event in Human History! The decibel level generated by Mankind during that shutdown probaably dropped by 80% of normal - causing the whole earth to rest quietly. Never before have nations around the world engaged in such a simultaneous lock-down of their populations!

The great, merciful God has given us a ‘Calm before the Storm’ of catastrophic events to come. When Zechariah’s 2nd vision is fulfilled and all peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues begin living under the tyrannical reign of the Beast - people will long nostalgically for the quiet restful period ushered in by Zechariah’s 1st vision, fulfilled by the Covid-19 Shutdowns!

So what is Zechariah’s 2nd Vision all about? “Then I (Zechariah) looked and saw 4 animal Horns. ‘What are these?’ I asked the Angel. He replied, ‘They represent the 4 world powers that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.’ Then the Lord showed me 4 Blacksmiths. ‘What are these men come to do?’ I asked. The Angel replied, ‘They have come to take hold of the 4 Horns that scattered Judah so terribly, and to pound them on the anvil and throw them away.” (ZECHARIAH 1:18-21 TLV) This text, full of prophetic imagery raises some questions: ‘Who or what do the 4 Horns & the 4 Blacksmiths symbolize? When will this scattering of the Holy people occur? Where else in Scripture do we find groupings of four that might be connected to these characters?

Your Bible speaks of horns as symbols of nations and their military power: “The Horn of Moab is cut off and his arm is broken.” (JEREMIAH 48:25) “Concerning the tribe of Joesph HE said… ‘He is a young bull in strength and splendor, with the strong horns of a wild Ox to push against the nations everywhere…” (DEUTER.33:13,17)

The only other place in Scripture where we find a grouping of 4 Horns is in the 7th chapter of Daniel: “After this I (Daniel) saw in the night visions and behold, a 4th Beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the Beasts that were before it and it had 10 Horns. I was considering the Horns and there was another Horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom 3 of the first Horns were plucked up by the roots (3 + 1 = 4). And there in this Horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking pompous words.” So important is this grouping of 4 Horns, that God has Daniel repeat this mantra of 1 Horn plucking up, felling (7:19,20) and subduing 3 Kings (7:23-27) - three times in a row!

In the subsequent chapter, Daniel sees new symbols - but with the ‘Little Horn’ once again prominent: “Therefore the male goat (Greece 8:21) grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn (History says: Alexander the Great) was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven (History says Alexander’s empire was divided between 4 of his Generals). And out of one of them came a Little Horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land (Israel).”

Since this ‘Little Horn’ expands his power to the south, east, and Israel (Southwest) - He is obviously coming out of the northern division of Alexander’s empire - equating him with the ‘King of the North’ in the eyes of many Theologians. This ‘King of the North’ built his capital in Antioch which is now in modern day Turkey. If you google a map of his Seleucid Kingdom you’ll see that it includes territory that is now modern day Syria, Iran and Iraq. Intriguingly, that means that modern day Turkey (the King of the North & Little Horn) would have to pluck up and subdue these 3 kingdoms in order to restore the King of the North territory! Turkey is poised to do just that with tanks and infantry already across the Iraqi and Syrian borders fighting terrorism. When the war prophesied to come against Elam (Modern day Iran - Jeremiah 49:35-) occurs - Turkey will be able to roll right in and subdue Syria, Iran, and Iraq. This will be the next great prophetic event, when God will bring the 4 winds (Sunni Islam) against Iran (Center of Shia Islam).

Following this religious civil war in the Middle East will be the fulfillment of Zechariah’s 2nd vision as the 4 Horns (Turkey + the subdued kings of Syria, Iraq and Iran) take over the Middle East and scatter Israel: “At the time of the End, the King of the South (Egypt) shall attack him; and the King of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall enter the Glorious Land (Israel - just as the Little Horn DAN.8) and many countries shall be overthrown…” (DANIEL 11:40,41)

When this happens, the deadly wound administered to the Ottoman (Islamic) Empire by the English & French in World War I will be healed, and Turkey will reign over 400 million people (population of the E.U.) control 2/3 of the world’s oil through OPEC, control the strategic Suez Canal, and confiscate all the weaponry of the Middle East, including Israel’s nukes.

Who will finally stop this Beastial empire? Christ and the 4 Blacksmiths He commands! We’ve just looked at the powerful foursome pictured by the 4 Horns that will invade and scatter Israel - so where do we find a powerful foursome that work for Christ? Study Ezekiel 1 with Revelation 4 and you’ll learn about the 4 living creatures stationed at God’s throne. Ezekiel 10 calls them Cherubim. Under Christ’s direction this foursome take turns telling John about the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Likely the 4 Horns REV.6); Seal the Saints (REV.7); Battle and kill the 200 million man army (Armageddon REV.9); and give the 7 bowls of God’s final wrath against the Beast to 7 angels to pour out REV.15).

Islam proudly proclaims that their god gave Mankind IRON (Surah 57:25), and that since 57 FE is one isotope of 4 that make up IRON - the IRON chapter proves the validity of the Quran.

In a prophecy against Israel God says: “Can anyone break iron, THE NORTHERN IRON and the BRONZE? Your (Israel’s) wealth and your treasures I (God) will give as plunder without price, because of your sins, throughout your territories.” (JEREMIAH 15:12,13)

Remember that the Little Horn (King of the North) comes out of one of the 4 divisions of the Greek empire. Greece is symbolized by the color BRONZE in the great image king Nebuchadnezzar sees (DANIEL 2:32).

The prophet Zechariah is told in his 2nd Vision that the 4 Blacksmiths (4 Living Creatures stationed at God’s throne) will pound the 4 Horns (symbolized by IRON & BRONZE) on the Anvil and throw them away.

According to the book of Revelation - that’s exactly what the 4 Living Creatures do to the Beast in the latter days! If you want more details - watch our ORIGINAL CHRISITIANITY T.V. program at Youtube entitled: ‘Horns VS. Blacksmiths.’

Required REST

REST! It’s essential to Human health, boosting the effectiveness of our immune systems, and reducing the negative effects of stress. REST is also helpful to our hearts, improving cardiovascular function by lowering damaging levels of cortisol in our bodies, and maintaining proper blood pressure. REST is also vital to our Mental health, improving concentration and recall, while aiding with mood and body rhythm.

In a 2015 survey of 18,000 people from 134 Countries, 68% of participants said they don’t feel they get enough rest. Isn’t it ironic that we live in a ‘restless world’ when the first ritual Almighty God gave Mankind was the 6 Day work week - followed by a mandatory ‘Day of Rest’? We all see the benefits of momentary rest: pausing, sitting, napping - but few see the value of a ‘Day of Rest.’

In the book of Genesis we read: “On the 7th day God ended His work which He had done and He rested on the 7th day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it (set it apart), because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.”

God then went on to codify this act as part of the 10 commandments: “REMEMBER the Sabbath Day, to keep it HOLY. Six days you shall LABOR and do all your work, but the 7th Day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them and rested the 7th day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it.” (EXODUS 20:8-11)

Most people are familiar with this 4th Commandment, but few know the principles behind it! Remember that principles are the reasons behind the rules. The most obvious principle behind the Sabbath Law is RENEWAL. All physical things need the renewal that comes from cyclical rest. The Federal Labor Department recognized this decades ago - suggesting that all employers give their employees a 15 minute rest break for every 4 hours worked. Ironically, some employees ignored the break, choosing to keep on working, so some states made the ‘rest break’ mandatory! Renewal means to bring back to an original state of vigor & energy. So when people go 7 days a week either working or partying till the wee hours of the morning - they’re damaging their health & longevity, and not allowing their bodies to rejuvenate.

REMEMBRANCE is also a principle behind God’s giving of the Sabbath! By sanctifying the 7th day from the very beginning, God’s intention was that Mankind observe it and always be REMINDED of our origins. Again it’s ironic that the one commandment that starts with the word REMEMBER - is the one most forgotten and ignored! Moses was inspired to write: “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth…” (DT.8:18) If all of Mankind had oberved the Sabbath down through the centuries - there would be only one religion and everyone know who their Creator is!

A 3rd principle behind God’s giving of the Sabbath cycle is to teach us the concept of HOLINESS. While few things are still considered sacred today, most people still view houses of worship as ‘holy places’ not to be vandalized, or entered into irreverently. Most people also treat a man or woman of the cloth as special holy representations of a certain religion. The last 2 words of the 4th commandment concern the ‘hallowing’ of the 7th day - which means to make it holy. ‘Holy time’ was set apart by God to teach us to revere God and His authority over our time, our money, our diets and our bodies. Your bible says that without holiness - no one will see God! Revering the Sabbath as holy time trains our hearts and minds to be careful about what we think, say and do in relation to God and others - that hopefully extends into the 6 day work week.

Another principle inherent in the 4th Commandment is FULFILLMENT from LABOR. People forget the phrase ‘6 days shall work be done” in the Sabbath commandment which forms part of the Judeo-Christian work ethic dominant in the western Christian world. As your Bible says, “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I (Solomon) saw, was from the hand of God.” (ECCLESIASTES 2:24) Of course it was from God! - because He’s the one who set the 6 day work week ‘in the beginning.’

Two more related principles behind God’s giving of this REST commandment is the importance of REVIEW and EVALUATION: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (GEN.1:31) When was the last time you reviewed & evaluated your last 6 working days as God did? My wife and I try to do this every Sabbath, and in the process we’re able to revel in the good that came from our work and also evaluate our individual & joint effectiveness. In this review process, the memories of our lives are more deeply etched in our minds, our spirits are lifted by what went well, and we’re able to address and learn from our mistakes.

The 7th principle behind observing the Sabbath is KINDNESS: to your kids, employees, and animals - as they all get the day off! Slave-owners worked their slaves 7 days a week, which was cruel and unjust. But as the Scripture says: “Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” (COL.4:1) God gave Mankind the 7th day of every week off to recover and rejuvenate, Man should do the same with their kids, employees and animals. The book of Proverbs says: “A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” (PR.12:10)

One principle behind the 4th commandment that is found outside the Decalogue, is UNITY: “Six days shall work be done, but the 7th day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation (gathering to worship).” (LEVITICUS 23:3) Gathering to group worship builds a bond between us and God, and between brothers and sisters of Christ! That’s why the Apostle Paul admonished, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…” (HEB.10:24-25) King David was inspired to write: “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” (PSALM 133:1) God Almighty intended to build unity in the ‘Body of Christ’ by making it mandatory for people to gather every 7th day and worship Him together.

But the most important principle behind this 4th rule in the 10 commandments is that God is WORTHY of our undivided attention on the 7th Day that He set apart for us to focus on our Creator: “If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord, honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord and I will cause you to ride on the high hills.” (ISAIAH 58:13,14)

The United Nations estimates that about a third of the world’s soils are degraded because of over-farming and over-grazing. That would not be the case if the land was given a regular Sabbath rest as God Almighty commanded: “Six years you shall sow your field and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather its fruit; but in the 7th year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the land. “ (LEV.25:3) This land rest is so important to God that He listed Israel’s negligence of this law as a major reason why He allowed them to be taken into captivity. (II CHRONICLES 36:20,21)

So there’s rest for the body, rest for the soil, and also rest from war: “The Lord gave them (Israel) rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.” (JOSHUA 21:44)

There’s also internal rest needed by every Human Being: “Come to Me (Jesus), all you who are wearied and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me… and you will find rest for your souls.” (MATTHEW 11:28,29)

But the weekly Sabbath is also a harbinger of an extraordinary REST to come: “Therefore, since the promise of entering HIS REST still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it… For somewhere He has spoken about the 7th Day in these words: ‘On the 7th Day God rested from all His works…’ For if Joshua had given them REST, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains then, a Sabbath-REST for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s REST also rests from their works just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter THAT REST, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.” (HEBREWS 4)

The Apostle Peter said that with God - one day is as a 1000 years (II PETER 3:8) And the book of Revelation says that Christ is going to reign over all nations for a 1000 years (REVELATION 20:4-6)

So chapter four of Hebrews is telling us that the weekly Sabbath foreshadows a 1000 year REST from war that we can enter into - if we cease from our works every 7th Day as God did from His.

Isaiah was inspired to write: “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before Me… From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, ALL MANKIND will come and bow down before Me, says the Lord.” (ISAIAH 66:22,23)

So start now to give your body, mind and soul the REST God intended you to have - live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God - including the 4th Commandment!

The 2 Comings of Christ

Most Christians know that the major difference between Christianity and Judaism is that Christians recognize Jesus as the promised prophetic Messiah - and the Jews don’t. But do you understand why the Jews don’t? It’s because Jesus didn’t meet the test of a true prophet given in Deuteronomy chapter 13!

Another difference between the Jewish & Christian prophetic paradigm, is that Christians see 2 Comings of the promised Messiah in the Old Testament - while Jews only acknowledge one. Could you personally show a Jew the 2 Comings of Christ prophesied in their own Hebrew Scriptures? Thankfully, many Christians have been able to do this down through the centuries - and as a result - many Jews have come to accept Jesus as their promised Messiah.

Why did God Almighty plan 2 Comings of Messiah? Do you know His purpose behind each appearance of Christ? Can you find those purposes clearly spelled out in the pages of your Bible?

The test of a true prophet says: “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass of which he spoke to you (Jesus did many such signs & wonders), saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ - which you have not known - and let us serve them (Jesus was perceived as teaching that He was another god & that people should follow Him), you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Jews no doubt told their kids not to listen to this supposed prophet but to remember the first and great commandment) You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, (which is why they crucified Jesus) because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you ouf of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you away from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk.” (Jesus was perceived as teaching against the commandments of God) (DEUTERONOMY 13:1-5)

But Jesus did not teach that He was another god with THE FATHER or in a godhead. He clearly taught that He was the Son of God (MT.16:13-17). He referred to THE FATHER as THE ONLY TRUE GOD (JN.17:3) and His God and our God (JN. 20:17) Jesus also said publicly in the Sermon on the Mount, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you (the crowds), till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the Law till all is fulfilled.” (MT.5:17,18) Therefore, Jesus did not fail the test of a Prophet. But He was a stumbling block to His own people as prophesied (JN.12:37-43) and misunderstood by those whose minds are blinded (II COR.4:4).

Messiah was prophesied to have 2 Comings: First as a ‘Suffering Servant’ to take away our sins (ISAIAH 53), and secondarily as a conquering King of kings to bring one world government (ISAIAH 9:6,7; 2:1-4). These are the purposes behind God planning 2 Comings of Christ.

The first Messianic prophecy in your Bible actually eludes to both comings: “And I (God) will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman (Eve), and between your seed (JN.8:44) and her Seed; He (Christ) shall bruise your (Satan’s) head (REV.20:1-3 -2nd Coming) & you (Satan) shall bruise His (Jesus’) heel (1st Coming)

First Coming texts include: (DEUTERONOMY 18:18) (PSALM 22) (ISAIAH 7:14; 49:1-6) (MICAH 5:1,2)

Second Coming texts include: (GENESIS 49:10,11) (NUMBERS 24:17-) (ISAIAH 19:1-3; 63:1-6)

In conclusion, let me share these sobering warnings: “And it shall be that whoever will not hear My (The Father’s) words, which He (Christ) speaks in My name, I will require it of him.” (DEUTERONOMY 18:19) He who rejects Me (Jesus), and does not receive My words, has that which judges him - the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (JN.12:48)

Tree of Life

Trees are essential to life on earth - providing 28% of the oxygen we and other mammals breathe. But oxygen is not the only thing that trees give us. Trees also provide us with the lumber to frame our houses. Trees provide us with beautifully different woods to make cabinets, doors & furniture. And trees also feed us with a variety of fruits and nuts.

You may not be aware that over the span of 1 year, just 100 trees remove 53 tons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, along with 419lbs. of various pollutants.

Because of good forest management and the encouragement of people to plant trees on their own property, the United States has 119% more trees today than it did in 2007. Americans plant over a billion trees a year and Canadians 600 million.

Trees are also aesthetically pleasing, with over 60,000 species to choose from in landscaping our homes.

We read in GENESIS 2 that “The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil… And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

What is the Tree of LIfe? What does it symbolize? Are these 2 trees singled out by God - polar opposites of one another? They seem to be - since the consumption of one leads to death - while consumption of the other leads to Eternal life.

There are only 3 sources of knowledge: The Scientific method; Philsophical reasoning; and Revelation. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil symbolizes the first 2 sources of knowledge - both produced by Man. But the 3rd source of knowledge, Revelation, comes only from God Almighty: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever…” (DEUT.29:29)

Your Bible warns: ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs .14:12) This verse, more than any other in the Bible, symbolizes the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, because Eve was convinced that eating of this tree was the right thing to do, but instead it led to her death! It’s not that Science and Philsophy don’t contain some true knowledge - they do. It’s that they both contain a mixture of truth and error - and are void of some truth that can only be found in the revelation of the Bible! Important truths like the real origins of Man, why we were born, and what is the basis of authority.

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write: “Beware, lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world - and not according to Christ.” (COLOSSIANS 2:8) He also warned us through his letter to Timothy, saying: “Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge - by professing it some have strayed concerning the Faith.” (I TIMOTHY 6:20,21) How many Christian families have sent their kids off to college in search of a career preparing degree, only to have them brainwashed of 18 years of Biblical teaching?

The fruit of the ‘Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil’ is easy to find in your Bible! Its all the behaviors that bring forth death: A lying tongue (PROVERBS 21:6); Carnal mindedness (ROMANS 8:6); Leaving the natural (heterosexual) use of one’s body, Covetousness, Envy, Murder, (ROMANS 1:26-32); and Sin (ROMANS 6:23)

Too many Christians put more stock in Man’s words and the traditions of men - than in the revelation of God found in the pages of their Bibles - and it is leading them towards eternal death if they don’t repent and turn back to God and His Tree of Life, which is the Bible!

The fruit of the Tree of Life is also easy to find in the pages of your Bible. It’s all the behaviors that lead to eternal life: Wisdom (PROVERBS 3:13-18); righteousness (PROVERBS 11:30); Hope (PROVERBS 13:12); A wholesome tongue (PROVERBS 15:4); Overcoming (REVELATION 2:7); Commandment keeping (REV.22:14); Giving attention to God’s words (PROVERBS 4:20-22); Fear (reverence) of the Lord (PROVERBS 14:27); Sowing to the Spirit instead of the flesh (GALATIANS 6:8).

If we want to live forever, we need to stop eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil - and eat only of the Tree of Life! As the prophet Jeremiah said, “Your words were found and I ate of them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.” (JEREMIAH 15:16)

If the Tree of Life had a subtitle it would probably be this:: “I AM THE LORD your GOD, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” (ISAIAH 48:17)

Nuclear Iran?

If you were spelunking in one of the myriad of caves in the Southwestern United States and entered a chamber not explored by man for millennia, and saw an inscription on one of the rock walls that read: New Yorkers, Virginians, Texans and Californian’s will one day unite as a nation - you would instantly know that this was a prophecy about the coming United States of America! So likewise, when we read in our Bibles about the future of peoples called Parthians, Persians, Elamites and Medes - we should be aware that these are references to modern day Iran!

The word ‘Persia’ is an exonym - a name other nations used to refer to the Irani people in past centuries. But after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire (post World War I), the Irani people formally requested that world nations refer to them as the nation of Iran.

Interestingly, Iran and Israel share a sordid history of cooperation & conflict that goes back centuries before Christ - some of which is recorded in the pages of your Bible! You may be aware of what’s called the Babylonian captivity of ancient Israel, that took place in the 6th century B.C. The Prophet Ezra tells us why this happened: “But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath, HE gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and carried the people away to Babylon.” (EZRA 5:12)

But then God raised up a Persian (Iranian) king who conquered the Babylonian empire and blessed the people of Israel: “This is what the Lord says… Who says of Cyrus, he is MY shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; He will say of Jerusalem, ‘Let it be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be layed.” (ISAIAH 44:28) Isaiah wrote a century before Cyrus was born, showing the power of God Almighty to call a person by name - even before he was born!

The Cyrus Cylinder, which was discovered in 1879 among the ruins of ancient Babylon, records King Cyrus giving a general decree - allowing all captives to return to their Homelands: “I returned the images of the gods who had resided there (Babylon) to their places and let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered all their inhabitants and returned to them their dwellings.”

Your Bible records the specific decree concerning the Jewish people: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And HE has commanded me to build HIM a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all HIS people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (HE is God), which is in Jerusalem.” (EZRA 1:2,3)

Ironically, a later king of Persia (Iran), is misguided into signing a decree to annihilate these same Jewish people blessed by Cyrus: “Then Haman said to King Xerxes, ‘There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people and they do not obey the King’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them… the king said to Haman… do with the people as you please… Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate the Jews… on a single day, the 13th day of the 12th month.” (ESTHER 3:8-13 NIV)

If you go on reading in the book of Esther - that date for the genocide of the people of Israel was chosen by the casting of lots - which becomes the name of the Jewish celebration (Purim - Pur = lots) - when God turns the tables on Haman who’s family line is annihilated - instead of the Jews!

Is it only a coincidence that 3 major attempts at genocide of the Jews has come at the hands of men whose names begin with the letter ‘H’? Haman, as we just read about. Herod, who committed infanticide against Israel when he commanded that all boys under 2 be killed in Bethlehem & its districts (in an attempt to snuff out Jesus - MATTHEW 2:16)). And Hitler who carried out the Holocaust in the mid 20th century, killing 6 million Jews!

Modern day Iran was lead in the 1979 revolution by Ayatollah Khomeini - pronounced Homani, a name which shares semitic roots with the name Haman. In a speech at a conference called ‘The World Without Zionism,’ former President Ahmadinejad said: “As the imam (Khomeini) said, ‘Israel must be wiped off the map.” So will the world see another attempt at genocide of the Israeli people by a regime whose founder had another ‘H’ sounding name? All should know that the master mind behind such existential rhetoric also has a name beginning with ‘H’ in the Hebrew language: HaSatan - whom Jesus called “a murderer from the beginning.” (JOHN 8:44)

Bible Prophecy shows that God is going to bring calamity on the Irani nation": The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam (modern day Iran)… Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the foremost of their might (Whose might? Iran is the foremost of Shia might). Against Elam I will bring the 4 winds from the 4 quarters of heaven, and scatter them towards all these winds; there shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go. For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, MY fierce anger says the Lord. And I will send the sword after them until I have consumed them. I will set MY throne in Elam and will destroy from there the king…” (JEREMIAH 49:34-38)

The fact that God says HE will set HIS throne in Elam shows that this prophecy will culminate with the return of Christ and the angelic announcement that “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of HIS Christ, and HE shall reign forever and ever.” (REVELATION 11:15) Why will Iran be humbled in the near future by Almighty God? I’ll let God answer: “He who touches you (Israel) touches the apple of HIS eye. For surely I will shake MY hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent Me (Jesus).” (ZECHARIAH 2:8,9)

Iran is called ‘The Chief State sponsor of Terror,’ because they fund and funnel weaponry to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in the Gaza strip, so that they can fight a proxy war against Israel! We’ve all seen the video of hundreds of rockets fired from Syria and Gaza into the land of Israel. God Almighty is going to bring such terror as they’ve caused back on the heads of the Iranian regime and when it happens, you’ll remember reading this blog.

But the story doesn’t end with the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy against modern day Iran. Watch our video on ‘Nuclear Iran’ on YOUTUBE under Original Christianity and you’ll learn about another nation which will take Iran under its wings in the latter days and invade Israel and the harlot city of Babylon before they are both defeated at the Battle of Armageddon!

The Doomsday clock is inching forward

Doomsday is more than a DC Comics character seeking to destroy Superman and the Human Race. It’s a term we use whenever there’s an existential threat to our species.

In 1968 Professor Paul R. Ehrlich of Stanford University published a book entitled ‘The Population Bomb,’ in which he predicted that world food production would not be able to keep up with exponential population growth and therefore millions would starve. To deal with the crisis he floated the idea of adding sterilants to the water supply and staple foods. But while population has tripled since then - food production has also kept pace, foiling his Doomsday prediction.

We all remember the Y2K Doomsday prediction that failed to bring about the world’s doom - And the 2012 Maya Calendar scare in which Nibiru, a mysterious unseen planet was supposed to collide with earth and bring about Doomsday.

But the Nuclear Age ushered in such a real Doomsday scenario, that Albert Einstein and some of the Scientists who had worked with him on the Manhattan project which led to the building of the first Atom bomb, created the Doomsday Clock in 1947, set at 5 minutes to midnight.

A few months ago, the committee that monitors this clock, moved the hands to 90 seconds before midnight, because of hints given by Vladimir Putin about possibly invoking the Nuclear option in his war against Ukraine, because of Climate Change concerns, and because of the fear of a new Pandemic.

For Christians throughout history however, Doomsday has been linked to a statement made by Jesus and recorded in the Gospels: “So when you see standing in the Holy Place (Jerusalem), ‘the Abomination that causes desolation…’ then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, NO ONE WOULD SURVIVE, but for the sake of the Elect those days will be shortened.” (MATTHEW 24:15-22) This unparalleled time of trouble, according to your Bible, will involve all of the major determinants brought forth by famous doomsdayers of the past: Famine, war, pestilence, Celestial catastrophes and Natural disasters.

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, and United Nations official, recently made this alarmist statement: “The world is facing a gathering storm of extinction level consequences, exacerbated by the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and the threats are even more acute, and the failures of leadership even more damning. We live today in a world of interlocking crisis, each illustrating the unwillingness of leaders to act in the true long term interests of their peoples.”

Your Bible says, “When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules the people groan.” (PROVERBS 29:2) There’s a whole lot of groaning going on around the world today because of wicked men and women who are in the seat of Political power, either as Kings, Presidents or Prime Ministers. This is true of Legislatures as well, whom God gives this stern warning: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees.” (ISAIAH 10:1 NIV) And God doesn’t give the Judicial branches of Governments a pass either: “God stands in the assembly of the gods. He stands as Judge among the judges. He says, ‘How long will you judge unfairly and show special favors to the wicked?’ (PSALM 82:1,2)

Corrupt leadership has contributed to the fall of empires, countries and cities throughout history! Wickedness brings doom: “Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; yes he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. That’s why your Bible says, “…the wicked are reserved for ‘the Day of Doom.’” (JOB 21:30)

God says, “If a Country sins against ME by being unfaithful and I stretch out MY hand against it to cut off its food supply, and send famine upon it, and kill its people and their animals, even if these 3 men - Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could only save themselves… Or if I bring a sword against that Country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through that land,’ and I kill its people and their animals, as surely as i live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these 3 men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters.” (EZEKIEL 14:13,14,17,18)

The greatest contributor & determinant of DOOMSDAY is SIN or WICKEDNESS - whether among the leaders of a people - or the people themselves. The only way to avoid Doomsday then - is for everyone to repent: “Now therefore, amend your ways and doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that HE has pronounced against you.” (JEREMIAH 26:13)

As we saw in the words of Jesus Himself, the only reason Doomsday is not allowed to come fully to this world is because of the Elect - who have amended their ways & doings - are you one of them?

Genuineness of your 'Faith'

Genuineness of your 'Faith'

Originals are almost always worth more than copies, counterfeits or forgeries. Take the ‘Art World’ for instance: A painting from one of the old ‘Grand Masters’ of the 16th or 17th centuries can fetch millions of dollars at the elite Art Houses like ‘Sotheby’s of London’ or Christie’s of New York - but copies of such works? Well you can buy them for just a few bucks at Walmart or Target.

What makes an original genuine? It’s unique, one of a kind, an Artist’s only rendition. Or in the case of a Rolex watch, it comes off the Assembly line in Switzerland from the Original mold or design. No one likes to find out after their purchase, that what they thought was genuine - was really a fake, a fraud, a forgery!

Well millions of Christians have come to find that the Christianity they were practicing from birth, is not original Christianity! It really originated during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, or the founding of the Catholic Church in the 4th century.

“For 50 years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the Church, through which we strive vainly to look. And when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest ‘Church Fathers’ - we find a Church in many respects very different from that in the days of St. Peter & St. Paul… the services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual & hearty than those of former times. The forms & ceremonies of Paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen Feasts became Church Festivals with a change of name and of worship. About 405 A.D. images of Saints & Martyrs began to appear in the churches, at first as memorials, then in succession revered, adored and worshipped. The adoration of the virgin Mary was substituted for the worship of Venus and Diana; the Lord’s Supper became a sacrament in place of a memorial; and the Elder evolved from a preacher into a priest.” (Story of the Christian Church, p.41 Jesse Lyman Hurlbut)

The Apostle Peter was inspired to write: “…that the genuineness of your Faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor & glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I PETER 1:7). Will your Faith be found to be ‘genuine’ at Christ’s return? No! Not unless you heed Jude’s warning: ‘Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for ‘the Faith’ which was once for all delivered to the Saints.” (JUDE VS. 3) It’s a simple choice - Truth or Tradition? Will you stay with a Pseudo-Christianity based on the teachings and traditions of men - or return to the original Faith?

Remember, if ‘Original Christianity’ was good enough for Jesus & the Disciples - it should be good enough for you & me. Learn the stark differences between Original Christianity and 4th Century Christianity, and the many modifications since - by watching ORIGINAL CHRISTIANITY the T.V. program on YOUTUBE. There’s a link to it on this page.

The Biblical Religion

The Biblical Religion

How many Religions did God establish in your Bible? Most Christians would answer two: Judaism in the Old Testament & Christianity in the New Testament. But is God schizophrenic? Would He really have established 2 conflicting Religions: One teaching He’s a unique singular Being - the other teaching He’s a Trinity; One revolving around a lunar calendar of Sabbaths & Holy Days - the other revolving around Sundays & Holidays; One still looking for the promised Messiah - the other declaring Jesus is that prophesied Messiah. Or did men decide to label these 2 different groups of Bible believers as separate Religions?

Religion: “A specific fundamental Set of Beliefs & Practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or Sects.” In reality, the book of Acts clearly establishes that there is only ONE Biblical Religion, but it is made up of different Sects: The Sect of the Pharisees (ACTS 15:5); The Sect of the Sadducees (ACTS 5:17); and the Sect of the Nazarenes (the dawn of Christianity - ACTS 24:5). The adherents to these 3 Sects did not look at one another as different religions, but rather different expressions & administrations of the same Religion.

The unity of both Testaments & its peoples into ONE Religion is clearly demonstrated in the following texts:

“For if you (Sect of the Nazarenes) were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree (Israel - Jeremiah 11:16), how much more will these, who are natural branches (Israel) be grafted into their own olive tree? For I (Paul) do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in (ROMANS 11:24,25)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (GAL.3:28,29)

Unfortunately, with the rise of the Roman Church in the 4th Century, came the division of the Old and New Testament peoples and writings - instead of the unity God intended:

“Christians must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day; and if they can, resting then as Christians. But if any shall be found to be Judaizers, let them be anathema from Christ.” (The 7 Ecumenical Councils - Philip Schaff)

Replacement Theology, or Supersessionism as it was also called, taught that Christians had replaced the Jews as God’s holy, chosen people. Such Anti-Semitism led to great persecution of the Jews by Christians in Europe and around the world. Martin Luther wrote a book entitled ‘ON THE JEWS AND THEIR LIES,’ which in part led to Hitler’s justification for the Holocaust.

In 1955 the Lutheran Church formally apologized to the Jewish people for teaching Replacement Theology. Other Protestant denominations followed suit. And during Vatican II in the 1960s the Catholic Church also apologized for teaching this destructive doctrine.

Paul was inspired to write: “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” (ROMANS 2:28,29)

It’s time Christianity returned to its Jewish roots, adopting the view of God held by the Original Christians: “…yet for us there is ONE GOD THE FATHER…” (I COR.8:6) and worshiping in the cycle of the Sabbath & Festivals (ACTS 17:2) (I COR. 5:8) and awaiting the time when God will open the eyes of the Jewish people to see that Jesus was indeed their promised Messiah:

“And I (God) will pour on the House of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me (Christ) whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.” (ZECHARIAH 12:10)

Asbury Revival

Asbury Revival

The Asbury Revival made headlines all over the world, with around 15,000 people attending daily, and bringing over 50,000 visitors from other cities, states & countries over a 2 week span. But was it a Bible like Revival? What is a Revival according to your Bible? Do you know where to find the famous Revivals of the Old and New Testaments?

A Revival according to dictionaries is any event that results in renewed attention & commitment to a cause, institution, or relationship. Let’s face it - familiarity breeds contempt, or at least complacency. So marriages, businesses, churches and movements need occasional renewals. They come in the form of Conferences, Retreats and Rallys…

From 1734-43 a Religious Revival occured which was later called the Great Awakening! Famed British Pastor Jonathan Edwards, preached a series of fiery sermons which resulted in 300 new converts to Christianity in a town of only 11,000 people, Northampton, England. This success eventually spawned other revivals in the British Isles as well as Europe.

In 1857 in the city of New York, what came to be known as the Businessman’s Revival occured. The North Dutch Reformed Church of lower Manhattan hired a retired businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier as their new Pastor, to reach business owners who had replaced former church member homes with businesses. Jeremiah began holding a midweek prayer meeting during the lunch hour, which began to be so well attended that he changed it to a daily prayer meeting. When other churces heard about the success they too began to hold lunch hour prayer meetings - and soon the movement spread to other cities across America!

When the nation of Israel detoured from the commandments of God and brought upon themselves the curses HE promised, God would raise up prophets who led Revivals that resulted in the people of Israel getting back in sync with their Deliverer: “Then all the people of Israel turned back to the Lord. So Samuel said to all the Israelites, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths (Pagan tree groves) and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ So the Israelites put away their Baals and Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, ‘Assemble all Israel at Mizpah and I will intercede with the Lord for you… On that day they fasted and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.” (I SAMUEL 7:2-6)

A similar chain of events occured over & over throughout Israel’s history: During the reign of King Asa (II CHRONICLES 14 & 15); King Jehoshaphat (II CHRONICLES 19 & 20); and King Hezekiah (II CHRONICLES 29). In every case, a pattern of acknowledgement of sin, repentance, and ceasing from sin, occured.

So a ‘Biblical Revival’ isn’t just an emotional stirring of the heart through music & prayer meetings - it’s an awakening to sinful behavior that is acknowledged, repented of, and replaced with concrete obedience to God’s word!

King David wrote in the longest chapter of the Bible: “My soul clings to the dust; REVIVE me according to your word… Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it; Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetousness; Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and REVIVE me in your ways… Behold I long for Your precepts; REVIVE me in Your righteousness… REVIVE me according to Your lovingkindness; so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.” (PSALM 119:25;35-37; 40; 88)

The Day of Pentecost, which launched the New Testament Church with tongues of fire and speaking in different languages, was a REVIVAL of the people of Israel which opened their eyes to see that this Jesus whom they crucified - was their promised Messiah! On that day, “…Peter standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them… ‘Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders & signs which God did through Him in your midst as you yourselves also know…you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death… Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter, ‘Men & brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” (ACTS 2)

Here we see this old pattern from the Old Testament repeated in the New Testament: acknowledgement of Sin, repentance, and turning back to obedience of God’s word.

Ask God to bring REVIVAL to your heart and mind - and the heart of our nation collectively - that we might experience blessing from God and His Divine protection!

The last Empire

Throughout History kingdoms & nations have used images of birds & beasts to symbolize their power and identity. It’s true today as well. Here in the United States of America our nation is symbolized by the bald eagle, because of it’s regal appearance, fierce independence, and strong mothering instincts. North of us is Canada which is symbolized by the beaver. Russia is symbolized by the Eurasian Bear & China by the Panda Bear. In the Land down-under - the Kangaroo is the symbol of Australia. And India is symbolized by the Bengal Tiger. Just about every nation on earth is symbolized by some bird or beast.

If the Original Christians saw a flag or a banner with an image of a She-Wolf suckling 2 little boys, they would instantly recognize it as a symbol of the Roman Empire, the 2 boys being Romulus & Remus, with Romulus being the namesake of the city of Rome.

So it shouldn’t be any surprise that the God of the Bible also uses wild beasts to symbolize kingdoms & nations. The prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write: “A lion from the forest shall slay them (Israel), a wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; a leopard will watch over their cities.” (JEREMIAH 5:6) A single lion, wolf, or leopard could not slay, destroy or watch over Israel’s many cities - but the kingdoms they symbolize could! The king of Babylon was symbolized by a lion with wings, a symbol preserved on the procession walls of the city ruins. God compares the Chaldeans to wolves in the first chapter of Habakkuk. And one of the gods of Greece was Dionysus, who wore a leopard skin hat & rode in a chariot pulled by leopards.

Almighty God gave a vision to the prophet Daniel of 4 Beasts which symbolized kingdoms present and future: “And 4 great beasts came up from the Sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings; I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth & made to stand on two feet like a man - and a man’s heart was given to it.” (DANIEL 7:3,4) As previously mentioned, the kings of Babylon were pictured by a winged lion, and Daniel had served the King of Babylon in his court of advisers.

Then we read: “And suddenly another (HEB. Ochoriy implies succession) beast, a 2nd like a bear. It was raised up on one side and had 3 ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh.” (DANIEL 7:5) The bear is slower than the lion, but more powerful. The Medo-Persian empire which succeeded the Babylonian empire, conquered 3 kingdoms (ribs): the Hittite Kingdom, the Babylonians, and the Egyptian kingdom.

Daniel’s vision continues: “After this I looked and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back 4 wings of a bird. The beast also had 4 heads and dominion was given to it.” (DANIEL 7:6) At the time Daniel received this vision he was living under the reign of the bear, or the Medo-Persian empire. The leopard which follows, is symbolic of Greece under Alexander the Great - which would divide into 4 kingdoms pictured by the 4 heads coming out of its back after Alexander’s death.

These same 3 beasts are included in the description of another beast written about in the book of Revelation: “I saw a beast rising up out of the Sea, having 7 heads and 10 horns… the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear & his mouth like the mouth of a lion.” (REVELATION 13:1) In a later chapter the symbolism of this 7-headed beast is made clear: “The 7 heads are 7 mountains (symbolizing kingdoms throughout the Bible) on which the woman (Harlot - false religion) sits. There are also 7 kings, 5 have fallen (the last kings of the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian & Greek empires), one is (John was living under a Roman king), and the other has not yet come (Islamic Empire).” (REV.17:9,10) This vision given to the Apostle John is a broader view of history than the vision given to
Daniel. It covers the 2 empires (Egyptian & Assyrian) that existed prior to the ones pictured by the lion, bear & leopard (Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Greek). It also mentions the empire that John was living under (Roman) and an empire to come (Islamic) which swallowed up 2/3 of the Roman empire.

Then John is told: “…The beast (7-headed) that was, and is not (all 7 would eventually fall), is himself also the 8th and is of the seven, and is going to perdition (destruction).” (REVELATION 17:11) This is a very important statement, because it shows us that the final world ruling empire is not some new one (Russian, American or the U.N.) - but rather a resurrection of one of the original seven! It goes on to say: “The 10 Horns which you saw are 10 kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the (8th) Beast… These will make war with the Lamb (Christ) and the Lamb will overcome them.” (REVELATION 17:11,12,14)

Notice that the 4th beast that Daniel saw (which we haven’t talked about yet) also has 10 horns: “After this I (Daniel) saw in the night visions & behold a 4th beast, dreadful & terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces and trampling the residue with its feet… And it had 10 horns …But the (heavenly) court shall be seated and take away his dominion, to consume & destroy it forever.” (DANIEL 7,26)

The 8th Beast of Revelation is clearly another description of the 4th Beast of Daniel, each having 10 Horns and each being destroyed by Christ at His 2nd coming.

Your Bible gives 7 identifying signs of which one of the 7 empires pictured by the 7-headed beast will be the 8th and final world ruling empire. To learn what they are - go to YOUTUBE and type in Original Christianity - and find our T.V. program entitled THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

What makes a person a Saint?

What makes a person a Saint in God’s eyes? When someone serves ‘beyond the call of duty’? When a person finds someone lying on the sidewalk gasping for air & calls 911 for an ambulance, and accompanies the person to the hospital, staying with them all night - the patient may wake up in the morning and say to his rescuer: ‘You’re a Saint! Thanks so much for caring enough to get me medical attention! But does service alone make a Saint? Well then every Philanthropist who helps his fellow-man, but doesn’t believe in God would have to be considered a Saint…

When someone outside of Christianity leads a very pure, chaste & virtuous life - somebody might think of them as a Saint… but does purity & virtue alone make a Saint?

We’ve all heard of Patron Saints… Men & women of Christian renown, who have been declared by the Catholic Church to be the guardian or representative of a certain namesake, group, trade, or nation. People know me as Tony - but my legal name is Anthony - and St. Anthony is the Patron Saint of ‘Loss’; Lost items, lost people, lost causes & lost souls. So if a Catholic experiences loss - he or she will pray to St. Anthony for help! Addicts can pray to St. Augustine, the Patron Saint of Addiction, for help to overcome their addiction to drugs, alcohal, pornography or work. St. Francis of Assisi is the Patron Saint of animals & the Patron Saint of Italy. St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Carpentry, and is sometimes shown as the symbol of a Construction Trade Union. But there’s no mention of Patron Saints in the pages of your Bible.

So what is a Saint according to Scripture? Is it the Church’s responsibility to determine whether a person is truly worthy to be called or cannonized a Saint? Can a person only be declared to be a Saint after their death?

The cannonization of a Saint in Catholicism is a 7-step process: 1) Be dead at least 5 years; 2) Be nominated by a diocese or congregation; 3) Be investigated for sufficient holiness & virtue; 4) Be scrutinized by the ‘Dicastery for the causes of Saints’ Committee; 5) Have a miracle attributed to you by someone who invokes your name in prayer; 6) Be reviewed & approved by the Papacy; 7) Be cannonized a Saint through a 2nd miracle attributed to your name. But none of these steps are found in the pages of your Bible - and none were practiced by the original Christians.

A 20th Century Satirist named Ambrose Bierce once said: “A Saint is a dead sinner, revised, edited and deified.” He of course meant to say by this - that Saints are only such because their sins have been swept under the rug, and only their good deeds acknowledged & trumpeted. And there is some truth to this as God Himself declares: “As far as east is from the west, so far has HE removed our transgressions from us.” (PSALM 103:12)

Saints are not a special class of Christians cannonized to be venerated by some Church Council. The Apostle Paul wrote: “To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints.” (Romans 1:7) This is a common salutation from the pen of Paul who looked at all Christians as Saints: “You are no longer strangers & foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints & members of the Houshold of God.” (EPH.2:19)

So what is the Biblical criteria for becoming a Saint? We don’t have to guess - God tells us through many texts of Scripture: “Gather MY saints together to ME, those who have made a covenant with ME by sacrifice.” (PSALM 50:5) As the Apostle Paul wrote: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? …Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (ROMANS 6:3,6) In baptism Saints make a covenant with God by sacrifice. As Paul said, “I die daily.'“ (I CORINTHIANS 15:31)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus: “But fornication & all uncleaness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for the Saints.” So chastity is part of Sainthood.

The Apostle John was inspired to write: “Here is the patience of the Saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God & ‘the Faith’ of Jesus.” (REVELATION 14:12) So Saints are commandment keepers and believers in the original Faith that Jesus passed onto us through His disciples.

Furthermore, John writes: “To Her (the Church) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean & bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the Saints.” (REVELATION 19:8) So yes - Service to others is also part of Sainthood.

Your Bible says: “God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints - and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” (PSALM 89:7) When we revere God & His word above all else, “then He will guard the feet of His Saints.” (I SAMUEL 2:9) Also “The Saints of THE MOST HIGH shall receive the Kingdom and possess the kingdom forever.” (DANIEL 7:18)

“Sing praise to THE LORD, you Saints of HIS - and give thanks at the remembrance of HIS holy name.” (PSALM 30:4)