THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET

===== ISAIAH ===== Introduction: The Book of Isaiah - The Book of Isaiah is often considered the High Holy Book of the Old Testament - The Prophecy [Isaiah 52:13-53:12] of (Jesus Christ) the suffering servant is such an intimate look into the Soul of Jesus Christ that it is called the Holy of Holies of the Old Testament

The Prophet Isaiah has a New Testament counterpart in the ministry and the person of the Apostle Paul. Both Isaiah and the Apostle Paul were very highly educated, both began their ministries while serving in the upper echelons of the Judaism power structure. Isaiah was a counselor to several Kings of Israel [Isaiah 1:1], the Apostle Paul was a Pharisee and probably a member [or about to become a member] of the Jewish Great Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) because of his familiarity with their proceedings and Paul references them as "brethren" in Acts 23:1 'And Paul, earnestly beholding the council [Sanhedrin], said, Men and brethren ...' - Both the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul took their ministry from the highest echelons of Jewish society into [perhaps the highest ministry of all] a martyrdom. The Prophet Isaiah was martyred and it is thought he was martyred in about 665 B.C. by being cut into two with a dull wooden saw at the command of the evil King Manasseh of Judah and the event is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 11:37 as 'sawn asunder'. The Apostle Paul was arrested at the command of Cesar Nero in Rome after initially having been set free from his first trial under Cesar Claudius and Paul was then beheaded under Nero around 65 A.D. - The Apostle Paul often quoted the Prophet Isaiah. 'Isaiah 59:17 For He (Jesus) put on Righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of Salvation upon His head; and He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke [cloak].' - 'Ephesians 6:11-18 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the *breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the *helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;' - The Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Paul are considered to be counterparts and the 'beloved' Disciple and Apostle John is considered a counterpart to the 'beloved' Prophet Daniel while John the Baptist is a counterpart to Elijah the Prophet.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF THE PROPHETS - The four prophets commonly styled "Greater" (or Longer in length), ISAIAH [Matthew 3:3], JEREMIAH [2 Chronicles 36:12, Matthew 2:17], EZEKIEL, and DANIEL [Ezekiel 14:14, Matthew 24:15], are all dated - Of the other twelve, called "Minor" (or shorter in length), six are dated and six are undated - The dated books are HOSEA, AMOS, MICAH, ZEPHANIAH, HAGGAI, and ZECHARIAH - The undated books are JOEL, OBADIAH, JONAH [2 Kings 14:25], NAHUM, HABAKKUK, and MALACHI - Of the whole sixteen, therefore, we have ten dated and six undated - From the particulars given in the dated books themselves, we are enabled to lay down with precision the years and periods covered by the respective prophecies - With regard to the undated books the case is different; and we have to rely upon the guidance of their internal evidence - But this in almost every case is so clear, that there is no great difficulty in assigning each of the prophetical books to its respective chronological position (Chart)

The First Group [early prophets - Assyrian activity] consists of six prophets: JONAH, AMOS, HOSEA, ISAIAH, MICAH, NAHUM, covering a period of 102 YEARS. - Then follows a great "gap" or "break" of 70 YEARS - The Second Group [middle prophets - Babylonian captivity] consists of seven prophets: JEREMIAH, HABAKKUK, ZEPHANIAH, DANIEL, JOEL, EZEKIEL, OBADIAH covering a period of 94 YEARS - Followed by a "gap" or "break" of 14 YEARS - The Third Group [later prophets - restoration in Israel, looking to the coming of the Messiah] consists of two prophets: HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH covering a period of 7 YEARS - Then follows a "gap" of 29 YEARS - Which is closed by the prophet MALACHI - The whole period covered by the sixteen prophets is therefore 316 YEARS. From the above (chart) it is seen that MALACHI is to be reckoned as being separate and apart from the rest; and not, as usually presented, linked together with HAGGAI and ZECHARIAH. "By the Hebrews, Malachi is known as 'the Seal of the Prophets', and as closing the Canon of the Jewish Scriptures." - Note: There is about a 400 year span from Malachi until the events of the Gospel of Matthew begin.

http://www.angelfire.com/nv/TheOliveBranch/append77.html ISAIAH also known as the Bible in Miniature - Books of the Bible: 66 Chapters of Isaiah: 66

Books of the Bible: 66 Chapters of Isaiah: 66 -- Books in the Old Testament: 39 "Old Testament Isaiah," first 39 chapters (Isa. 1-39); Books in the New Testament: 27 "New Testament Isaiah," last 27 chapters (Isa. 40-66). This is quite reasonable in that the first portion of Isaiah is related primarily to the nation of Israel, and its interactions with the surrounding nations. In a nutshell, this is what the whole of the Old Testament is about. The last portion of Isaiah is related primarily to a single special Servant of Yahweh. In a nutshell, this is what the whole of the New Testament is about.

http://www.timeswatch.net/Interesting%20Tidbits/isaiah_mini-bible.htm The Book of Isaiah - Introduction & Chapter 1 by Pastor Howard Fleury (Mp3s)

The Book of Isaiah is like a mini-Bible. The first 39 chapters (like the 39 books of the Old Testament) are filled with judgment upon immoral, idolatrous and rebellious men. Israel has sinned, Judah has sinned. The surrounding nations have sinned. The whole earth has sinned. Judgment must come, because God will not allow such blatant sin to go unpunished forever. But, the final 27 chapters (like the 27 books of the New Testament) declare a message of hope. The Messiah is coming as a Savior, and a Sovereign - to bear a cross, and to wear a crown.

http://biblestudies.aroadinthewilderness.org/categories/The%20Book%20of%20Isaiah.aspx Isaiah - The Wheel within the Wheel - In other words, Isaiah is like a 2D shadow of the 3D Bible

The overall, large-scale correspondence between Isaiah and the Bible is really rather difficult to miss. Isaiah opens with reference to heaven and earth, echoing Genesis, and closes with reference to the new heaven and new earth, echoing Revelation. And between these two great poles, we see Isaiah divided exactly as the Bible itself, with the Gospel first emerging from Isaiah 40, in perfect coherence with the Gospel of Matthew. The miracle of God is that the link between the prophecy of John the Baptist in Isaiah 40.3 and its fulfillment in Matthew 3.3 can be understood as a mathematical projection of the three-dimensional Bible Point PBible (40, 3, 3) onto the two-dimensional plane of Isaiah! In other words, Isaiah is like a 2D shadow of the 3D Bible ...

http://www.biblewheel.com/innerwheels/isaiah/IsaiahBible.asp 25 Fascinating Facts About the Dead Sea Scrolls - The Isaiah Scroll [written in Hebrew], found relatively intact, is 1000 years older than any previously known copy of Isaiah - In fact, the scrolls are the oldest group of Old Testament manuscripts ever found [scrolls dating from 200 B.C. to 68 A.D.]

The Dead Sea Scrolls were most likely written by the Essenes during the period from about 200 B.C. to 68 C.E./A.D. The Essenes are mentioned by Josephus and in a few other sources, but not in the New testament. The Essenes were a strict Torah observant, Messianic, apocalyptic, baptist, wilderness, new covenant Jewish sect. They were led by a priest they called the "Teacher of Righteousness," who was opposed and possibly killed by the establishment priesthood in Jerusalem. ... The Scrolls are for the most part, written in Hebrew, but there are many written in Aramaic. Aramaic was the common language of the Jews of Palestine for the last two centuries B.C. and of the first two centuries A.D. The discovery of the Scrolls has greatly enhanced our knowledge of these two languages. In addition, there are a few texts written in Greek. ... Since the late fifties, about 40% of the Scrolls, mostly fragments from Cave 4, remained unpublished and were inaccessible. It wasn't until 1991, 44 years after the discovery of the first Scroll, after the pressure for publication mounted, that general access was made available to photographs of the Scrolls. In November of 1991 the photos were published by the Biblical Archaeological Society in a nonofficial edition; a computer reconstruction, based on a concordance, was announced; the Huntington Library pledged to open their microfilm files of all the scroll photographs.

http://www.centuryone.com/25dssfacts.html Dead Sea Scrolls - Book of Isaiah - The Dead Sea scrolls comprise roughly 825-870 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the Dead Sea) - The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they are practically the only known surviving Biblical documents written before 100 A.D. - About 30% are fragments from the Hebrew Bible, from all the books except the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah (Abegg et al 2002) - About 25% are traditional Israelite religious texts that are not in the canonical Hebrew Bible, such as the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and the Testament of Levi - Another 30% contain Biblical commentaries or other texts such as the Community Rule(s) - The biblical texts cited most often in the nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls are the Psalms, followed by the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Deuteronomy - Important texts include the [now famous] Isaiah Scroll (discovered in 1947), a Commentary on Habakkuk (1947); the Community Rule(s), which gives much information on the structure and theology of the sect; and the earliest version of the Damascus Document

The Dead Sea scrolls comprise roughly 825-870 documents, including texts from the Hebrew Bible, discovered between 1947 and 1956 in eleven caves in and around the Wadi Qumran (near the ruins of the ancient settlement of Khirbet Qumran, on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea). The texts are of great religious and historical significance, as they are practically the only known surviving Biblical documents written before AD 100. Date and contents: According to carbon dating, textual analysis, and handwriting analysis the documents were written at various times between the middle of the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD. At least one document has a carbon date range of 21 BC AD 61. The Nash Papyrus from Egypt, containing a copy of the Ten Commandments, is the only other Hebrew document of comparable antiquity. Similar written materials have been recovered from nearby sites, including the fortress of Masada. While some of the scrolls were written on papyrus, a good portion were written on a brownish animal hide that appears to be gevil. The scrolls were written with feathers from a bird and the ink used was made from carbon black and white pigments. One scroll, appropriately named the Copper Scroll, consisted of thin copper sheets that were incised with text and then joined together. The fragments span at least 800 texts that represent many diverse viewpoints, ranging from the beliefs of the Essenes to those of other sects. About 30% are fragments from the Hebrew Bible, from all the books except the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah (Abegg et al 2002). About 25% are traditional Israelite religious texts that are not in the canonical Hebrew Bible, such as the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, and the Testament of Levi. Another 30% contain Biblical commentaries or other texts such as the Community Rule (1QS/4QSa-j, also known as "Discipline Scroll" or "Manual of Discipline") and the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness (1QM, also known as the "War Scroll") related to the beliefs, regulations, and membership requirements of a small Jewish sect, which many researchers believe lived in the Qumran area. The rest (about 15%) of the fragments are yet unidentified. Most of the scrolls are written in one of two dialects of Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew or Dead Sea Scroll Hebrew (on which see Hoffman 2004 or Qimron 1986). Biblical Hebrew dominates in the Biblical documents, and DSS Hebrew in the documents composed in Qumran. Some scrolls are also written in Aramaic and a few in Greek. Only a few of the biblical scrolls were written at Qumran, the majority being copied before the Qumran period and coming into the ownership of the Qumran community (Abegg et al 2002). There is no evidence that the Qumran community altered the biblical texts that they did copy to reflect their own theology (Abegg et al 2002). It is thought that the Qumran community would have viewed the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees as divinely inspired scripture (Abegg et al 2002). The biblical texts cited most often in the nonbiblical Dead Sea Scrolls are the Psalms, followed by the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Deuteronomy (Abegg et al 2002). Important texts include the Isaiah Scroll (discovered in 1947), a Commentary on the Habakkuk (1947); the Community Rule (1QS/4QSa-j), which gives much information on the structure and theology of the sect; and the earliest version of the Damascus Document. The so-called Copper Scroll (1952), which lists hidden caches of gold, scrolls, and weapons, is probably the most notorious. ... Christian Connections: Spanish Jesuit Jose O'Callaghan has argued that one fragment (7Q5) is a New Testament text from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, verses 52-53. In recent years this controversial assertion has been taken up again by German scholar Carsten Peter Thiede. A successful identification of this fragment as a passage from Mark would make it the earliest extant New Testament document, dating somewhere between AD 30 and AD 60. Opponents consider that the fragment is tiny and requires so much reconstruction (the only complete word in Greek is "and") that it could have come from a text other than Mark. {There are several NT quotes and apparently a Gospel and some epistles found among the Scrolls however some of the Scrolls have been hidden, censored and probably at this point in time forged and manipulated into something they originally were not.}

http://www.crystalinks.com/dss.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 1-2 - The Prophet Isaiah begins his prophetic ministry to Israel in Jerusalem during the reign of King Uzziah (Azariah) -- 'Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning *Judah and *Jerusalem in the days of [King] Uzziah [also known as Azariah], Jotham (son of Uzziah), Ahaz (son of Jotham), and Hezekiah (son of Ahaz), kings of Judah.' {Note: Manasseh who is thought to have martyred Isaiah is the son of King Hezekiah.} - Manasseh was a king of the Kingdom of Judah. He was the only son and successor of Hezekiah. He was 12 years old when he began to reign. - Manasseh was the first king of Judah who would not have had a direct experience of a Kingdom of [Northern] Israel, which had been destroyed by the Assyrians in c. 720 BC [during King Ahaz] and its population deported. He (Manasseh) is condemned in the Hebrew scriptures for reversing the religious reforms made by his father Hezekiah and re-instituting pagan worship. He was married to Meshullemeth, daughter of Haruz of Jotbah, and they had a son Amon, who succeeded him as king of Judah upon his death. He is mentioned in Assyrian records as a contemporary of Esarhaddon. After a reign of 55 years (for 10 of which he was co-regent with his father), the longest in the history of Judah, he died in c. 643 BC and was buried in the garden of Uzza, the "garden of his own house" (2 Kings 21:17-18; 2 Chronicles 33:20), and not in the City of David, among his ancestors. - Wiki.com

Isaiah 1:2-4 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. The ox knoweth his owner [animals know and respond kindly to their provider but people do not], and the ass [donkey] his master's crib [stall]: but Israel doth not know, *My people doth not consider. Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, *children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, *they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. - Isaiah in what would become a mini model of the entire Bible starts his prophecy "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken" a direct reference to God speaking creation into existence in the Book of Genesis. 'Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. *And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ...' The problem God is having with His people is threefold 1. The people no longer "consider" God or the ways of God. 2. The people of God have become "children that are corrupters" teaching others how to sin against God. 3. The people of God have now "provoked" God and instead of fellowship with God have become as an enemy actually fighting against God opposing the very core existence, values and insights of who God is as a being. - With the people now openly opposing God in teaching others to sin against God and now not even considering God or the ways of God as a viable option in their own life God is going to recreate the circumstances in their lives just as He recreated the Universe from darkness into light and from formlessness and void into form and function. God is a capable Master of His creation and He will willingly and lovingly [the cross of Jesus Christ] bring His people back from darkness and into His glorious light to see His Spirit move, to hear His voice command and to experience His life eternal.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 3-4 - Even in this relatively early stage of the Nation of Israel and for Judah the Prophet Isaiah will begin to distinguish between individuals in righteousness and wickedness and will focus primarily on the righteous Remnant of Israel and on their future return and restoration to fulfill the promises and destiny of the Nation of Israel -- 'Isaiah 3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.'

Isaiah 3:11-15 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people, *they which lead thee cause thee to err, *and destroy the way of thy paths. *The LORD standeth up to plead [follow the Lord], and standeth to judge the people. The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients [elderly] of His people, and the princes [upper-class] thereof: for ye have eaten up the Vineyard [the Garden of Jesus]; the spoil [belongings] of the poor is in your houses. What mean ye that ye beat My people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the LORD GOD of hosts. - From time memorial to forever mankind will always [knowingly and even unknowingly] lead mankind astray from God. We have the option of following man or of following God. - Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb (Jesus Christ) which is in the midst of the Throne [in Heaven] shall feed them, and *shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 5 - Isaiah continues to declare the 'backward' fallen nature of mankind -- 'Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ...'

Isaiah 5:30 And in that day [the day their enemy overcomes them] they [enemy] shall roar against them [children of God] like the roaring of the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow, *and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof. - The land is dark and the people are overcome because God will no longer tolerate their sinful behavior. People think that God is obligated to assist us and that is not the case. What is the case is that God is obligated to remain True to Himself. God is not going to misrepresent Himself, compromise or sell Himself short in order to conform to the desires of a fallen mankind. It is mankind that is to conform to the image of God the image that we were created in and the image that we belong in.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 6-7 - Isaiah incorporates the Triune (Trinity) nature of God into his writings more than any other O.T. prophet or writer -- 'Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the Seraphims [Angels that are present at the Throne]: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy [Father], Holy [Son Jesus], Holy [Holy Spirit], is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.' - {Note: In both the O.T. [Isaiah 6:3] and the N.T. [Revelation 4:8] God is referred to as Holy, Holy, Holy. It is not that God is 3x Holy it is that the Father is Holy, the Son Jesus Christ is Holy and the Holy Spirit is Holy.}

Isaiah 7:10-14 Moreover the LORD spake again unto [king] Ahaz {an unfaithful king}, saying, Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above. *But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD. And He (Isaiah) said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son (Jesus Christ), and shall call His Name {Title} Immanuel [God with and among us]. - Ahaz did not want to see the Spirit of God move in his life because he knew that he would be accountable for any knowledge and interaction he had with God so Ahaz decided to turn completely from God rather than give God any opportunity to work in his life. Isaiah then informed Ahaz that God didn't need Ahaz's permission to fulfill His plans for mankind and that to prove God would openly give a sign to the entire House of David to, all of Israel and to the entire world. The Sign is that a Jewish Virgin of the House of David will have a son. The word virgin (Almah H5959) in the Hebrew is for an adult marriage age virgin woman. The word virgin (Parthenos G3933) in the Greek Septuagint is the Greek word for a virgin woman not just an unmarried woman.

Isaiah's 'Virgin' Prophecy - NO prophecy of Holy Scripture better exemplifies the conflicting Bible interpretations between Judaism and Christianity on the use of their mutual holy scriptures than Isaiah's prophecy to king Ahaz about the coming Immanu-el child (Isaiah 7:1 to 9:7)

THE core of this conflict is the translation of the word 'almah' in Isaiah 7:14 which refers to the mother of this future child. CHRISTIANS from the beginning saw in this prophecy the virgin birth of Jesus, a fact central to His deity and therefore to His capacity to be the sufficient sacrifice for all sin. BUT in contrast Judaism asserts correctly that the Hebrew word 'almah' does not mean virgin, as it has almost always been translated in Christian versions of Isaiah 7:14. Yet surprisingly, the first known translation of this word as 'virgin' (parthenos) is not Christian but pre-Christian Jewish: a translation into Greek more than a century before the birth of Jesus, and known as the Septuagint (LXX). Septuagint fragment of Psalm 89:4-7. TO understand this, it must be noted that the Septuagint translation often verges on a paraphrase (as some modern English versions do), indicating that the Jewish translators were aware that its Greek-speaking readers may miss the meaning in a literal translation because of cultural differences. They evidently believed that a translation was needed that would help bridge the cultural gap by giving more than simply a literal equivalent of each word. Please Note! AN example of this is Isaiah 1:13 where the Septuagint translates "calling of assemblies" (Hebrew qr` mqr`) as "Great Day" (meaning the Day of Atonement assembly). This paraphrase by the Septuagint is supported in the Jewish Talmud; the collective wisdom of Judaism. Thus the Septuagint translation reflects the interpretative understanding (the exegesis) of the more orthodox Judaism of its time. It is all the more significant then that these same Jewish scholars should have translated the Hebrew 'almah' as 'parthenos' - the Greek term for virgin. ... That the Immanuel prophecy should fulfil a dual role in God's Word like this should not be thought unusual. This is common to messianic prophecy, that first the immediate situation of the prophet be addressed, and then the principle involved in the prophecy be applied, beyond the immediate, to the larger picture of Israel's destiny. Hence the messianic sense became the orthodox Jewish translation of the time - of a virgin who would conceive a son as God's great sign. Thus, did Israel anticipate the birth of the Gospel that would grow up in Galilee, walk the roads of Judah, and become God's gracious Lamb! ,,, Today, even the Bible's awesome description of this sign-child as "Mighty God, Everlasting Father", which so obviously did not apply to Isaiah's own sign-child (8:18), is applied by modern rabbis to Ahaz's son 'Hezekiah' in order to avoid acknowledging Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah or Christ. ... Yes, real faith can never be forced: no more by pressure of argument than by force of arms. But, the unbelief of Israel, in Ahaz's time as in any other time, also cannot undo this Word of God or make it of no effect! For, as Isaiah himself said - "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:7

http://lloydthomas.org/5-SpecialStudies/virgin.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 8-10 - Isaiah continues to reveal that the plans of God will come to pass and anything that is ultimately against the plans of God will not come to pass -- 'Isaiah 8:10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.' - 'Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that [liberation] day, that his burden [the burden of Egypt and the world] shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed *because of the anointing [the presence of God]. - {Note: It is the presence of God that sets us free by removing our burdens and bondages. If you want to get set free from bondage, addictions and spiritual warfare then seek after the face and the presence of God [Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit]. Battling spiritual forces and addictions will not free us up it is our prayers to God, our Bible study with God, our fellowship with God and with one another and our service to God and to one another that will free us up to then battle and conquer and overcome but only with the Spirit anointing in the presence of God.

Isaiah 9:2-7 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light [of Jesus Christ] shined [Matthew 4:16]. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a Child is born [Virgin birth], unto us a Son is given [Cross and Resurrection]: *and the [Resurrection] Government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name {Title} shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, *The mighty God, *The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His Government and peace there shall be no end [eternal], upon the Throne of David, and upon His Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. - Isaiah has prophetically declared in no uncertain terms that God is going to enter into the human realm and that the eternal Resurrection Kingdom to be established is to be that of God's Kingdom and it will be from His achievement.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 11-12 - Isaiah continues to bring the vision of the future, eternal, healthy (salvation), rejoicing, refreshing, satisfying, Kingdom of God that is available to the people -- 'Isaiah 12:3-4 Therefore [having Salvation] with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon His Name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His Name is Exalted.'

Isaiah 12:1-6 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. *Behold, God is my Salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my Salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation. *And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His Name is Exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for He hath done excellent things: *this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion [Mt. Zion in Jerusalem]: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. - Isaiah is making it clear that 'Salvation' eternal healing is what is being offered by God to mankind. The momentary afflictions and sorrows of this world will be overcome by God and the joys of this world few as they are cannot possibly be compared to the eternal rejoicing and joy that is yet to come in our Salvation through God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 13-14 - Isaiah prophesies a series of judgments against Gentile Nations - Starting with Babylon, Assyria and the Philistines - The judgments given by Isaiah are beyond the scope of mere human beings living in cities and villages - The prophecies of Isaiah seem to enter into judgments against wicked, evil, spiritual, demonic and fallen entities that inhabit and rule over the locations prophesied about - 'Isaiah 13:1-14:20 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see. ... Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee [King of Babylon - Satan] at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. ...'

Isaiah 14:7-20 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they [people - creation - trees] break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou [Satan] art laid down, no feller is come up against us. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming [as a prisoner]: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief [deceived] ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. *All they [deceived] shall speak and say unto thee [Satan], Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us [condemned]? Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer [Lucifer means light bearer it is a title not a name, the name of Satan is unrecorded in the Bible], son of the morning [first creation of the Angels]! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [Angels] of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High [God, YHWH]. Yet thou [Satan] shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. *They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners? All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, everyone in his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet. *Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial [Satan does not have a kingdom in hell he is a routine prisoner in hell], because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned. - The fallen Angel Satan, the king of Babylon is addressed by God through God's Prophet Isaiah. - Note: The fallen Angelic and Demonic realm does not have open access to the Throne of God and therefore do not have access to the plans of God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 15-17 - The judgments of the Nations of Moab and Damascus - 'Isaiah 15:1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;'

Isaiah 16:6-7 We [Hebrews] have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken. - Encompassing and reigning over these ancient cities, nations and civilizations were entrenched [fallen angelic], demonic entities, spiritual rulers and principalities. It is still that way today but since the cross of Jesus Christ the demonic realm has had to slightly morph and has been unable to rule as openly as they did in the past. The ancient Canaanite capital city of Jericho "Moon" city [or New Age city] in Canaanite language was also an ancient spiritual stronghold. In modern times the spirit entities that once reigned over and controlled the people of ancient civilizations still exists though the ancient civilization have long since ceased to exit the spiritual entities have morphed into a modern structure but still reign and rule in a concerted [Satanic] NWO effort. Moab though not now a Nation it could possibly be that the ancient spirits of Moab are now what are influencing and are behind the modern Mormon (LDS) cult religion [and probably the LDS hierarchy knows this at least the earlier LDS hierarchy seemed to in giving the name Moab some prominence even naming Moab as a city in Utah] while the ancient entities of ancient Jericho are possibly busy deceiving via a modern deceptive New Age enlightenment agenda.

The Moabite Stone - The Moabite Stone discovery is important in the study of Biblical Archaeology - It is the actual record of Mesha, king of Moab rebelling against the king of Israel - This stone is one of the [many] places where Israel is mentioned in ancient times outside of the Bible

The Moabite Stone also known as the Mesha Stele is an interesting story. The Bible says in 2 Kings 3:5 that Mesha the king of Moab stopped paying tribute to Israel and rebelled and fought against Israel and later he recorded this event. This record from Mesha has been discovered. The Moabite Stone was discovered in 1868 in Moab, at Dibon, 20 miles east of the Dead Sea. It was actually discovered by a German Missionary named F.A. Klein. It is a black and blue basalt stone standing 4 feet high, 2 feet wide and 14 inches thick. It was purchased for a large sum of money by the French Consulate in Jerusalem. It is interesting that the local Arabs believed that it contained a treasure and therefore broke it in large pieces by lighting it on fire and then pouring cold water over it. The inscription is summarized with these words: "I Mesha, king of Moab, made this monument to Chemosh, to commemorate deliverance from Israel. My father reigned over Moab 30 years, and I reigned after my father. Omri, king of Israel oppressed Moab many days, and his son (Ahab) after him. But I made war against the king of Israel and drove him out, and took his cities, Medeba, Ataroth, Nebo, and Jahaz, which he built while he waged war against me. I destroyed his cities, and devoted the spoil to Chemosh, and the women and girls to Ashtar. I built Qorhah with prisoners from Israel." The Moabite Stone discovery is important in the study of Biblical Archaeology. It is the actual record of Mesha, king of Moab rebelling against the king of Israel. This stone is one of the places where Israel is mentioned in ancient times outside of the Bible. "And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel." 2 Kings 3:4-5

http://www.bible-history.com/archaeology/israel/moabite-stone.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 18-20 - Judgment to a land beyond the rivers of Ethiopia - Judgment upon the Nation of Egypt - Isaiah reveals that the end result of the judgments upon the Gentile Nations is a reconciliation of the Gentile people to God and to a relationship and fellowship with the Jewish Nation of Israel -- 'Isaiah 19:25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance.'

Isaiah 19:16-25 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He shaketh over it. And the land of Judah [Israel] shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, *because of the counsel of the LORD of Hosts (Jesus Christ), which He hath determined against it. In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of Hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt: *for they shall cry unto the LORD because of the [Gentile] oppressors, *and He shall send them a Saviour, and a great one, and He (Jesus) shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it. And the LORD shall smite Egypt: He shall smite and heal it: *and they shall return even to the LORD, and He shall be intreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day [New Millennium] shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third [also in fellowship] with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of Hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance. - The great Millennial Restoration and 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth is going to include Gentile people and gentile Nations.

Wikipedia.org: Assyrian independence - the Syriac-speaking Christian Assyrian people in the Nineveh plains of Northern Iraq

The Assyrian independence (also known as the Assyrian Question) is a political movement and ideology that supports the creation of an Assyrian homeland for the Syriac-speaking Christian Assyrian people in the Nineveh plains of Northern Iraq. The issue of Assyrian independence has been brought up many times throughout the course of history from the end of World War I to the present-day Iraq War. The Assyrian-inhabited area of Iraq is located in the Ninawa-Mosul region in Northern Iraq where the biblical Assyrian capital of Nineveh was located. This area is known as the "Assyrian Triangle." ... Before World War I, about half of the Assyrian population lived in what is today Turkey, specifically the Hakkari region. In 1914, Young Turks began to systemically target Christians of Asia Minor with events such as the Assyrian Genocide. In the beginning, key Assyrian nationalist leaders and religious figures were wiped out of communities, whereas at one point the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East was only twelve years old (Mar Eshai Shimun XXIII). The Ottoman Empire declared war against the Allies and the British in October 1914. For geographic reasons, it was important for the British to gain the support of the Assyrians. Because of large oil fields, Britain wanted to insure that the Mosul region would be part of the newly-colonized Iraq instead of the future state of Turkey. The Assyrians promised loyalty to the British in return for an independent state in the future. After the invasion of Mosul by the Young Turks, the Assyrian army, led by General Agha Petros, fought intensively against the Turkish soldiers and pushed them out of the region, leading to Britain's control of the region. The battles are described in detail by surviving letters of Petros and British officials. By the end of 1922, no sufficient Assyrian population was left in Turkey and a small population left in Iran. Many fled southward to join native Assyrians in the Nineveh plains. The Assyro-Chaldean National Council stated in a December 4, 1922 memorandum that the total death toll is unknown, but it estimates that about 275,000 Assyrians died between 1914-1918. For comparison, in the Serbian military there were also 275,000 casualties during the war. ... During recent kidnappings and murders of Assyrian Bishops and priests in the North Iraqi region, Assyrians have demonstrated worldwide in the thousands in demanding protection for their villages and the Nineveh Plains region, which Assyrians hope will become an autonomous area under the control of the Assyrians and minorities in the North. A $4 million measure will fund a 711-man local police force for the Nineveh Plain. It is part of a $30 million emergency relief package for the predominantly Christian region submitted to Congress last month by Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. In April 2008, the initial complement of 711 policemen were called up and began training. Another 4000 policemen will be needed to fully secure the region and establish checkpoints on all highways and roads leading into the villages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyrian_independence ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 21-22 - Isaiah prophecies the fall of Babylon - A statement about Edom - [Saudi] Arabia is diminished for a time - Judgments against some of the inhabitants in the city of Jerusalem -- 'Isaiah 22:12-13 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call [to repentance] to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die.' - {"Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die" is still a popular theme and a popular saying today among people who are disassociated and disconnected from the plans and the visions of God.}

Isaiah 21:9-10 9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, *Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn [lit. son] of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. - The fall and destruction of Babylon is one of the most widely prophesied events in the Bible. - 'Jeremiah 50:1-2 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. Declare ye among the Nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.' - 'Revelation 14:8 And there followed another Angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all Nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [unfaithfulness].'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 23-24 - Tyre will be judged [after early Babylon Tyre/Tyrus then becomes a throne location of Satan (Ezekiel 28:12-19), Pergamos is the throne of Satan when the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2:13), eventually Satan will try to establish a 'seat' in Jerusalem in the Temple Holy of Holies (Matthew 24:15)] - Isaiah concludes this current segment of Prophecies and Judgments with a declaration that in actuality all the earth including every inhabitant the entire universe with both the sun and the moon and all demonic, fallen Angelic beings "the host of the high ones that are on high" are to be judged by God -- 'Isaiah 24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His ancients {Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc.} gloriously.'

Isaiah 24:1-6 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned [i.e. parched, H2787], and few men left. - The coming judgment of God is to be complete and thorough encompassing all of creation including both the human and the spirit realm.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 25-26 - After concluding a segment of prophecies and judgments Isaiah then exalts God, praises His Name and rejoices in the and decisions, faithfulness and [eternal] truth of God -- 'Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy Name; for Thou hast done wonderful things; Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.'

Isaiah 26:19-21 Thy dead [deceased] men shall live, together with My dead [crucified] body shall they arise [resurrection]. *Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, *and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come [rapture], My [Christian] people, enter thou into thy chambers [rooms in Heaven], and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment [7 years], until the indignation [full Tribulation Period] be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain [Martyred saints]. - The prophecy in Isaiah 26:19-21 is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible. Like all Biblical prophecies regarding, people, Nations, places and End Times events the exact context, meaning and fulfillment is slightly unknown while the Biblical prophecies regarding Jesus the Messiah are more important and are more clearly given and are more distinctly fulfilled making them easier to understand possibly so that people will focus on Jesus and the accomplishments of Jesus while still being somewhat informed about the future of mankind. - Once we can look back on these future events of mankind they will become clear but until then we have to maintain that we are considering a future parameter and therefore we can speculate and make temporary conclusions but a complete commitment to absolute unquestioned End Times interpretations is premature.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 27-28 - Isaiah continues to tie together past, present and future Biblical Scripture verses and concepts - Isaiah then continues to present considerable End Time fulfillments intermixed with vast Biblical doctrines, prophecies and judgments -- 'Isaiah 27:1-3 In that day the LORD with His sore and great and strong sword shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent; and He shall slay the *dragon (Leviathan) that is in the sea. In that day sing ye unto her [bride of Christ, Christian Church], A vineyard of red [Communion] wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.' - {Note: The Book of Job introduces two beasts uncontrollable by man the Leviathan the sea beast/dragon (Job 41:1-34) and the Behemoth the beast of the land (Job 40:15-24). The Book of Revelation mentions the land beast [Antichrist] (Revelation 13:4) and the beast [false prophet] coming up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1) and both domains are already decreed against back in Revelation 10:2.}

Isaiah 28:5-6 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of His people, And for a Spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. -- Isaiah 28:16-18 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion [Mt. Zion in Jerusalem] for a foundation a stone [Jesus Christ], a tried stone, a precious corner stone, *a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line [horizontal line, human relationships], and righteousness to the plummet [vertical line, a relationship with God]: and the [Tribulation] hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. *And your [occult] covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. - Only the covenants, agreements and contracts with God are valid and will stand while all contracts, agreements and covenants with the occult realm are non-binding, non-effective and will not stand. An occult covenant can be broken by any human at any time in any second because the occult agreements are all misleading, fraudulent and without any authority lacking the blood and authority of Jesus Christ. Any human can at any time walk away from the occult realm and claim the promises and blood of Jesus Christ and the occult realm other than continued deception is harmless and unable to interfere. If the occult realm does interfere then follow the example of Jesus Christ and preach to them [1 Peter 3:19] with your soon to be resurrection life as an example of a faithful witness and servant of Jesus Christ then when all the demonic realm sees is a commitment to Jesus Christ and the light of Jesus Christ being manifested in our praise, adoration and love for Jesus the demonic realm tends not to stay around.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 29-30 - Isaiah continues to provide leadership and to light the way for man to enter into a personal fellowship with God -- 'Isaiah 29:15-16 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed [lifeless] as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of Him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing [created object] framed say of Him that framed it, He had no understanding?' - 'Isaiah 29:24 They also that erred [false doctrine] in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured [occult practices] shall learn [true] doctrine.'

Isaiah 30:1-3 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of Me; *and that cover with a covering, *but not of My spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, *and have not asked at [the source] My mouth; [but] to [instead] strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh [worldly leadership], and to trust in the shadow of Egypt [the physical world]! - Humans are all called into a personal relationship with God. Isaiah and all of the Prophets of the Holy Bible have each instructed mankind to seek God, in fact mankind is to seek the very face of God in a intimate one to one relationship with God. Note: The concept that Isaiah is talking about is that what is the pride of the world the glory of worldly accomplishments will one day be looked upon as a shame when viewed in the context of the light and in the plans and accomplishments of God. For example going to a Rock concert that once was such a great worldly [Egypt] moment will be looked back on as an act of shame once we realize that it was an act of going down into Egypt and not a meaningful divine act of worship and fellowship with God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 31-32 - Isaiah the prophet continues to distinguish between the wonderful rewards of righteousness and the disastrous results of wickedness -- 'Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and *assurance [eternal] forever. And My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation [Heaven], and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places ...'

Isaiah 32:1-8 Behold, a King (Jesus) shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. And a man (Jesus) shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; *as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, *and the ears of them that hear shall hearken [listen]. The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly. The -vile- person shall be no more called liberal [generous], nor the churl [rude, obnoxious] said to be bountiful. For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, *to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right. But the [true righteous] liberal deviseth liberal [generous] things; and by [true, godly] liberal things shall he stand. - Satan is continually corrupting the things of God particularly the concepts, doctrines and teachings of God. The concepts of God are being corrupted by Satan and by mankind. Satan is deceiving mankind into thinking that evil is good, wrong is right and even that killing is now compassion. Notably, the concept that is among the most corrupted by Satan is the meaning of the word 'love'. Biblically love means a commitment, a godly commitment to the highest good in God for another person (John 3:16). Now Satan has redefined love into sex and selfish, sinful, sex at that, very strange!

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 33-34 - Isaiah details that God is going to deliver the Jews from the Gentile 'Controversy' - The controversy over their right to exist as a Jewish people and as a Nation of Israel -- 'Isaiah 34:8 For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.'

Isaiah 34:1-8 Come near, ye Nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: *let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcasses, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host [stars, planets, moons, comets, etc.] of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For My sword shall be bathed in Heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of My curse, to judgment. The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea. And the unicorns [an occult, magic, (unknown animal in modern times), symbol] shall come down with them, and the bullocks [stron animals] with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. *For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences *for the [Gentile induced] controversy of Zion [Israel, Jerusalem]. - The Tribulation judgment of God is going to also encompass the fallen spiritual [Satanic, demonic] realm and it is also going to be global in scope upon the earth. All the nations of the world are to be judged this second time as in the first global judgment during the days of Noah and the flood of Noah. A part of the Great Tribulation judgment against the Gentile Nations is for the mistreatment of the Nation of Israel. God is the ultimate protector of Israel and to oppress Israel and the Jewish people is to draw the wrath of God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 35-36 - Isaiah instructs to people of God to be strong, to fear not and to look only to God for Deliverance and Salvation -- 'Isaiah 35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you.'

Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness [of the land of Israel] and the solitary place [in Israel] shall be glad for them [Jews]; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they [wilderness places] shall see the Glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our [Jewish] God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons [lizards], where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. *And an highway shall be there [leading to worship in Jerusalem], and a way, and it shall be called The Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion [Jerusalem] with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. - The land, the flowers, the plants and all of creation rejoices in the plan of God and in the presence of the Jews as the eternal plans of God are is being fulfilled in part through the presence of the Jewish descendants of Abraham.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 37-39 - Isaiah discloses the reminder that there is always a future for the observant, obedient Jews of Israel -- 'Isaiah 37:31 And the [Jewish] remnant that is escaped of [belongs to] the House of Judah [lit. Praise] shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: For out of Jerusalem [the Holy city of God] shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of [have within their heart] Mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of Hosts shall do this.'

Isaiah 37:33 [an additional source repeat of the Biblical historical events starting in 2 Kings 18:13] Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city [Jerusalem], nor shoot an arrow there nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. 34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for My servant David's (Beloved, Jesus') sake. Then the Angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand [185,000]: and when they [leaders] arose early in the morning, behold, they [troops] were all dead corpses. So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. And it came to pass [that he was very unpopular], [and] as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword {he and other people might have thought his false god Nisroch had saved his life but that was cleared up as he was killed at the altar of his false god}; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esar-haddon his son reigned in his stead. - Note (Part 1): one Angel the "Angel of the LORD" killed in a single night 185,000 warriors without their officers in nearby tents even aware of what was taking place. A clarification: Jesus is usually considered the O.T. Angel of the Lord and Jesus fights for and defends the Jews, Jerusalem and all of Israel and this event is considered in all likeliness to be a repeat of the Passover deaths of the firstborn in Egypt where Jesus was present however a death Angel "destroyer" actually killed the people [Exodus 12:23, Exodus 12:29]. - An important Biblical concept to understand is that human death is not a natural occurrence [Genesis 2:17] as humans were originally created to live forever [Genesis 1:26]. The Bible is clear that human death [separation of the human spirit and soul from the physical human body] only comes at the direction of God and the Angels [reapers] are the agency that actually carryout the [death] separation process [Matthew 13:39]. This group of reaper [demonic death] Angels can apparently kill a human without even physically touching a human. Angels are spirit beings of such a higher dimension [6th dimension] that they can interact internally in the physical body [realm] of a [4th dimensional (width, height, length, time)] human without a human even really being aware of it though it is considered that Demons [5th dimensional beings, offspring of 6th dimensional fallen angels and 4th dimensional human beings] do not have this capability [and therefore demons and fallen angels are different beings]. Sometimes people will report events that when they were asleep, or about asleep, they felt a heavy presence or something unseen touched them sometimes people are lifted into the air and these physical contacts are generally Demonic spirit encounters where a person can have a thought, suffer a delusion or a confusion or even suffer a physical heart attack or stroke type of medical event by the mere presence of a fallen Angel. God is the final authority of when and where a human physical death will occur at the hands of a reaper angel and to illustrate this the event of human death is going to be suspended for a time during the Great Tribulation event [Revelation 9:6]. What this means is that God has all authority over the spirit realm particularly the human spirit/soul realm where a person remains physically alive at the command of God then at death ultimately by reaping Angels a Holy Angel [or Angels] will then escort the disembodied human spirit and soul of a person into Heaven and the presence of Jesus Christ where the spirit of the human will be judged and if found with sin, not having the blood covering of the cross of Jesus the unclean human spirit will have to depart the Holy presence of God and will be remanded to hell for all eternity while a clean human spirit having been washed in the blood of the cross of Jesus will enter into Heaven and receive the adoption as a Son of God, receiving an eternal heavenly body and home for all eternity with God in Heaven. This precludes the possibility of human ghosts roaming the earth after death because humans [staying in either heaven or hell] are not given that [to roam] authority by God. In reality ghosts are too vague and too shy to be humans and clearly are morbid, deceiving (demonic) entities though humans while alive can perform some occult activities where they can through 'astral projection' temporarily remove their soul from their body while their spirit still remains in their body and then after a short time their soul returns to their body this can also be accompanied with a demonic tour 'guide' overseeing the journey and possibly at times a fallen angel can just suggest or project the appearance of astral projection or the appearance of an out-of-body experience into the mind of a person. Jesus Christ is the only person who has ever had their own authority to command His own Spirit from His body 'gave up His ghost' [Luke 23:46] and to command His Spirit into the presence of God in Heaven [in order to fulfill prophecy three days later]. The Apostle Paul conducted his evangelical ministry for Jesus to the point of spiritual warfare that the death process was revealed [Acts 14:19-20] and manifested [2 Corinthians 12:1-4] to him and most important of all the Apostle Paul having experienced the death process for himself he no longer feared death [Philippians 1:21] that is a death after having in himself the baptism of Jesus Christ. - Note: (Part 2) about fasting and its important connection to and bridging into the spirit realm will be continued in Isaiah chapter 58 where Isaiah prophecies an entire teaching on fasting and what is an acceptable fast to God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 40-41 - Isaiah instructs that as God corrects and punishes His punishments are of a limited duration especially regarding the Jews, the city of Jerusalem and the Nation of Israel -- 'Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.' {Note: God is in the process of visibly restoring the Kingdom of God to Israel [May 14, 1948] what Matthew called "The Kingdom of God" the visible Kingdom of God here on earth as compared to Matthew also mentioning "The Kingdom of Heaven" the eternal Kingdom of God that has always remained for the Jews. Since May 14, 1948 and the restoration of the Nation of Israel the Nation of Israel and all the Jews worldwide have passed from the judgments of God and are now back in the blessings of God. To declare that Israel is outcast by God or is still under some of the judgments is to be behind the times as now Israel is once again back in their homeland and once again preparing to receive the presence of the Messiah the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Note: God is in the process of visibly restoring the Kingdom of God to Israel [i.e. May 14, 1948] what Matthew called "The Kingdom of God" the visible Kingdom of God in the midst of the Jews here on earth as compared to Matthew also mentioning "The Kingdom of Heaven" the eternal Kingdom of God that has always remained for the Jews. Since May 14, 1948 and the restoration of the Nation of Israel the Nation of Israel and all the Jews worldwide have passed from the judgments of God and are now back in the blessings of God. To declare that Israel is outcast by God or is still under some of the judgments is to be behind the times as now Israel is once again back in their homeland and once again preparing to receive the presence of the Messiah the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.}

Isaiah 40:3-5 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, *Prepare ye the way of the LORD, *make straight [have no obstacles between you and God] in the desert a highway *for our God (Jesus). Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. - This prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in John the Baptist. Notice what the words of the prophecy of Isaiah are "make straight in the desert a highway for our God" it is just simple not possible that Jesus is anything other than God. To attempt to remove the Divinity of Jesus from Jesus as the cults do is to completely misquote the Prophets of old and completely misrepresent the message of the Bible. 'Matthew 3:1-4 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. For this is he (prophet) that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord (God), make His paths straight. And the same John [the Baptist] had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.' - 'Acts 9:11 And the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Arise, and go into *the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul [the Apostle Paul], of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth' - Saul of Tarsus encountered the glory of God on his way into Damascus and then while he stayed and prayed on a street named "Straight" the Christian disciple Ananias came and prayed for Saul and prophesied to Saul about his future service to Jesus and the spiritual blindness literally fell from Saul's eyes. Ananias then baptized Saul in a water fountain in the courtyard of the house on "Straight" street and Saul of Tarsus was well on his way to becoming Paul the Apostle the New Testament counterpart to the great Old Testament prophet Isaiah. The Book of Isaiah is the longest prophetic book of the Old Testament and it is in many ways the glue of the Old Testament where Isaiah compiles Israel's past and redirects it towards their glorious future the Apostle Paul would write over half of the New Testament by also compiling the past and redirecting it into the glorious future of the Christian Church the Bride of Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 42 - Isaiah continues to declare that human events are in the process of changing and being redirected by the hand and plans of God the LORD Jesus -- 'Isaiah 42:9-10 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I (the LORD Jesus) declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise from the end of the earth [all Nations], ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.' {Note: We are now also in a similar time of change as the world accelerates into the global End Time events of the Book of Revelation and spoken of throughout the Bible.}

Isaiah 42:1-9 Behold My Servant (Jesus), whom I uphold; Mine Elect ['chosen purpose' to Redeem all people], in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not [make a scene] cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. [instead by His compassion] A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: *He shall bring forth Judgment unto Truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles [far away Nations] shall wait for His [Royal] Law. Thus saith God the LORD, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, *and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. I (Jesus) Am the LORD: that is My Name: and My Glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and *new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. - Isaiah tells that God Himself is the coming Messiah and that He is coming to both the Jews and the Gentiles - Note: Jesus gave His life as a Covent sacrifice to the Jews and as a light to the Gentiles. The Gentiles are to enter into the existing Jewish Promises and Covenants. There are some Promises from God to the Gentiles however both the Old Covenant [O.T.] and the New Covenant [N.T.] both strictly belong to the Jews of Israel through the death [physical finality] and resurrection [spiritual reality] of Jesus Christ and only through Jesus Christ we Gentiles can also receive of the New Testament Covenant.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 43-44 - Isaiah makes it clear that although change has come to the Children of God - God is still their provider and God will still provide for them and He will make a way for His Children through the desert places and obstacles of this life - Isaiah 43:18-19 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old [don't be trapped by the old ways]. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it [be informed that change has come]? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:10 Ye (Jews) are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My Servant (Jesus) whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I Am He [YHWH]: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the LORD; and *beside Me (Jesus) there is no Saviour. *I have declared, *and have saved, *and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye [Disciples] are My witnesses, saith the LORD, that I Am God. - Isaiah the prophet declares that God alone is God and that Jesus is God as Isaiah continues to repeatedly declare that the coming Redeemer, Savior, Messiah is God Himself.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 45 - God through His prophet Isaiah continues to confirm His promises to His Nation and His people of Israel especially as the events of the day were leading Israel into their prophesied [70 year] captivity in Babylon and their later [2,000 year] Diaspora (dispersion) among all the Gentile Nations of the world -- 'Isaiah 45:17 But Israel shall be Saved in the LORD (Jesus) with an everlasting Salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.' {Note: as long as the world exists "world without end" including the New heaven and the New earth the Jews are the Chosen people of God.}

Isaiah 45:1-9 Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus [future King of Persia/Iran], whose right hand I have holden, to subdue Nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings [Belshazzar King of Babylon], to open before him the two leaved gates [of Babylon]; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the [plundered] treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, Am *the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, and *Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me. I Am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded [strengthened] thee, though thou hast not known Me: That they [Gentiles] may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I Am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil [adversity]: I the LORD do all these things. Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. Woe unto him [man] that striveth with (God) his Maker! - Through Isaiah the prophet God reveals future events that are clearly outside of mankind's knowledge and outside of mankind's origins and separate from the ability of mankind to fulfill therefore confirming the all-knowing, all wise and all powerful nature of God.

Wikipedia.org: Cyrus cylinder - The Cyrus cylinder, also known as the Cyrus the Great cylinder, is a document issued by the Persian [Iran] ruler Cyrus the Great in the form of a clay cylinder inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform script - The cylinder has also attracted attention in the context of the repatriation of the Jews to Jerusalem following their Babylonian captivity; it has generally been viewed as corroboration of the Biblical account in the Book of Ezra [and the prophesies of Isaiah] - Extract from the Cyrus Cylinder (lines 15-21), giving the genealogy of Cyrus the Great and an account of his capture of Babylon in 539 B.C. (Photos)

The Cyrus cylinder, also known as the Cyrus the Great cylinder, is a document issued by the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great in the form of a clay cylinder inscribed in Akkadian cuneiform script. The cylinder was created following the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, when Cyrus overthrew the Babylonian king Nabonidus and replaced him as ruler, ending the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The text of the cylinder denounces Nabonidus as impious and portrays the victorious Cyrus as pleasing to the chief Babylonian god Marduk. It goes on to describe how Cyrus had improved the lives of the citizens of Babylonia, repatriated displaced peoples and restored temples and cult sanctuaries. The cylinder was discovered in 1879 by the Assyro-British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in the foundations of the Esagila, the main temple of Babylon, where it had been placed as a foundation deposit. It is today kept in the British Museum in London. There have been reports of attempts by the directors of the British Museum and the National Museum of Iran in Tehran to arrange a loan of the Cyrus Cylinder to be temporarily displayed in the National Museum of Iran for a special exhibition. According to the British Museum, the cylinder "reflects a long tradition in Mesopotamia where, from as early as the third millennium BC, kings began their reigns with declarations of reforms." It is composed in a form that broadly matches long-standing Babylonian styles and themes, although the use of the first person marks a striking departure from this pattern. The cylinder may be seen as an example of Cyrus seeking the loyalty of his new Babylonian subjects by stressing his legitimacy as king, and showing his respect for the religious and political traditions of Babylonia. It has been regarded for over a century as an instrument of ancient Mesopotamian propaganda. In the early 1970s, the Shah of Iran adopted it as a symbol of his reign and celebrating 2,500 years of Iranian monarchy, asserting that it was "the first human rights charter in history", *The cylinder has also attracted attention in the context of the repatriation of the Jews to Jerusalem following their Babylonian captivity; it has generally been viewed as corroboration of the Biblical account in the Book of Ezra (see: Ezra 1.1-6, 6.1-5; Isaiah 44.23-45.8; 2 Chronicles 36.22-23). ... Discovery: The cylinder was discovered following an earlier, fruitless excavation by the British archaeologist Austen Henry Layard. In 1850 Layard dug into three mounds on the site of the ruined city of Babylon but found little of importance and concluded that it was not worth his time continuing there. His assistant Hormuzd Rassam, a controversial figure remembered as much for his brutal tactics as his discoveries, returned to the mounds in 1879 on behalf of the British Museum. He uncovered a number of important buildings, most notably the Esagila - a major temple to Marduk, though it was not identified as such until Robert Koldewey's excavation of 1900. Rassam's excavations found a large quantity of business documents and, buried in the temple's foundations, the Cyrus Cylinder. Rassam's excavations went on until 1882. The cylinder was announced to the public by Sir Henry Rawlinson at a meeting of the Royal Asiatic Society on 17 November 1879. Rawlinson's paper on "Notes on a newly-discovered Clay Cylinder of Cyrus the Great" was published in the society's journal the following year.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_cylinder Fulfilled Prophecies - Exhibit #9: Isaiah's Prophecy about Cyrus, King of Persia - This prophecy is abundantly clear: A certain man named "Cyrus" will authorize the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple - The prophecy is crystal clear, historically fulfilled, and beyond control of the Jews [critics are unable to claim that the Jews self-fulfilled their prophecies with God so obviously fulfilling them Himself]

Please check the timeline (see figure above) related to this prophecy. Isaiah prophesied around 700 BC, about 100 years before Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and perhaps 160 years before Cyrus, king of Media and Persia, conquered Jerusalem and Babylon in 539 BC. The following year Cyrus permitted Jews to return to their land and build a temple: "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: 'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah . Anyone of his people among you-may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.'" 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 (cf. Ezra 1:1-4). ... The prophecy is crystal clear, historically fulfilled, and beyond control of the Jews. The archaeological discovery of the "Cyrus Cylinder" confirms Cyrus' policies as to the freedom of religion. It explains why Cyrus let the Jewish captives return to rebuilt the Jerusalem temple exactly as predicted in the prophecy. The weakest criterion is the dating of this prediction of Isaiah, given the Deutero-Isaiah alternative. This theory claims the latter part of the book was written later by another author. Actually, the Cyrus prophecy is probably the reason liberal critics have tried to re-date the second half of Isaiah and onwards to around 550 BC or later.

http://www.windmillministries.org/frames/CH24-3A.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 46-47 - Isaiah continues to make clear the distinctions between the Holy God of Israel and everything else in existence -- 'Isaiah 46:3-5 Hearken [Listen] unto Me, O House of Jacob, *and all the remnant of the House of Israel, which are borne by Me from [conception] the belly, which are carried from the womb [birth]: And even to your old age I Am He; and even to [grey] hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, *and will deliver you. To whom [what human or false god] will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like [equal]?' {There is none like God. God is God, Angels are Angels, people are people, animals are animals and demons are demons and all are separate and distinct from one another.}

'Isaiah 46:8-10 8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, *Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure ...' - In the Bible's Old Testament before the physical life and Ministry of Jesus Christ the Bible lists many things in a reverse order "Declaring the end from the beginning" while later in the New Testament many of the same lists are presented as "the beginning and the ending" it's just that the Bible continues to differentiate between the Old Testament times before Jesus and the New Testament Times and now humanity with Jesus. - 'Revelation 1:8 I (Jesus) am Alpha [start] and Omega [finish], the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 48-49 - Isaiah begins to reveal that although the Messiah will initially be rejected by many of the people and by the Nation of Israel that God will be Glorified in and through the work and ministry of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) -- 'Isaiah 49:3 And said unto me [Isaiah], Thou [Jesus] art My servant, {hear} O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.' - 'Isaiah 49:7 Thus saith the LORD [Father God], the Redeemer of Israel [Jesus Christ], and His Holy One [Holy Spirit], to Him (Jesus) whom man despiseth, to Him whom the Nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, *because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and He shall choose thee.' {Note Isaiah uses the phrases "the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One" and the concepts of it several times throughout his prophecy scroll. The phrase "the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and His Holy One" is a Triune (Trinity) 'Mystery' verse. The Apostle Paul would later refer to the Triune [3 in 1] nature of God as a Mystery (Romans 16:24, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 3:3).}

Isaiah 49:8-18 8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time [after the cross and resurrection of Jesus] have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; *That thou [Christians] mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all My mountains [governments, administrations] a way, and My highways [paths] shall be exalted. Behold, these {Gentiles} shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim. Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: *for the LORD hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His afflicted. But Zion [the Jews] said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. [Not so!] Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they [people] may forget, yet will I [God] not forget thee (Jews). Behold, I have graven thee [all His people] upon the palms [nail holes of the cross] of My hands; thy walls [building up] are continually before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth [away] of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. *As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them {Christians} all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride {the bride of Jesus Christ} doeth. - The Apostle Paul declares that "now is this acceptable time" for Gentiles as well as the Jews to seek after God and to be accepted by God through the cross of Jesus Christ. - '2 Corinthians 5:19-6:2 To wit, that God was in Christ (Jesus), reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing [humans] their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us (Christians) the word [Gospel] of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead [proxy], be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we (sinners) might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We then, as workers together with Him (Jesus), beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. *For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured [helped] thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.'

"THE BOOK OF ISAIAH" The Man, The Times, And The Book - Isaiah is often referred to as "The Messianic Prophet" because of his many prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus - The New Testament quotes and applies more scriptures from the book of Isaiah than any other Old Testament prophet - Another designation for the Lord used by Isaiah is "The Holy One Of Israel" - In his book it is used 25 times, while found only six times in all the rest of the Bible

ISAIAH, THE TIMES: It was a time of great political turmoil for the nation of Judah. Assyria was expanding its empire, attacking Israel and Syria to the north. When Judah refused to joined a coalition with Israel and Syria to resist Assyria, Judah was attacked by Israel and Syria in retaliation. As Judah seriously considered inviting Assyria to help, Isaiah sought to encourage the king and the people to trust only in Jehovah. King Ahaz of Judah rejected Isaiah's advice and asked Assyria to come to his aid. Assyria accepted, and the capital of Israel (Samaria) fell in 722 B.C. (Hendriksen). It soon became apparent that Judah was next on Assyria's hit list. Judah began looking to Egypt in the south for help. Once again, Isaiah counseled the nation to make no alliances but trust only in the Lord. King Hezekiah heeded Isaiah and God rewarded his faith by destroying the Assyrian host (Isa 36-37). But in a moment of weakness Hezekiah showed the ambassadors from Babylon (Assyria's enemy) the house of his treasures (Isa 39:1-2). This prompted Isaiah to foretell that the king's treasures and his descendants would be taken away to Babylon (Isa 39:5-7). With this prophecy as an introduction, in chapters 40-66 Isaiah speaks from the viewpoint of Babylonian exile and foretells of coming pardon, deliverance, and restoration. (ibid.). During this time God sent several prophets to Israel and Judah. Hosea (750-725 B.C.) prophesied mainly to Israel, the northern ten tribes. Micah (735-700 B.C.) together with Isaiah spoke primarily to Judah in the south.

http://www.ccel.org/contrib//exec_outlines/isa/isa_01.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 50-51 - The cross of Jesus Christ the Messiah continues to come into view to mankind through the prophecies of the prophet Isaiah -- 'Isaiah 50:6-7 6 I (Jesus Christ) gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting. For the [Father] Lord GOD will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint [determination], and I know that I shall not be ashamed.'

Isaiah 50:4-5 The Lord GOD hath given Me (Jesus Christ) the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear [piercing of a bond slave - Exodus 21:6], and I was not rebellious, neither turned [away from the cross] away back. - Previously Isaiah had just accused the people of not having an open ear. "Isaiah 48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, *from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.' - Later the Disciple John would write multiple time about the necessity of the Christian to have an open, attentive and obedient ear towards the Holy Spirit. 'Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 52-53 - Isaiah the prophet views the cross of Jesus Christ for us and in his faithful report Isaiah acknowledges the fact that the cross of Jesus Christ, the cross of man rejecting God, is such an odd circumstance that mankind is not going to be able to immediately grasp the eternal purpose and consequences of the gift and sacrificial cross of Jesus Christ - But to those to whom the arm of Salvation of the Lord is revealed they will believe the report -- 'Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?'

Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Behold, My servant (Jesus Christ) shall deal prudently, He (Jesus) shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men: *So shall He sprinkle [with His redemption blood] many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem [value] Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off [Daniel 9:26] out of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken. And He made His grave [cross] with the wicked, and with the rich in his [tomb] death [three days and nights]; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: *when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, *He shall see His seed [Born Again Disciples], *He shall prolong His days, and *the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. *He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: *by His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. - The Prophecy of Jesus Christ the suffering servant the intimate and personal look into the Soul of Jesus Christ in the Holy of Holies of the Old Testament of the Bible.

Thru the Bible Radio with Dr. J. Vernon Mcgee - Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - The Suffering Servant Jesus Christ [Isaiah 52:13-53:9] - The resulting Satisfaction of the Servant Jesus Christ [Isaiah 53:10-12] - (Mp3s, short approx. 7 minute segments)

ABOUT TTB: Dr. J. Vernon McGee was an active participant in this radio ministry for 47 exciting years. When his health began to fail, plans were made in advance to decide how the Bible study program would continue in the event of his home going. The message would remain the same and the "voice" of Thru the Bible Radio would continue to be Dr. McGee, through the use of the taped 5-year program. After our Savior called Dr. McGee home in December of 1988, the program's reach continued to grow. Today, Thru the Bible is a worldwide ministry airing on over 800 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and heard in more than 100 languages and dialects around the world. Our mission is simple and the same one Dr. McGee himself embraced: To take the whole Word to the whole world.

http://www.thruthebible.org/site/c.irLMKXPGLsF/b.4104233/k.BFE1/MP3_Download_of_5Year_Series.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 54-55 - After viewing the cross and sacrifice of the Messiah Jesus Christ - Isaiah the prophet begins prophesying and reporting on the results and on the after effects of the cross of Jesus Christ -- 'Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage [from the cross of Jesus Christ] of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.'

Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price [the price of Life has been paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross]. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto Me: *hear, and your soul shall live; *and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, *even the sure mercies of David (Lit. Beloved, Jesus). - This message of Jesus Christ from shortly after the cross given by the prophet Isaiah is so important and so instrumental to the salvation of mankind and of the plans of God that this exact message is again repeated by the Disciple John and among the very last messages given in the entire Holy Bible. - 'Revelation 22:16-17 I Jesus have sent mine Angel (messenger) to testify unto you these things in the churches. *I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the [Holy] Spirit and the bride [Christian Church] say, Come [to Jesus]. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 56-57 - After the cross of Jesus Christ and now our ability to live an earthly "Kingdom of God" [Matthew 6:33] existence and also the necessity for us to also at the same time live a Heavenly "Kingdom of Heaven" [Matthew 7:21] existence -- 'Isaiah 56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My Salvation is near to come, and My Righteousness to be revealed [the Millennial reign on earth of Jesus Christ].'

Isaiah 56:1-8 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. *Blessed is the man that doeth this, *and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath [rest in God] from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak [despairingly], saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say [despairingly], Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the [Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven] things that please Me, and take hold of My Covenant; Even unto them [no one is excluded by God from the Kingdoms of God] will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them [childless] an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. *Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the Name of the LORD, to be His servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; Even them will I bring to My Holy Mountain [Government], and make them joyful in My house of prayer: their [outsiders who accept Jesus] burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine [Melchizedek] altar; for Mine House (Temple) shall be called an House of Prayer for all people. The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, *Yet will I gather others [Gentiles] to Him, beside those [Hebrews] that are gathered unto Him. - The Kingdoms of God are given from God to be accessible to mankind all of mankind.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; *Isaiah 58-59 - Isaiah prophesies a teaching on fasting {bridging spiritual realms} and of our ability to overcome (spiritual) bondage and oppression through bridging - Simultaneously while bridging {fasting - doing the will of God} we are spiritually bridged in Heaven and spiritually in fellowship with God on High in Heaven all the while we are on this side of the bridge and physically serving and worship God here on earth -- 'Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast [bridge] that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every [bondage] yoke?'

Isaiah 58:3-14 3 [Worshipers ask:] Wherefore have we fasted [gone without food], say they [worshipers], and Thou (God) seest [observes them] not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge? [God Answers:] Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure [so they have not really 'afflicted the soul' and its the wrong day and wrong way to do it anyhow], and exact all your labours [your employees get no extra break]. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate [for physical results], and to smite with the fist of wickedness [physical results]: *ye shall not fast [physically] as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard [spiritually] on High. Is it such a [physical] fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul [only Yom Kippur (our Good Friday or Crucifixion Thursday) and possibly one other day is an appointed day to afflict our souls]? is it to [physically] bow down his head as a bulrush, and to [physically] spread sackcloth and ashes under him? *wilt thou call this a fast {a bridge to the heavenly realm}, and an acceptable day to the LORD? [Instead] Is not this the fast {a bridge into the heavenly realm} that I (God) have chosen? to [use the gifts of the Holy Spirit and] loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to [feed] the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then [with Spiritual gifts] shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward [military - rearguard]. Then shalt thou [Spiritually] call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke [oppression], the putting forth of the finger [accusing one another], and speaking vanity [gossip]; And if thou draw out [assist] thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. *And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My Holy day; and [now] call the Sabbath [rest in Jesus, seventh realm] a delight, the Holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour Him (Jesus), not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. - The fast is a bridge from the human earthly realm into the Spiritual Heavenly realm in order to accomplish and grow in the heavenly spiritual realm. What is at issue here is that people are fasting {bridging} for the wrong reason and therefore the wrong results are being obtained. - Note (Part 2): The spiritual realms as unfolded in the Genesis creation model man was created on the six day and was probably originally a six dimensional being however with fall into sin man fell into the fourth [strictly earthly] dimension. The Angels were also previously created in the sixth dimension and remain in the sixth dimension though for fallen Angels their access to the Throne of God is limited and perhaps even in some cases prohibited. Sixth dimensional fallen Angels and fifth dimensional demons have every advantage over fourth dimensional humans unless the humans can {fast} bridge the dimensions into a higher realm. The seventh day of creation is the day of rest and by the Genesis creation realm model restored humans entering into the rest "Sabbath" of Jesus Christ have entered into the seventh and highest dimension a dimension higher than the Angels all Angels, holy or fallen. - The Bible gives some interesting concepts 1. Revelation 20:1-2 Satan is to be bound for 1,000 years with a strong chain. Satan as a fallen Angel is a sixth dimensional being [hell is created for Satan and his angels] and apparently this strong chain is at least a sixth dimensional chain or possibly a seventh dimensional chain. The reason to note this is because Jesus instructed his Church that whatever we bind on earth will {bridge} and be bound in Heaven [Matthew 16:19] meaning that Christians have access to Heaven and also that our access is in a restored higher dimension, high enough to bind Satan and the works of Satan. Therefore our Spiritual prayers in the higher seventh dimension and are effective in effecting the plans of God. Also Note: We are not countering Satan or the demonic realm one to one but we are bridging over the fallen Angelic realm into a higher realm with a higher purpose in order to overcome the fallen nature of sin and of this world. -- Genesis 1:1-2:3 the physical and spiritual realms are made and established. - 'Genesis 2:4 These are the generations [realms] of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens ...' Also Note: God is not a created being. God Himself is infinite and is outside of all the created realms the realms that restrict and limit the Angels and mankind into our areas and abilities of existence and also limit us in our accountability [in God's view (Luke 12:47-48)] and in our responsibilities where God's responsibilities are probably about limitless though His accountability is only to Himself.

Basic Christian Article: Who is Melchizedek? - An Eight Part Article Introduction - The physical and spiritual realms as unfolded in the Genesis creation model

Coming Soon the Basic Christian Article: Who is Melchizedek? Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20) is a higher multidimensional being. Melchizedek exists outside of our own human time and space dimensions (restrictions). Humans exist in and are limited to the first three physical dimensions (length, height, width) and also the fourth dimension (restriction) of time. The spiritual realm of demons, angels and in part the coming Antichrist exists in the less restricted 5th and 6th dimensions. In fact the coming Antichrist is going to bring down or "contact" the 5th and 6th dimensions and infuse 4th dimensional human beings with 5th dimensional demons [Nephilim spirits] and 6th dimensional fallen [Satanic] angelic spirit beings consequently orchestrating 5th and 6th dimensional miracles and signs and wonders in order to deceive mankind. So who is Melchizedek? Melchizedek is the manifestation of the infinite dimensional (infinite dimensions - no restrictions - unrestricted) God in Person. Melchizedek is God the Holy Spirit in Person. Melchizedek is the Order of the Holy Spirit Priesthood. -- Note: In the Basic Christian article "Who is Melchizedek?" the 8 dimensions (restrictions) are listed in conjunction with the original creation week (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and are categorized as follows: 1. Length [Day one creation - light separated [Judgment] (length) from darkness] 2. Height [Day two creation - divided the waters above from the waters below] 3. Width [Day three creation - dry land and plants] 4. Time [Day four creation - sun, moon, stars for times and seasons] 5. Demonic - demons [Day five creation - fish from the waters below, birds from the waters above] 6. Angelic - Holy Angels and also Satan with all of his fallen angels [Day six creation - land animals and humans (pre-fall) - humans the highest part of creation created separate and above the animals and equal to the angels but with sin mankind fell from the 6th dimension to the 4th dimension, in fact with the sin of mankind all of creation also fell from its original creation status] 7. Human Salvation redeemed by the blood, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ [Day seven creation - Rest] 8. Unrestricted [outside of creation] - The only Unrestricted, Eternal, Wise, ∞ Infinite, Almighty God consisting of God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. -- Genesis 2:4 These are the generations [dimensions] of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens ...

http://www.basicchristian.org/Truth_vs_Deception.pdf ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 60-61 - Isaiah gives the command to the people of God to arise with our Savior and to shine in the resurrection glory of Jesus Christ - Jesus began His teaching Ministry by famously claiming to be the fulfillment of Isaiah and quoting from Isaiah 61:1-2 -- 'Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen [Resurrection] upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy [Christian (early Jewish Church) resurrection] light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.'

Isaiah 61:1-9 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me; because the LORD hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD[,] {when Jesus read this passage in Luke 4:18 proclaiming liberty for the people Jesus then stopped at the comma - not yet proclaiming the coming day of vengeance} and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the [Melchizedek] Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and *I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. Luke 4:14-22 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the [Holy] Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And He came to Nazareth [the hometown of Joseph and His mother Mary], where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the Synagogue (Jewish Church) on the Sabbath Day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah). And when *He had opened the book, *He found the place where it was written, The [Holy] Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord[.] *And He closed the book, and He gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, *This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare Him witness [at hearing His declaration], and [but] wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? - Jesus begins His teaching Ministry by famously claiming to be the fulfillment of Isaiah and quoting from Isaiah 61:1-2. Quoting proclaiming liberty for the people but also stopping and closing the book on the future "day of vengeance" the events of Revelation when the Books are reopened and the "liberty" verses are not as applicable and the vengeance verses will be in effect.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 62-63 - Isaiah after declaring the Teaching Ministry of Jesus Christ the Messiah - Isaiah now focuses again on the following Tribulation, End Times events -- 'Isaiah 62:1-3 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: *and thou shalt be called [both individually and as a group] by a new name [Christian], which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem [Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:9)] in the hand of thy God.' - {Note: It is considered that this verse is what gave the Christian Church the authority to take on the new 'group' name Christian (Acts 11:26) a name given by others but then also received as the new title for the new work of God. God will still give each individual a new name in heaven (Revelation 2:17).}

Isaiah 63:1-6 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? *I have trodden the winepress alone; *and of the people there was none with Me [during the Tribulation the Christian Church will be in Heaven, Israel will have fled from Jerusalem and the rest of mankind will actually be waging war against Jesus and God their creator]: for [in warfare] I will tread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon My garments, and I will stain all My raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, *and the year {70th Week of Daniel} of My redeemed is come. *And I looked, and there was none to help; *and I wondered that there was none to uphold: *therefore Mine own arm brought [healing] salvation [ridding the world of evil] unto Me; and My fury [passion for righteousness], it upheld Me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk [strong delusion] in My fury, and I will bring down their strength [pride] to the earth. - This same event is seen by the Disciple John and recorded in the Book of Revelation. - 'Revelation 19:11-16 11 And I [Disciple John] saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He (Jesus) that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns [authorities]; and *He had a name written, that no man knew [no man knows what it is create mankind to redeemed mankind at the cross with His own blood and life and to then have mankind attack God to the point of going to war with God in order to destroy God], but He himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and *His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were [remaining] in heaven followed Him [later] upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, *white and clean. And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword [Holy Bible], that with it He should smite the Nations: and He shall rule them with [strength] a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a Name [that everyone will know] written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Isaiah 64-66 - Isaiah the prophet begins to close his ministry to the people by once again declaring the coming of the new heaven and the new earth -- 'Isaiah 65:17-18 For, behold, I (God) create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.'

Isaiah 66:18-24 For I know their [sinful] works and their [sinful] thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see My glory. And I will set a sign [cross and resurrection] among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles. And [during the Millennium reign of Jesus Christ] they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, *to My Holy Mountain [government] Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. 21 And I will also take of them for [eternal Melchizedek] priests and [even] for Levites {will become Melchizedek priests}, saith the LORD. *For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain [eternally] before Me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another [in order], and from one Sabbath to another [season to season], shall all flesh come to worship before Me, saith the LORD. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. - The prophet Isaiah concludes his scroll of prophecy with a warning to all mankind. At this point in his life Isaiah probably now knows that Manasseh (the only son of King Hezekiah) is going to be an evil king bringing the Nation of Israel into a corrosive destructive point of no return until God brings Israel back to Himself through the purifying and refining fires of tribulation and distress. - The prophet Isaiah wrote one of the most incredible documents of all time a book (scroll) encompassing the very heights of heaven and the depths of hell. The ministry of Isaiah is at the forefront of the foundation for both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Isaiah was above all a prophet that knew the spiritual realms and was able to successfully wage spiritual warfare against Satan and against the forces of darkness, even saving Jerusalem (by his prayers) from being invaded. The 'salvation' knowledge that Isaiah imparted from God into a darkened humanity is of such an extent that like Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul, the prophet Isaiah would pay for his ministry with his life. Isaiah received of the wrath of Satan and was martyred though having the spirit of God he is resurrected to see the many promises of God fulfilled and will enter into the new heaven and live upon the new earth that he so often prophesied about.

;#; - - - - - - ;#;

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET

===== JEREMIAH ===== Introduction to the Book of Jeremiah: Jeremiah was a part of the 'middle period' prophets and saw the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction of King Solomon's Temple and many of his fellow Jewish countrymen taken away captive to the distant nation of Babylon - As a result of all the grief and hardship that Jeremiah experienced he is known as the 'Weeping Prophet' - Jeremiah also wrote the Bible's book of Lamentations (meaning "How [could this happen - the destruction of Jerusalem]" being the formula for the commencement of a song of wailing [and mourning] - wiki.com)

Jeremiah was a part of the 'middle period' [Babylonian captivity] prophets including fellow Jerusalem prophets Habakkuk and Zephaniah while Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon being a part of the captivity. The prophet Obadiah is thought to have prophesied about the same time as Jeremiah and also in Jerusalem however there is also a strong indication that Obadiah prophesied at a slightly earlier period in Jerusalem than Jeremiah. - The earlier prophet Micah is mentioned (Jeremiah 26:18-21) to the leaders of Israel by Jeremiah as an example of a prophet who also foretold the destruction of Jerusalem though the leaders of that time did not seek to put Micah to death for his message as the current leaders were seeking to do to Jeremiah. - It is important to note that the earlier prophets like Micah were prophesying about the fall of Jerusalem and the Babylonian captivity about 100 years before the actual events happened later in time during the time of Jeremiah and the other 'middle prophets' and that though the messages of the 'middle prophets' will sound similar to the messages of the 'earlier prophets' often the focus will now shift forward again and will actually be further out in time. During the time of the middle prophets the prophets were not primarily focusing on the Babylonian captivity but were actually prophesying out into the future 2nd destruction of Jerusalem and the destruction of the 2nd Temple by Rome in 70 A.D. and the resulting great Jewish "Diaspora" dispersion among all Gentile Nations not just being taken away into the one Nation of Babylon. - While the Jerusalem prophets prophesied about the future Diaspora of Israel the two prophets [Daniel and Ezekiel] in captivity in Babylon prophesied much further out into the future with Daniel prophesying about the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem and his famous "70 Weeks" Prophecy while Ezekiel is prophesying possibly about a 4th rebuilt Millennial Temple [the 3rd Temple also belonging to God is yet to be rebuilt in Jerusalem but the Antichrist will attempt to use it as his throne and the dimensions of Ezekiel's 4th Temple are much larger than what would currently be physically possible upon the Temple Mount location of today] in Jerusalem and the Millennial reign on earth with the Messiah Jesus Christ reigning from the [4th] Temple in Jerusalem.

The Book of Jeremiah - Jeremiah was a young devout Levitical Priest from the (Levite) City of Refuge in Anathoth (Joshua 21:18) and he also very likely served duties in the Temple at Jerusalem - Jeremiah lived from about 627 to 580 BC, a crucial period in the history of Judah, the Southern Kingdom [of Israel] except for a brief period of independence under Josiah - Judah existed as a vassal under Assyria, Egypt and Babylon {Assyria a major kingdom though not controlling all of the area including Jerusalem it was not a kingdom of the world (Revelation 17:10), Egypt is the second of the seven world kingdoms (after Nimrod the first world ruler), Babylon is the third of the seven world kingdoms, fourth is Persia (Iran), fifth is Greece, the sixth is Rome and the seventh being the Antichrist] - He [Jeremiah] began writing during the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign (Jeremiah 1:2, 25:3) - On the world scene, Jeremiah's lifetime was a period of empires jockeying for world domination {Note: the final world domination [of Satan] via Antichrist will be primarily a spiritual domination [false worship] first and physical domination second (Revelation 13:17) where the earlier kingdoms were physical domination first and spiritual domination followed.}

Jeremiah ministered during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, and the governorship of Gedaliah. When he began his ministry, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been in captivity for nearly one hundred years; Josiah was attempting to extend his influence over the territory formerly controlled by the north. Manasseh's evil reign had ended fifteen years before, perhaps when Jeremiah was quite young. After Manasseh, Amon's reign, also evil, lasted barely two years. Jeremiah's ministry began during the early reformation by Josiah, a reformation that was mostly skin deep, affecting few beyond his immediate circle. It would be five more years before the book of the law would be found by Hilkiah, as he was cleaning the temple. On the world scene, Jeremiah's lifetime was a period of empires jockeying for world domination. The Assyrian empire began to disintegrate after the death of Ashurbanipal in 626 BC, with the capital, Nineveh, falling to Nebuchadnezzar in 612 BC. In 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt at Carchemish, thus gaining control of all of western Asia. In 609 BC Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo, when he foolishly went out to fight Pharaoh Necho. Judah, at this point, became a vassal to Egypt. In 606/05 BC, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and took many captives (Daniel 1:1). In 603 BC, Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar; from that time on, Babylon, Moab and Ammon began systematically dismantling the Jewish state. In 597 BC Nebuchadnezzar took Jerusalem, bound Jehoiakim, and took him to Babylon, along with many of the temple vessels. In 588 BC, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem until 586 when famine swept the city; Nebuchadnezzar sacked the city, and burned it to the ground. The temple was destroyed. Jeremiah was not the only prophet at this time: preaching with him, were Zephaniah, Habakkuk, and Huldah, the prophetess in Judah. Meanwhile, Daniel and Ezekiel were busy in Babylonian captivity.

http://www.theology.edu/biblesurvey/jer.htm The Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52:28-30) notes three deportations: The first [Daniel and his friends went to Babylon in this first deportation of Jews from Jerusalem to Babylon] was in the time of [king] Jehoiachin, in 597 BCE, when the Temple of Jerusalem was partially despoiled and a number of the leading [talented and brilliant] citizens were removed (2 Kings 24:10-16) - After eleven years, in 586 BCE, in the reign of Zedekiah, a fresh uprising of the Judaeans occurred - The city and Temple of Jerusalem was razed [destroyed, leveled to the ground] and a further [2nd] deportation ensued (2 Kings 25:1-21) [Ezekiel was a part of this 2nd deportation to Babylon] - Finally, five years thereafter, in 581 BCE, Jeremiah records a third deportation (Jeremiah 52:30)

The book of Daniel records a deportation of Judaean nobility that occurred around 605 BCE, in the reign of Jehoiakim (Daniel 1:1-6; cf. 2 Chronicles 36:6-7). The Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 52:28-30) notes three deportations: The first was in the time of Jehoiachin, in 597 BCE, when the Temple of Jerusalem was partially despoiled and a number of the leading citizens were removed (2 Kings 24:10-16). After eleven years, in 586 BCE, in the reign of Zedekiah, a fresh uprising of the Judaeans occurred. The city and temple of Jerusalem was razed and a further deportation ensued (2 Kings 25:1-21). Finally, five years thereafter, in 581 BCE, Jeremiah records a third deportation (Jeremiah 52:30). ... Significance in Judaism: The Babylonian Captivity and the subsequent return [back] to Israel [70 years later] were seen as one of the pivotal events in the drama between God and His people: Israel. Just as they had been predestined for, and saved from, slavery in Egypt, the Israelites were predestined to be punished by God through the Babylonians, and then saved once more. The Babylonian Captivity had a number of serious effects on Judaism and the Jewish culture. For example, the current [modern] Hebrew script was adopted during this period, replacing the traditional Israelite script. This period saw the last [Jewish] high-point of Biblical prophecy in the person of Ezekiel, followed by the emergence of the central role of the Torah [Five Books of Moses] in Jewish life; according to many historical-critical scholars, it was edited and redacted during this time, and saw the beginning of the canonization of the Bible [O.T.], which provided a central text for Jews. This process coincided with the emergence of scribes and sages as Jewish leaders (see Ezra and the Pharisees). Prior to exile, the people of Israel had been organized according to tribe; afterwards, they were organized by clans, only the [Levitical] tribe of Levi [and the Tribe of Judah] continuing in its 'special role'. After this time, there were always sizable numbers of Jews living outside Eretz Israel [Promise Land]; thus, it also marks the beginning of the "Jewish diaspora" [Jews dispersed and living among the Gentile Nations], unless this is considered to have begun with the Assyrian Captivity of [Northern] Israel. In Rabbinic literature, Babylon is a metaphor for the current Jewish diaspora.

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Babylonian_captivity Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet (Mp3)

Biblical Truths from West Palm Beach church of Christ - A sermon from Bubba Garner. Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet [35:04m]: MP3.

http://www.wpbcocmessages.com/category/2009-lectureship ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 1 - Jeremiah at a young age [probably early twenties] was called by God to be a prophet to the Nation of Israel and to the Nations and the Kingdoms of the Gentiles - The calling and office of God will cover about the next 50 years in the life of Jeremiah - With the long Ministry of Jeremiah and the book (scroll) of Jeremiah having more words than any other Bible book except for the Book of Psalms the Book of Jeremiah has been arranged by scribes from a chronological order into Three main Oracles [Teachings] given from God through Jeremiah -- 'Jeremiah 1:1-3 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the [Levitical] Priests that were in Anathoth [a Levite city of refuge slightly north of the villages of Bethpage and Bethany] in the land of Benjamin: To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.'

Jeremiah 1:4-10 Then the word of the LORD came unto me [Jeremiah], saying, Before I [God] formed thee [Jeremiah] in the belly [womb] I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified [set apart] thee, and I ordained thee *a prophet unto the Nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child [probably early twenties though possibly much younger, a Priest was a 'child' and could only assist the Priesthood until the adult age of thirty]. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Then the LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put My words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee *over the Nations and over the Kingdoms, to {first} root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down [the breaking of the Old Testament (Jeremiah 19:10) by Israel], {then} to build, and to plant [the New Testament (Jeremiah 31:31) by and through God]. - "Jeremiah 1:5 Before I [God] formed thee [Jeremiah] in the belly I knew thee ..." God is the creator of each individual life! This verse is indicating that God has all knowledge and knows both the beginning and the end of all human history this is not a verse about pre-existence as God with His knowledge foreknew Jeremiah even though Jeremiah did not yet exist spiritually or physically. (James 2:26) mentions that the body without a spirit is dead and therefore it seems that in the womb God creates the human life spirit and then God takes about 9 months to form a body around the human spirit that He has given [remember though we are now created in a fallen sinful world and our human bodies even in the womb and at birth do reflect the fallen imperfect nature of this world]. "John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I (Jesus) say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." With the words of Jesus it would exclude any form of human spirit preexistence as Jesus said humans are born of water then born again by the Holy Spirit while to preexist (i.e. live in heaven as a human spirit without a body as is an LDS Mormon teaching) the [LDS] human would be born a preexistent human spirit then 'born again' in water and then 'born again, again' by the Holy Spirit and it is another LDS teaching that is simply not at all Biblical.

Jeremiah 1 (Part 2) - As a prophet in the middle period move of the Holy Spirit Jeremiah is going to encounter several visions from God - Visions and dreams are going to help characterize the middle prophecy period -- 'Jeremiah 1:11-12 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou [in a vision]? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.'

Jeremiah 1:13-14 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou [in a vision]? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. - Previously in the Bible God primarily spoke to the prophets in an audible voice (Genesis 12:4), occasionally in a vision (Genesis 15:1) and often through a dream (Genesis 37:5) however as God is preparing mankind to receive the New Covenant (New Testament) gifts and callings of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28) the middle period prophets including Jeremiah begin to prophesy more in accordance with the coming New Testament gifts of visions, dreams and and discernment while still hearing audibly from God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 2 - Chapter 2 begins with what is considered [and grouped into] the first of three Oracles of Jeremiah to the people - Oracle 1: Chapters 2-25 {remembering Israel's past with God, reminding the people that to know God is to have fellowship in a personal relationship with God and that the O.T. covenant between God and Israel is broken [by Israel] it is not working and will be removed [at the cross of Jesus Christ when the veil in the Temple it torn from top to bottom]}, Oracle 2: Chapters 30-31 {The New Covenant (New Testament) is to be instituted [in the blood and body, death and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus Christ]}, Oracle 3: Chapters 46-51 {Judgments upon the Gentile Nations (and more so upon the demonic entities that are behind the scenes in manipulating Gentile societies, rituals and pagan practices.)} -- 'Jeremiah 2:1-3 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me (Jeremiah), saying, Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after Me in the wilderness [desert wandering], in a land that was not sown [unplanted]. Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of His increase ...'

Jeremiah 2:8-9 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew Me not: the pastors also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal [Satan], and walked after things that do not [spiritually] profit. Wherefore I will yet plead [lit. make a legal charge against you] with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead [lit. make a legal charge against them]. - Ultimately it is the leadership of Israel both politically and priestly that has caused error to the point of separating the people of Israel from God and as a result have brought the Nation of Israel to ruin, defeat and into captivity.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 3 - Jeremiah is making it evident beyond any doubt that it is the people of Israel [and the entire world] that have strayed from God - While throughout all time, locations and events God remains faithful to both Himself and to the people -- 'Jeremiah 3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel [Northern Kingdom] hath justified [made right] herself more than treacherous [Southern Kingdom] Judah.' - Note: God is saying that the disastrous Northern Kingdom led by the tribe of Dan, with the limited knowledge of God that they had have actually been more faithful than the Southern Kingdom Tribe of Judah. The Northern Kingdom was previously judged by God and taken into captivity by the Nation of Assyria yet the Southern Kingdom having had more interaction and knowledge with God and seeing the judgment and captivity of the Northern Kingdom but still the Southern Kingdom of Judah turned from God to an even greater extent than the Northern Kingdom did. - Even today it is an astonishing achievement that the Christian Church that has significantly more knowledge and experience with God than the Jewish brethren yet the Christian Church in its unfaithfulness to God and to His word is backsliding and misrepresenting God far beyond what ancient Israel, Judah or even modern Israel has done during their inconsistent relationship with God.

Jeremiah 3:20-25 ... O house of Israel, saith the LORD. A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God. Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; for Thou art the LORD our God. Truly in vain [emptiness] is salvation hoped for from the hills [other people], and from the multitude of mountains [other Nations i.e. Egypt, Edom ...]: *truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. For shame hath devoured the labour [our inheritance] of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God. - By not following the words of God they have brought on themselves the confusion that comes from following the [news] stories and misrepresented events of the day. - In our own day practically every public teaching [evolution, ethics, etc.], every cultural event [TV, movies, plays, etc.] and every news item [CNN, Fox News, etc.] that has the pretext of teaching, enlightening and informing the people is by design a system of confusion. Once people are confused they are more easily deceived, led astray, corrupted and taken advantage of.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 4 - Jeremiah is insisting that the people return to God but only through following the ways of God -- 'Jeremiah 4:1-4 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto Me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of My sight, then shalt thou not remove {go into captiviy}. And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; *and the Nations shall bless themselves [though the obedience of Israel] in Him, and in Him shall they [Gentiles] glory. For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow [unproductive] ground, and sow [plant] not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins [hardness, covering] of your heart [soul], ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.'

Jeremiah 4:22-28 For My people is foolish, they have not [personally] known Me; they are sottish [drunken, intoxicated from another influence (spiritual)] [immature] children, and they have none understanding: *they are wise to do evil, *but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly [easily]. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by His fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. - God is consistently creating His order from out of the void, emptiness and failings of humanity. Along with His establishing of His order God is also routinely rearranging the structure of all of creation and all of society in order to continue to accurately reflect who He is as God in reflecting His nature and His personality through His society, His word [Holy Bible], His accomplishments [past prophecies], His future prophecies and also through all of His physical creation revealing unto to all of mankind just who He is as God our creator.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 5 - Israel has been trusting in many false securities - Trusting mainly in their own capabilities to achieve in life and to achieve over or to negotiate with their fellow Nations but now the false securities, the securities apart from God, are going to come crashing down -- 'Jeremiah 5:10 Go ye [strangers] up upon her [Jerusalem] walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements [false securities]; for they are not the LORD'S. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously [lit. secretly and deceitfully] against Me, saith the LORD.'

Jeremiah 5:29-31 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not *My soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? A wonderful [lit. large scale desolation] and horrible thing is committed in the land; *The prophets prophesy falsely, *and the priests bear rule by their means [wealth and power]; *and My people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? - In the "end thereof" the people will no longer have the option of residing in the false securities. The false prophets will be revealed as false, the priests [pastors] will have lost their authority and ultimately the people will have to either look directly to God or look directly away from God as all of the middle pretenses and distractions in the rulers, false prophets, and priests will be removed from the decision making process of the ordinary person. Note: the ideal situation is for people to first go directly to God in a personal relationship with God in prayer, reading the Bible, fellowship and service to God and avoiding the necessity of having to have life's circumstances become a 'large scale desolation' in order to have enough of the false securities fail and removed before finally turning to God as a last resort but keep in mind that turning to God even as a last resort [or especially as a last resort] is still the much better [and much more common] option than not turning to God at all.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 6 - While the Children of God are unable or unwilling to be an example to the rest of the world regarding God's wonderful plan of Salvation to the world - Then the Children of God can become an example to the rest of the world regarding God's ability to judge [beginning first in the household of God] between good and evil and to reward good while correcting evil -- 'Jeremiah 6:18-19 Therefore hear, ye [Gentile] Nations, and know, O [remnant] congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this [backslidden] people, even *the fruit [outcome] of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto My Words, nor to My Law, but rejected it.'

Jeremiah 6:24-30 We [the Children of God] have heard the fame thereof {now the fame is in the correction of God and in the captivity instead of as in the past fame regarding the deliverance from Egypt and the amazing victories both inside and outside of the Promise Land}: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way [road]; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. O daughter of My people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes [repentance]: *make thee mourning, as for an only Son [Jesus and the cross of Jesus is always where every plan of God is intending to bring mankind], most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among My people, that thou mayest know and try their way. They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass [sin, brass is man's cheap imitation of gold - cheap glory and sin] and iron [strong unrepentant sin]; *they are all corrupters. The bellows are burned, the lead [lead the cheapest and dullest metal] is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate [no longer shining] silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them [from man's worldly casual view God had rejected Israel but according to the Word, plans and purposes of God the Jews and the Nation of Israel have never once been rejected by God].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 7 - Jeremiah is told by God to go stand in the [main] gate into the Temple in Jerusalem and to give a message from God to all the Worshipers of Israel - 'Jeremiah 7:1-3 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Stand in the gate of the LORD'S [Temple] House, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the Word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, *Amend [lit. be cheerful] your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. ...'

Jeremiah 7:1-34 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Stand in the [main] gate of the LORD'S [Temple] House, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the Word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these [Temple] gates to worship the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these {buildings that make us great, while it is the Word and presence of God that makes a Nation great}. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, forever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal [Satan], and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before Me in this [Temple] House, which is called by My Name, and say, We are delivered [from Egypt] to do all these abominations? Is this [Temple] House, which is called by My Name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. But go ye now unto My [original Tabernacle] place which was in Shiloh [Northern Israel], where I set My Name at the first, and see what I did to it [Northern Israel] for the wickedness of My people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; *Therefore will I do [destroy the Temple] unto this [Temple] House [in Jerusalem], which is called by My Name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of My sight [into captivity in Babylon], as I have cast out all your brethren [into Assyria (now Northern Babylon)], even the whole seed [Tribe] of Ephraim. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to Me: for I will not hear thee. Seest thou not what they do [group false worship] in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven [Ishtar], and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, Mine anger and My fury shall be poured out [like a drink offering] upon this place [Jerusalem], upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto Me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: *they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. Cut off thine hair [glory], O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath. For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn [sacrifice, abortion] their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into My heart. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but [in truth] the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth [joyous laughter], and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate. -- The Temple Sermon [Jeremiah 7:1-8:3] of Jeremiah continues ...

Jeremiah vs. Politically Correct Theology - Jeremiah's "Temple Sermon" stands as one of the great texts that define for us the prophet's theology - It was preached early in the reign of [king] Jehoiakim [aka. Eliakim] (609-598 BC) - It seems to be the sermon that initially created animosity on all levels of society for the prophet

INTRODUCTION: Jeremiah's "Temple Sermon" stands as one of the great texts that define for us the prophet's theology. It was preached early in the reign of Jehoiakim (609-598 BC). It seems to be the sermon that initially created animosity on all levels of society for the prophet. It was not the harshness of the message that alienated these new found enemies, which were numerous, but it was the content--the subtle and not so subtle comments and implications--that drove them to try and lynch the prophet. ... THE SECOND LIST OF SINS--MORE EXPLICIT! In the second list of sins (7:8-11) begins by again, a second time, calling the "official theology" a sheker, but adds "that cannot profit." This list is not a list that would evoke images of what the king had done, but reached into the lives of the people. It, like the first list, begins with crimes against man. It sounds like the second half of the 10 commandments with only coveting left out. "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely" What is more explicit is the crimes against God. In addition to following other gods the name of the main deity they have substituted for Yahweh is given--Baal! In their religious devotion they have done two things for these other gods: burned incense to them and walked after them. The first act is probably pars pro toto (the part for the whole). Why choose incense burning when the associated acts are so awful? Things like child sacrifice, sacred prostitution, bestiality, incest, and self-mutilation seem to make incense burning a gross understatement. Jeremiah is not adverse to using strong language if it fits the situation. Earlier he had called the nation "a wild ass in heat." He had asked them to show him a place where they had not been "violated/defiled." (3:1-4) The word 'shugal' was the gutter term for sexual intercourse. It was not pronounced aloud in public reading, but had a euphemistic term substituted for it. Why did Mr. "I will say anything" [Jeremiah] not unleash his tongue? Several suggestions could be made 1. He was standing in the temple at the time of worship and discretion was called for. ... What is particularly heinous is that they would then "come and stand before me (Yahweh) in this house, which is called by my name, and say [by their actions], 'We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations?'" It is doubtful that the quotation was an actual saying of theirs. It is either just the implication from their acts and their actual words or a modification of an unknown ritual formula they used. The former [their acts] is probably the case.

http://www.dabar.org/Israel/Jerusalem/Temple/Jeremiah-TempleTheology.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 8 - Jeremiah has concluded his Temple Sermon [Jeremiah 7:1-8:3] given publically to the worshipers coming in and out of the main gate on the Temple grounds [in Jerusalem] and Jeremiah continues with more messages to the people -- 'Jeremiah 8:11 For they [prophets, priests and leaders] have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace [with sin], peace [with sin]; when there is no peace [with sin].'

Jeremiah 8:20-21 The Harvest [of God] is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of My people Am I hurt [on the cross]; I am black [lit. cloathed in darkness, mourning]; astonishment hath taken hold on Me. Is there no balm [medicine] in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of My people recovered? - The health of the people has not recovered because the illness of all people is spiritual and will require more than medicine, salve and balm it will require the eternal, spiritual sacrifice of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) on the cross in order to heal mankind from the sickness of sin.

Jeremiah 8:20 "The Harvest Is Past" by Pastor David Legge (Mp3)

We're turning in our Bibles to the book of Jeremiah the prophet, and his prophecy - chapter 8 of that book, and only one verse that we will read together this evening. Jeremiah chapter 8, verse 20 is our text - and let me say before I read this, I feel it's important to say this: last week, last Sunday evening was our watch-night service, and this is the message that I felt God was giving me for that. It's the exact same message, so if you've come tonight don't think that anybody has tipped me off that I know where you are and I know all about you - this is the message I hoped to preach last week, but God led me to preach something else. So I bring it to you this week, and that - I believe - is for a reason. It must be for a reason, there's no coincidences with God - and I believe that reason is you! No matter who you are, or where you are in this gathering tonight: this is God's message for you tonight, and I am 100% certain of that - you may not be, but I am, so I want you to listen to it this evening. Verse 20 of chapter 8: "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved"..."The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved". Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer, and perhaps as we bow our heads together we could sing quietly and prayerfully that first verse of the hymn we've just sung: 'Pass me not, O gentle Savior, Hear my humble cry, While on others Thou art calling Do not pass me by'. Can you sing that? Let's sing it together ...

http://www.preachtheword.com/sermon/gospel037-theharvestispast.shtml ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 9 - We are to glory in the true gold of God, a knowledge of God in the lovingkindness of God and in the mercy of God - Not in the false compassions of brass and iron from mankind -- 'Jeremiah 9:24 24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I Am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.'

Jeremiah 9:25-26 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them [Jews and Gentiles] which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these Nations are uncircumcised, and all the House of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart. - The judgment day of God is going to encompass all of mankind. The Jews [Hebrews] and all Gentiles come under the judgment and authority of the Almighty God and all will be judged by God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 10 - Jeremiah 10:1-10 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O House of Israel [those Governed by God]: Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen [unsaved], and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the [unsaved] people are vain [empty] ... But the LORD is the True God, He is the living God, and an everlasting King: at His wrath the earth shall tremble, and the Nations shall not be able to abide His indignation.

Jeremiah 10:11-16 *Thus shall ye [Jeremiah] say unto them [Gentiles], The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion. When He uttereth His voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and He causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasures. Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder {metal worker} is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood [not a god], and there is no [life] breath in them [metal statues]. They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation [testing by fire - 1 Corinthians 3:13] they [false gods, metal statues] shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former [beginning] of all things [Israel]; and Israel is the rod [lit. walking stick, companion] of His [Jesus'] inheritance: The LORD of Hosts [Jesus] is His Name. - Note: verse 11 is directed from God through Jeremiah to the Gentiles and being addressed to the Gentiles verse 11 is one of the few verses in the O.T. Bible that is not written in Hebrew but is written in the Aramaic language [ancient Canaanite language - Wiki.com].

An Introduction to Aramaic "...Today few people study Aramaic because they are interested in the Arameans - Most are motivated by the fact that [a few] parts of the Bible [concerning Gentiles] are written in Aramaic, specifically major[?] sections of the books of Ezra (4:6-6:18 and 7:12-26) and Daniel (2:4-7:28), as well as one sentence in Jeremiah (10:11) and two words in Genesis (31:47) - In order to read the entire "Hebrew" Bible in the original, then, one must know Aramaic (Book)

What is Aramaic and Why Should You Learn It? (Excerpted from An Introduction to Aramaic chapter 1) "...Today few people study Aramaic because they are interested in the Arameans. Most are motivated by the fact that parts of the Bible are written in Aramaic, specifically major sections of the books of Ezra (4:6-6:18 and 7:12-26) and Daniel (2:4-7:28), as well as one sentence in Jeremiah (10:11) and two words in Genesis (31:47). In order to read the entire "Hebrew" Bible in the original, then, one must know Aramaic. "With only some 200 verses of the Bible in Aramaic, there would be little reason to learn the dialect for that reason alone. However, mastering this limited body of material can open the door to a wide range of possibilities. "Because Aramaic was a dominant language among the Jews of first century Palestine [not substantiated], a wealth of important [questionable, forged] texts are written in it. Although Jesus' teachings survive only in the Greek New Testament, the [modern] Gospels provide ample [tampered] evidence of Aramaic traditions surrounding him, and the language's influence can be felt in several other passages as well. - Note: There is no Biblical or archeological evidence that Aramaic was the main language in use at the time of Jesus. The overwhelming evidence is that Hebrew continued to be the language spoken and written in Israel and in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and until the Diaspora in 70 A.D. - Also Note: there is some evidence that what were originally some New Testament words written in Hebrew have been replaced at a later date with Aramaic words in an attempt by somebody possibly Christian Gentiles to separate the New Testament from its original Jerusalem, Jewish origins. In fact all of the emphasis on the miniscule use of Aramaic in the Bible is a direct attempt by Gentiles to lessen the Jewish-Hebrew foundations and influences of the Bible.

http://www.logos.com/products/details/2059 Introduction to The Book of Daniel - The Aramaic langue was the common language or lingua franca, used in Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian communication

Languages: Aramaic and Hebrew are the two languages used in Daniel. Hebrew is used in Daniel 1:1 to Daniel 2:4a and Chapters 8 through 12, Aramaic is used from Daniel 2:4a to 7:28. The Aramaic langue was the common language or lingua franca, used in Assyrian, Babylonian and Persian communication. Aramaic is found also in the Ezra 4:8-6:18, 7:12-26 and Jeremiah 10:11. Why did Daniel compose a portion of his revelation in a foreign language? Some have used this to argue a late date for the book of Daniel. Aramaic in fact was the common language in the 6th century B.C., not the Maccabean period (166 B.C) where Greek [Greece the 5th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] became the common language. Daniel message was not only to the Jewish people, but to the nations. Aramaic in Daniel's day is equivalent to English in our day. Daniel 2:4 to 7:28 would be accessible to any literate, Greek, Babylonian or Jew in Daniel's day and later.

http://www.truthnet.org/Daniel/Introduction/ In what language was the Bible first written? - Some Aramaic words were even used by the Gospel writers in the New Testament {It's extremely doubtful even impossible that Aramaic was originally used in the original and early New Testament [N.T.] manuscripts [because the current written Aramaic words [i.e. Matthew 27:46] do not fit within the context and meaning of what was spoken but a written Hebrew word would fit exactly the spoken context]. It's most probable that at a later date several of the Hebrew words in the (Greek) New Testament were replaced with Aramaic and that today we now have a few Aramaic words in the New Testament where originally there were none.}

Hebrew is one of a group of languages known as the Semitic languages which were spoken throughout that part of the world, then called Mesopotamia, located today mainly in Iraq. Their alphabet consisted of 22 letters, all consonants. (Imagine having an alphabet with no vowels! Much later they did add vowels.) Almost the entire Old Testament was written in Hebrew during the thousand years of its composition. But a few chapters in the prophecies of Ezra and Daniel and one verse in Jeremiah were written in a language called Aramaic. This language became very popular in the ancient world and actually displaced many other languages. Aramaic even became the common language spoken in Israel in Jesus' time, and it was likely the language He spoke day by day. Some Aramaic words were even used by the Gospel writers in the New Testament. The New Testament, however, was written in Greek. This seems strange, since you might think it would be either Hebrew or Aramaic. However, Greek was the language of scholarship during the years of the composition of the New Testament from 50 to 100 AD. The fact is that many Jews could not even read Hebrew anymore, and this disturbed the Jewish leaders a lot! So, around 300 BC a translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek was undertaken, and it was completed around 200 BC. Gradually this Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, was widely accepted and was even used in many synagogues. It also became a wonderful missionary tool for the early Christians, for now the Greeks could read God's Word in their own tongue. So the New Testament authors wrote in Greek. They did not, however, use really high-class or classical Greek, but a very common and everyday type of Greek. For many years some scholars ridiculed the Greek of the New Testament because many of its words were strange to those who read the writings of the great Greek classical authors such as Plato and Aristotle. But later many records were uncovered of ordinary people, and amazingly there were the same common terms used in everyday speech! The ridicule dried up accordingly.

http://www.biblica.com/bibles/about/11.php ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 11-12 - Israel is given a final opportunity to follow the [Old] Covenant -- 'Jeremiah 11:1-5 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Hear ye the words of this Covenant [O.T.], and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant, Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be My people, and I will be your God: That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I [Jeremiah], and said, So be it, O LORD.' - Note: Israel will again be unable to follow the Old Covenant because any Covenant [agreement] between God and man that requires human effort will always fall short, way short, on man's side. One way to look at the broken Old Covent is that if Israel the Jews were unable to keep a Covenant with God then no one else ever had any possibility of keeping a Covenant with God. The Covenant broke with the people most capable of keeping a Covenant with God therefore with the Jews or any people unable to keep the Old Covenant the coming New Covenant will strictly be enforced and fulfilled in God alone. God in the person of Jesus Christ will fulfill on behalf of all mankind the New Covenant between God and mankind.

Jeremiah 12:10-17 Many pastors have destroyed My Vineyard, they have trodden My portion under foot, they have made My pleasant portion [Israel] a desolate wilderness. They [inadequate pastors] have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth [grieves] unto Me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace. They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves to pain [hard labor], but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil [Gentile] neighbours, that touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will pluck them [Gentiles] out of their [Jewish] land, and pluck out the House of Judah from among them [Gentile Nations]. *And it shall come to pass, after [starting May 14, 1948] that I have plucked them out I will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again [from the 70 A.D. Diaspora], every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My Name, The LORD liveth; as they [pastors] taught My people to swear by Baal [Satan]; then shall they be built in the midst of My people. But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that Nation, saith the LORD. - The consequences of inadequate Bible teaching affect the people, the land and the surrounding Nations in fact all of humanity and all of creation are affected in one way or another by false and inadequate Bible teachings. When the truth of God's Word is faithfully being taught, spoken forth and encouraged by faithful pastors then it is the opposite of desolation as humanity and even creation benefit from the healing (Salvation) truth of God's Word.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 13 - As God is expanding Jeremiah's Ministry from primarily a Jewish audience to including the Gentile Nations - God will now add several 'object lessons' to the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah - Object lessons involve actual objects like clothing, food and animals enabling the objects to easily transcend language barriers as a rock in any language is still a rock and a sheep is a sheep while a goat is a goat - An object lesson is almost a polar opposite of a Parable - In a parable practically every detail is yet future or heavenly and can be debated as to its exact meaning - An object lesson has a much more clear, concise, present and universal message -- 'Jeremiah 13:1 Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle [belt, waistband], and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water. ...'

Jeremiah 13:12-17 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, [of course] Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness [lit. intoxication]. And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them. Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud [humble yourself]: for the LORD hath spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul [Jeremiah the Weeping Prophet] shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive. - The tendency among people is to think that those who are serving God in an official capacity as a pastor, a city official or by living in a 'promise land' location that those positions and locations are impervious to the judgments of God when in actuality it is those very positions and locations that are scrutinized the most by God. It is also often though that those in the favored positions and locations somehow cannot offend God as though being favored and seemingly doing the work of the Lord the leaders have a free pass in life and can do no wrong against God but as Jeremiah is revealing it is the very people in trusted ministry [servant] positions who have actually routinely offended God the most. Having been routinely offended and misrepresented by His own servants God is then placed in the unenviable position of actually having to hinder and even combat the people who have assumed their lofty positions over other people. If God did not send intoxication and darkness upon the people in leadership they would continue to use their vast abilities and talents to further spread false teachings and deceptive examples putting God in the position of having to hinder the abilities and talents of His own servants and of His own people in order to help slow the spread of sin that is increasing at an ever alarming rate by the very hands of His own servants and ministers.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 14-15 - There is now a Divine Judgment drought upon the land of Israel - 'Jeremiah 14:1-3 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth [drought]. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.'

Jeremiah 14:7-14 {A prayer of Jeremiah for the people} O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do Thou it for Thy Name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against Thee. O the hope of Israel, the Savior thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest Thou be as a stranger [unacquainted] in the land, and as a wayfaring [passing through] man that turneth aside to tarry [only] for a night? Why shouldest Thou be as a man astonied [unable to take action], as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy Name; leave us not. {God answers Jeremiah and the people} Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. {God directs Jeremiah} Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good [it will be an unanswered prayer]. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in My Name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart. - Creation suffering in a drought is bearing a burden for Israel's disobedience to God and now Israel will also bear of their disobedience as God has set a course of correction for His children. A course that will involve the loss of opportunity, the loss of life, hardship and captivity all because Israel has chosen the ways of man over the ways of God and man's ways though seemingly just and seemingly reliable will ultimately always lead to hardship and destruction.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 16-17 - Jeremiah is told by God not to take a wife because of the severity of the coming judgment -- 'Jeremiah 16:1-2 The word of the LORD came also unto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place.'

Jeremiah 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and *they that depart from me shall be written in the earth [John 8:6,8], because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee. Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction. *Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the Sabbath [Rest] Day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath Day, neither do ye any work, but hallow [Sanctify] ye the Sabbath Day (Genesis 2:2), as I commanded your fathers. - Jeremiah is now told by God to go stand in the gate of the city of Jerusalem and give a message to the people much like Jeremiah did earlier by standing in a gate at the entrance to the Temple. With Jeremiah now away from the Temple and at the edge of the city in a gate of the city God is signifying that His presence has departing from the Temple and His presence is also about to depart from the city. The Prophet Ezekiel [Ezekiel 10:18] will actually see a vision of the Spirit of God departing from the Temple the Holy Spirit having indwelt the Temple since the dedication ceremony [2 Chronicles 5:14] of King Solomon.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 18-19 - Jeremiah is instructed by God to "go down to the potters house" - God instructs Jeremiah that people and Nations are but clay in the hands of God - Next Jeremiah is to take a clay vessel [pot] and take the elders of Israel out to the city dump where Jeremiah is cast down to the ground the clay pot breaking it into unusable pieces as Jeremiah is to proclaim that God will break like a clay pot the people and the city of Jerusalem -- 'Jeremiah 18:1-2 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.'

Jeremiah 19:10-15 Then shalt thou break the bottle [clay pot] in the sight of the men that go with thee, And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet [the city dump]: And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods. *Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the [Temple] court of the LORD'S House; and said to all the people, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear My Words. - What began As a Nation of people delivered out of Egypt and slavery, freed to worship and serve God, has now ended in a city dump outside of Jerusalem. God will continue His plan that He enacted through Abraham and He will continue His calling upon the Nation of Israel though now the intentions of God will be more focused on a faithful remnant of Israel than on the Nation as a whole.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 20-21 - Jeremiah becomes overwhelmed in his ministry by the enormity of the events happening in Jerusalem and around him - Jeremiah 20:7-18 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of Him (God), nor speak any more in His Name. But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing [stalling], and I could not stay. For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars [enemies] watched for my halting [lack of forward progress], saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. But, O LORD of Hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause. Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for He hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers. Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad. And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

Jeremiah 21:2-14 Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that the LORD will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he [Nebuchadnezzar] may go up from us. Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah: Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; *Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city. *And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy. And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; *Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. For I have set My face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon [Babylon the 3rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], and he shall burn it with fire. And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD; O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? 14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it. - The nation of Babylon now comes on the scene as an instrument of judgment in the hands of God. The Northern Kingdom of Israel admired strength and courage so God sent them into captivity by the strong and courageous nation of Assyria [i.e. Texas, military, industry, alcohol]. The Southern Kingdom of Israel [Judah] admires enchantments, mysticism and divination so Judah is going to be taken captive by the mystical, enchanting nation of Babylon [i.e. California, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Disneyland, entertainment, sex, marijuana]. - Note: Egypt in a modern sense would be represented as [i.e. New York, Manhattan, Broadway, culture, education, the insurance and finance markets, money, drugs].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 22 - Jeremiah is to go to the House of the king of Israel and inform the king that he is no longer eligible to be the king and that neither he or any of his descendants are entitled to sit on the throne of King David - Cutting off that segment of the Davidic line from delivering the Messiah into Israel and to the world -- 'Jeremiah 22:1-2 Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates ...'

Jeremiah 22:28-29 Is this man Coniah [aka King Jeconiah] a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed [descendants], and are cast into a land which they know not? *O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD. Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. - Jeconiah is removed by God from being a king over Israel. "O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD" Jeremiah like Isaiah and all the Prophets before him prophesies in the 'mystery' [1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 3:4, Colossians 1:27] Triune (Trinity) nature of God. Note: There are not three 'earths' there is one earth and one LORD. The one LORD is speaking to the one earth as Father, Son (Jesus Christ) and Holy Spirit. -- Jeremiah 23:14-24 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. ... But if they [prophets, pastors] had stood in My counsel, and had caused My people to hear My Words, then they should have turned [repented] them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God [close] at hand [and accessible to mankind], saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I [Divine Omnipresence] fill Heaven and earth? saith the LORD. - After rejecting the king and his descendants God through Jeremiah again turns His attention to the false, misleading and inadequate prophets [pastors, teachers and ministers] of Israel.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 23 - The human kings of Israel unable to faithfully represent God are to be replaced by the Divine Righteous Messiah (Jesus Christ) - The Messiah is to be the King in Israel and for all Nations exercising "judgment and justice in the earth" -- 'Jeremiah 23:5-6 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, *and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He [Jesus] shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS [during the Millennial Reign].'

Jeremiah 23:7-8 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; *But [now, in our day], The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the House of Israel out of the North Country [Babylon, by way of walking], *and [the 70 A.D. Diaspora] from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land [starting May 14, 1948 - modern Israel independence day (and as a Nation State of the U.N.)]. - Jeremiah is prophesying about several events ranging from the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple (586 B.C.) and the Babylonian captivity to the coming of the Righteous Branch the Messiah Jesus Christ (approx. 32-33 A.D.) to the 70 A.D. Diaspora [dispersion among the Gentiles] to the [May 14, 1948] re-gathering and on into the still future 1,000 Millennial Kingdom reign of Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 24-25 - Chapter 25 concludes what is considered the 1st Oracle group of Messages from Jeremiah the prophet regarding the fate of the people and Nation of Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple -- 'Jeremiah 24:11-13 And this whole [Middle-East] land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these Nations [Gentiles and Jews] shall serve the king of Babylon [3rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished [Persia (Iran) will be the 4th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that Nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the Nations.

Jeremiah 24:1-10 The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the Temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive [1st deportation] Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah [including Daniel], with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. *One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; *the good figs, very good; *and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers. - As God interacts with and deals with the Nation of Israel and His people the people begin to polarize into two distinct groups. The good figs becoming very good, those attempting to do the will of God even though they do not understand the times, the predicament or the captivity they just know they are trusting God with and through all things in their life. The bad figs becoming very bad, those who are attempting to escape and flee the plans of God in desiring to carryout their own life in their own way regardless of the consequences to themselves, their families, their nation and even the Salvation plans of God in bringing in His Salvation through Himself the Righteous Branch. Salvation of God for the Jews at that time was in captivity in Babylon not in fleeing for a false security in Egypt as many attempted at that time. Note: Figs and the fig tree is a reference to the original Fig Tree (Genesis 3:7). The fig tree represents individual human religion, it was how Adam and Eve attempted to cover themselves in religion after their fall into sin but God required a death for their sin an blood to give them life so God substitutionally sacrificed an animal for Adam and Eve until the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross could be made. Here God is using the fig tree and figs again because God is now dealing with individuals in Israel the individuals in the remnant and the individuals fleeing for the false safety of Egypt. In Matthew 24:32 and the parable of the Fig Tree Jesus is talking again about individual religion and in a sense stating that after His cross (death for sin) and resurrection (life giving Spiritual blood) that the rebuilt 3rd Temple [unlike the Tabernacle and the first two Temples] will not be the religion of God but of the fig tree religion of man (Adam and Eve). Jesus tells us to look for the budding of the fig tree the gathering of implements and resources to rebuild the [3rd] Temple (something that has been happening since [June 8, 1967] and the recapturing of Jerusalem back into Israel). Also Note: The fig tree in the Bible is not directly a reference to the Nation of Israel but to the individuals in Israel the faithful remnant those seeking to rebuild the Temple and the bad figs those still attempting to find security in Egypt.

Seventy years of Babylonian rule: A detailed look at Jeremiah 25:9-12 - Using the 609 BC date for the demise of the Assyrian Empire and for the rise of the new Babylonian Empire, and using the 539 BC date for the end of the Babylonian Empire, we end up with a 70-year span of Babylonian rule - That, for the reasons described above, is what I believe is the 70-year period referred to in Jeremiah 25:9-12 and Jeremiah 29:10

Many people have questioned the accuracy of Jeremiah's prophecy about a 70-year period during which Babylon would dominate Judah and hold Jews as captives in Babylon. These questions, in my opinion, are based on *a mistaken belief that the captivity was supposed to last 70 years. ... The people who have questioned the accuracy of this prophecy are, as far as I have been able to determine, are correct in that the captivity Jews in Babylon did not last 70 years, if the commonly assigned dates for the captivity are taken seriously. Most historical sources that I have seen state that 539 BC was the year that Babylon was conquered by the Medo-Persians. And that would seem to be a reasonable ending date for the captivity. But when did the captivity begin? Some say it began in 597 BC, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem. If this date is accepted, then the captivity spanned no more than 59 years. So how does or 59 years equal 70 years? It can't and it doesn't. ... Part 3. My theory on when the 70 years began: When did Babylon begin its domination of Judah? We know that there are historical records that claim that the Assyrian Empire dominated Judah, and many other nations. And we know that the Assyrian Empire was conquered by the Babylonian Empire. In 612 B.C. the Babylonians and the Medes conquered Nineveh, which at that time was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: "...Nineveh suffered a defeat from which it never recovered. Extensive traces of ash, representing the sack of the city by Babylonians, Scythians, and Medes in 612 BC, have been found in many parts of the Acropolis. After 612 BC the city ceased to be important..." After the defeat of Nineveh, the last of the Assyrian kings, Ashur-uballit II, fled to the west with members of his army. Most online historical references that I have been able to find state that the reign of Ashur-uballit II ended in 609 BC. My sources for this are the two Web site addresses below, the first of which is a page from the Missouri Western State College web site: http://crain.english.mwsc.edu/Jonah/assyrians.htm - The conquest of the Assyrian Empire allowed Babylon and the Medes to divide the empire amongst themselves. The Babylonians chose a vast area of the Assyrian-controlled territories, including Judah and the surrounding countries. Using the 609 BC date for the demise of the Assyrian Empire and for the rise of the new Babylonian Empire, and using the 539 BC date for the end of the Babylonian Empire, we end up with a 70-year span of Babylonian rule. That, for the reasons described above, is what I believe is the 70-year period referred to in Jeremiah 25:9-12 and Jeremiah 29:10.

http://www.aboutbibleprophecy.com/years.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 26 - Having concluded the 1st Oracle of messages by Jeremiah - Chapters 26-29 cover some of the daily life of Jeremiah and some events of that time - Jeremiah is sent by God to stand in the Temple court and give a message to the new king Jehoiakim and to all the people -- 'Jeremiah 26:8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.'

Jeremiah 26:1-16 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house. Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears. Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God. - Jeremiah obeys God and goes into the very power structure of the city and Nation and faithfully delivers God's message to the people. Jeremiah was challenged and threatened by the people but God still had enough faithful servants left who were able to recognize the voice of God and were willing to hear and obey the voice of God. The faithful remnant of only a few people was still bold enough to publically stand up for Jeremiah and Jeremiah's life was saved that day.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 27-28 - Jeremiah is daily having to contend with the false teachers and false prophets that are throughout the land and in the positions of power, authority and counsel in Israel -- 'Jeremiah 27:4-10 4 And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; I [God] have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm [redemption on the cross], *and have given it [kingdoms] unto whom it seemed meet [appropriate] unto Me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. *And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall [defeat and] serve themselves of him [the Nation of Babylon (modern Iraq)]. And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. *Therefore hearken not ye to your [false] prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon [Iraq]: For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.'

Jeremiah 28:5-9 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the [false] prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels [Temple implements] of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. *Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; *The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him. - Jeremiah explains some of the differences between a true prophecy of God and a false prophecy of man and deceiving spirits. A true prophecy from God is going to have broad implications [meaning it is equally relevant and valuable to everyone] it will include along with the future info and insight a depth, height, scope and authority that the flat, uninspired, self-serving, false prophecies just do not have.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 29 - Jeremiah writes a letter of encouragement to the Jews in captivity in Babylon - There was consistent contact [by messenger and letters] between the Jews exiled in Babylon, the Jews that sought refuge in the area of Tahpanhes Egypt and the Jews that were able to remain for a while in Jerusalem - It is considered that while in Jerusalem the prophet Jeremiah alone had about 18 points of contact with the prophet Ezekiel who was in captivity in Babylon -- 'Jeremiah 29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon ...'

Jeremiah 29:10-15 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. *For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, *thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. *Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. *Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; - Jeremiah writes an amazing letter of encouragement to the Jews in Babylon and including those scattered thought the world in the later Diaspora as this is a True prophecy from God the message is universal, the scope is global and the effects are eternal.

Bible History Timeline - 612 BC Babylon conquers Nineveh - {seven years later} 605 BC Babylon exerts influence over Judah [first captives are taken from Jerusalem to Babylon] - 586 BC Babylon destroys Jerusalem and the Temple - 539 BC Cyrus the Great [Persia] conquers Babylon - [1 year later] 538 BC Cyrus releases Jews from Babylonian Captivity - [2 years later] 536 BC Work begins to rebuild Temple - [20 years later] 516 BC Second Temple is dedicated [Ezra 6:16] - Note: There seems to be multiple 70 year periods taking place. For 70 years Babylon reigned as the power of the region - For 70 years there were Jewish captives exiled into Babylon - It was exactly 70 years [586-516] from the destruction of the 1st Temple [Solomon's Temple] in Jerusalem to the dedication of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem

Below is a list of some historical events that are important to the study of the Bible and its prophecies. The research for this Biblical history timeline was done by George Konig and Ray Konig, authors of the book, 100 Prophecies. Scholars vary in the dates that they assign to ancient events. The dates shown below are approximations. ... 612 BC Babylon conquers Nineveh (Assyrian Empire) The Assyrian Empire's capital city - Nineveh - is attacked by coalition of Babylonians and others. As explained by the prophet Nahum in the Bible, Nineveh was to be destroyed because of the Assyrian Empire's treatment of Israelites and other people. -- 605 BC Babylon exerts influence over Judah: The neo-Babylonian Empire, under the reign of king Nebuchadnezzar, begins forcing Judah into submission. Nebuchadnezzar takes many Jews as captives to Babylon to ensure Judah's obedience. -- 597 BC Babylon attacks Judah: Babylonian army attacks Judah and takes more Jews as captives to Babylon. Ezekiel, one of the captives, becomes a prophet of God. Ezekiel explains that God is allowing Babylon to punish Judah because the people have been unfaithful to God. -- 586 BC Babylon destroys Jerusalem and the Temple: Babylon attacks Judah again. This time, the Babylonians [3rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] destroy Jerusalem and *the [1st] Temple that Solomon had built. More Jews are taken as captives to Babylon. -- 586 BC to 573 BC King Nebuchadnezzar attacks Tyre mainland: Babylon begins a 13-year siege of the mainland of the Phoenician city of Tyre. -- Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon: After the death of Nebuchadnezzar, the neo-Babylonian Empire begins to lose power. Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon in 539 BC, establishing the Medo-Persian Empire [4th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10]. -- 538 BC Cyrus releases Jews from Babylonian Captivity: After conquering Babylon, Cyrus offers the Jews their freedom to leave Babylon and to return to Judah. Cyrus' kingdom rules over Judah and many other parts of the Middle East, but Cyrus allows people more cultural and religious freedom than did the neo-Babylonian Empire. -- 536 BC *Work begins to rebuild Temple [via an edict from Persia/Iran]: Some of the Jews in Babylon return to Judah and begin work in about 536 BC to rebuild the Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. -- 516 BC Second Temple is dedicated: The Temple is consecrated for worship, 70 years after the Babylonians had destroyed it in 586 BC. -- 333 BC Greeks [5th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] begin rule over land of Israel: The Greeks, under the leadership of Alexander the Great, defeat Persian armies in Macedonia in 333 BC. This marks the fall of the Medo-Persian Empire and the rise of the Grecian Empire. ... 164 BC to 63 BC [time period between (Malachi) O.T. and (Matthew) N.T.] Jews have independence: The Maccabees, a group that fought for Jewish independence, stage a revolt against the Greeks and establish the Hasmonean royal dynasty, as well as sovereignty over all or part of the land of Israel for about 100 years, from about 164 BC to 63 BC. -- 63 BC The Romans [6th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] take over land of Israel: After the death of Alexander the Great, the empire of the Greeks is divided up and becomes weaker. During this time, the Roman Empire becomes increasingly powerful. The Roman general named Pompey seizes control over the land of Israel. -- About 5 BC Jesus is born in Bethlehem: Jesus is born in the town of Bethlehem. The Apostle Matthew later points out that Jesus' birth in Bethlehem fulfilled a prophecy delivered by the prophet Micah, about 700 years beforehand. (See Micah 5:2). -- About 25 AD Jesus begins His ministry: Jesus is about 30 years old when he begins his ministry. He preaches salvation, delivers prophecies and performs miracles. He announces that he is the Messiah (the Christ) who was promised by the prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus promises salvation and eternal life to those who believe in him (See John 3:16, as an example). -- About 28 AD [or about 32-33 AD] Jesus is crucified and resurrected: Jesus is falsely accused and is sent to Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler of the land of the Jews, to be crucified. Jesus is later resurrected, meaning he is brought back to life, and his followers began evangelizing him to others, allowing Christianity to spread very quickly throughout the Roman world and to eventually become the first religion to spread throughout the world. - 70 AD Romans destroy Jerusalem and [2nd] Temple: In 70 AD, the Roman Army, under Titus, destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, to suppress an uprising of the Jews. According to the historian Josephus, about 1.1 million Jews were killed. Others were taken as slaves. -- First century AD [about 95 AD - Book of Revelation] The Bible is completed: During the first century of this era, the New Testament, which describes the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, is completed. The writing of the Bible (the Old Testament and the New Testament) comes to an end. It began during the time of Moses, about 3400 years ago. *Jesus becomes, and remains, the final subject of the Bible.

http://www.konig.org/timeline.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 30-31 - The 2nd Oracle by Jeremiah is given - The Old Covenant [Old Testament] between God and mankind having been un-maintainable by man it is to be replaced by a New Covenant [New Testament] - God Himself in Jesus Christ will fulfill all of the requirements for mankind in the New Covenant [Gospel/Good News] with God except for the one universal requirement of faith/choice - Mankind will still individually have to choose [by the human spirit over the human soul] and exercise individual faith to enter into and to remain in the New Covent [New Testament - Gospel] relationship with God -- 'Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD [YHWH], that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel [Northern Kingdom], and with the House of Judah [Southern Kingdom] ...'

Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD [YHWH], that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel [Northern Kingdom], and with the House of Judah [Southern Kingdom]: Not according to the [Old] Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which My Covenant they [mankind] brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the [New] Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel; After those [Old Covenant] days, saith the LORD, I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all [by Spiritual experience and through personal encounters] know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD; for [on the cross of Jesus Christ] *I will forgive their iniquity, *and I will remember their sin no more. - The New Covenant is to come to the House of Israel, all of Israel and because it is a Covenant resulting from physical death [finality] the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and in the newness of the resurrection Spiritual life of Jesus Christ the New Covenant is universally applicable to everyone in the entire world. Because of the Spiritual nature of the New Covenant vs. the physical nature [circumcision] of the Old Covenant everyone universally is eligible through choice to be able to Spiritually enter into the New Covent of God in Jesus Christ but entering in only through the provided works of God in Jesus Christ. The New Covenant is only accessible to mankind through the Covenant [Matthew 26:26-28], death, blood and new life Spiritual resurrection of Jesus Christ. - The death of Jesus Christ on the cross put an end to the power of the physical realm and the sin that encompassed it while the resurrection life of Jesus then begins the power of a new eternal Spiritual life to what had previously [since the fall of Adam and Eve] become only a temporary physical life. - 2 Timothy 1:8-12 [Christian] Be not thou therefore ashamed of the Testimony [that resulted in the death on the cross] of our Lord, nor of me [Apostle Paul] His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel [Good News - New Covenant] according to the [resurrection] power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an Holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest [physically and] by the [resurrection] appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought [eternal] life and immortality to light through the Gospel: Whereunto I am appointed a Preacher, and an Apostle, and a Teacher of the [whole world] Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these [persecution] things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know [Jesus Christ] whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that [spirit and soul of mine] which I have committed unto Him against that [individual eternal judgment] day. - Note: A Gentile could enter the Old Covenant of God through physical circumcision and through observing the O.T. Jewish observances. Likewise a Gentile can enter into the New Covenant with God however with the physical death on the cross of Jesus Christ and the Spiritual new life resurrection now in effect a person in the New Covenant passes over the physical Jewish aspects of the first Covenant and enters into the resurrection life of Jesus as a Spiritual 'born again' Christian. Also Note: All of the events of the temporary 1st Covenant the ordinances, regulations and teachings foreshadowed, highlighted and illustrate the coming of the permanent, eternal 2nd Covenant between God and mankind.

Apostolic (Witnesses of the Resurrected Savior Jesus Christ) [Holy Spirit directed] Church - Speaker: Art Katz/Bob Gladstone (Mp3)

My brother and sister have listened to these Christian Compilations off and on for a few years and it's really encouraged and convicted us to draw closer to the Lord. Messages are much shorter than sermons which are particularly great for listening to in the car, or for giving to someone who will not listen to a 30 minute message. I only want to share messages that line up with the Bible in the right Spirit.

http://www.lostseed.com/audio/ ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 32 - What is considered the 2nd Oracle of Jeremiah has been completed in the prophesying and announcing of the New Covenant - Chapters 32-45 now begin another section in the daily life and events of the Prophet Jeremiah - Jeremiah has prophesied both the destruction and the rebuilding of Israel and Jerusalem and to illustrate that the Jews will indeed return to their homeland in Israel God instructs Jeremiah to purchase a plot of his families land from a cousin in Anathoth -- 'Jeremiah 32:14-15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences [purchased land agreement], this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel [clay jar], that they may continue many days. *For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this [Israel] land.'

Jeremiah 32:36-44 And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city [Jerusalem], whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in Mine [instructing-correcting] anger, and in My fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: *And they shall be My people, and I will be their God: *And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear [know] Me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put My fear [of evil] in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me. *Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this [Holy] Land [Israel] assuredly with My whole heart and with My whole soul. For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil [distress] upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good [blessings] that I have promised them. And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans [Babylonians]. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD. - Though Jerusalem, the Temple and all of Israel is about to be destroyed by the invading Babylonians God has already declared that He will not forsake His children and that He will re-gather the dispersed Jews and (eventually) permanently rebuild their homeland of Israel. - Note: Jerusalem at that time gets wiped out to the point that very few Jewish people were even able to remain in the Jerusalem area. The prophet Jeremiah himself caught up in the events and the intrigues of the day had to depart Jerusalem and eventually Israel and in the ensuing chaos and destruction of Israel the last known and recorded whereabouts of Jeremiah the Prophet are in Tahpanhes Egypt [Jeremiah 43:8].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 33-34 - With the Babylonian army having conquered much of Israel and now poised at the gates of Jerusalem the people in Jerusalem undergo a temporary return to godliness [observing the seventh year of release for servants] - The Babylonian army temporarily departed from the Jerusalem area and the people in Jerusalem quickly returned to their previous backslidden ways -- 'Jeremiah 34:10-11 Now when all the princes, and all the people [in Jerusalem], which had entered into the covenant, heard that everyone should let his manservant, and everyone his maidservant, go free [to observe the seventh year of release (Leviticus 25:6)], that none should serve themselves of them anymore, then they obeyed, and let them go. But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.'

[1] Jeremiah 34:1-7 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; *Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city [Jerusalem] into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire: *And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; *and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, *and thou shalt go to Babylon. Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword: But thou shalt die in peace [not in a battle]: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the word, saith the LORD. Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem, When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah. - The famous Jeremiah and Ezekiel double Prophecy fulfillment about King Zedekiah: Jeremiah prophesying from Jerusalem prophecies that king Zedekiah "and thou shalt go to Babylon" while about the same time the Prophet Ezekiel prophesying in captivity in Babylon prophecies that King Zedekiah would go to Babylon but would not see it. When the actual prophesied events occurred and king Zedekiah was taken prisoner and brought into the presence of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar he then had Zedekiah blinded [unable to see his captivity] just as Zedekiah was taken away captive to live the rest of his life in Babylon. - [2] 'Ezekiel 12:9-13 Son of man [Ezekiel], hath not the House of Israel [in captivity in Babylon], the rebellious house, said unto thee, What [are you doing] doest thou [Ezekiel was physically acting out (in a skit) part of this prophecy to the Jews in Babylon]? Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince [King Zedekiah] in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, I am your sign: like as I have [acted out] done, so shall it be done unto them [for real]: they shall remove and go into captivity. And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall [palace wall and possibly also the city wall of Jerusalem] to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face [disguise, hide himself], that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare [by king Nebuchadnezzar]: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; *yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.' - [3] 'Jeremiah 52:8-11 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.'

[The famous Jeremiah and Ezekiel double Prophecy fulfillment about King Zedekiah] Ezekiel 12-14 Supplemental notes for the Daily Bible Study Bible Reading Plan by Wayne Blank

Ezekiel Chapter 12 - Zedekiah was the last king of Judah (see Kings of Israel and Judah) before the fall to the Babylonians. Ezekiel had been taken into exile to Babylon in the earlier deportation (the prophet Jeremiah remained in Jerusalem). Nevertheless, Ezekiel was given a very detailed prophecy of Zedekiah's downfall: "Ezekiel 12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. 12:13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there." (Ezekiel 12:12-13 KJV). -- That prophecy was fulfilled, as recorded by "Jeremiah: 52:7 Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain. 52:8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him. 52:9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him. 52:10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. 52:11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death" (Jeremiah 52:7-11 KJV).

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2008/20080226.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 35-36 - The Rechabite family is commended by God for diligently following the instructions of their earthly forefather Jonadab while the House of Israel is unwilling to follow the instructions of their Father God in Heaven -- 'Jeremiah 35:12-14 12 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you [Nation of Israel], rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto Me.'

Jeremiah 36:1-25 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Take thee a roll of a book (scroll), and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, *and against all the Nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even into this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin. ... So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king. Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them. - While some of the advisers to the king were able to grasp the seriousness of the situation and the authenticity of Jeremiah's messages from God the highest leadership, probably being the most comfortable and the most alienated from the actual day to day events occurring in the land, were completely unwilling to even consider any alternatives to their already preconceived desires and notions.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 37-38 - Even with new kings in Jerusalem Jeremiah's messages continues to go unheeded - Jeremiah and his ministry of restoration are unwelcome in his own homeland -- 'Jeremiah 37:1-2 And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah [king Jeconiah] the son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah. But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah.'

Jeremiah 37:12-16 Then Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to separate himself thence in the midst of the people. And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away to the Chaldeans. Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes. Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison. When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins, and Jeremiah had remained there many days; - Jeremiah is falsely accused of being a collaborator with Babylon and is imprisoned based on the false accusations. King Zedekiah seeks the counsel of Jeremiah and thought the words of Jeremiah weren't what the king wanted to hear he gave Jeremiah a little more freedom with access from the prison out to the courtyard. In the courtyard Jeremiah again preached to the people that to remain in Jerusalem was to die and officials of the king hearing the message threw Jeremiah down and abandoned water well. Ebed-melec a Ethiopian eunuch visiting or serving in the kings house heard that Jeremiah was cast down a well and went and rescued him. - Jeremiah 38:13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords [rags], and took him up out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained [under house arrest] in the court of the prison.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 39-41 - 586 B.C. The great Jewish capital city of Jerusalem falls to the invading Babylonian army - The city of Jerusalem, the Temple of God and the Palace of the Davidic Kings of Israel are all destroyed on about the 9th day of the Jewish month of Av [Tisha B'Av] about the end of July early August on our Roman calendar -- 'Jeremiah 39:1-2 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month [Tisha B'Av], the city was broken up.'

Jeremiah 39:8-18 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee. So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's princes; Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people. Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the LORD. - Jerusalem was destroyed and burned to the ground by the Babylonian forces. The king of Babylon [Nebuchadnezzar] removed the throne of Israel and placed a Jewish man living in Mizpah named Gedaliah as Governor of Israel. In the events of the day the Ammonites hired a Jewish man named Ishmael to assassinate Gedaliah attempting to further spiral Israel into an unrecoverable destruction. Johanan a faithful Jewish servant tried to warn Gedaliah of his impending assignation at the hands of Ishmael but Gedaliah thinking he was secure because he had the backing of Babylon refused to believe that he was in any physical danger. After the assignation of the Babylonian appointed Governor Gedaliah by Ishmael then Johanan and a small remnant of Jews fearing Babylonian reprisals decided to seek refuge in Egypt.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 42 - With all the intrigues and the resulting Babylonian reprisals the destruction and devastation of Israel, Jerusalem and the surrounding area is so complete that the small remaining Jewish remnant begins to doubt whether or not they can even hold on let alone ever recover -- 'Jeremiah 42:1-3 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us: That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.'

Jeremiah 42:4-15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God. And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before Him; If ye will still abide in this land [Israel], then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God, Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. - Even after this clear persistent and dire warning coming in the reply that they requested and agreed to follow in a short time they still departed and left the promised safety of Israel for Egypt even taking Jeremiah with them as a captive.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 43 - Jeremiah his assistant Baruch and much of the remnant that had returned to Israel from hiding in nearby areas were all taken captive by a rogue Jewish group and forced to go to Egypt against the directions of God and against the advice of Jeremiah -- 'Jeremiah 43:7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to [the area of] Tahpanhes.'

Jeremiah 43:1-7 And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for which the LORD their God had sent Him to them, even all these words, Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there: But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah. But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes. - The children of God in their inability to discern the voice of God and in their complete failure to cooperate among themselves were actually prolonging their trials and making their tribulations harder than they were ever intended to be by God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 44-45 - The word of the Lord still came to Jeremiah even while he was a captive in Egypt -- 'Jeremiah 44:1-5 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein, Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense [adoration] unto other gods.'

Jeremiah 45:1-5 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch; Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest. Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land. And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest. - Baruch the assistant, servant and faithful scribe of Jeremiah the prophet is to escape the dangers of being in exile however he is not to seek to prosper from his Divine protection from God but is to live out his life in a discrete and humble fashion knowing that his country had been destroyed and many of his fellow countrymen had suffered their fates with their lives.

The Seal of Baruch, Jeremiah's Scribe - In 1975 the first few pieces of 200 clay bullae were discovered in the shop of an antiquities dealer in East Jerusalem - From the shape of its Hebrew characters which vary throughout history [especially before and after the Babylonian captivity] scholars date the collection to the 6th century BC, the time of Jeremiah - The bulla is now displayed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem - The March/April 1996 issue of Biblical Archeology Review featured an article on another bulla belonging to a private collector from the same seal - What is unique about this is the clear impression of a fingerprint on the upper left of the bulla - The article suggested this was the "fingerprint of Jeremiah's scribe" Baruch (Photo)

In 1975 the first few pieces of 200 clay bullae were discovered in the shop of an antiquities dealer in East Jerusalem.1 Bullae are lumps of clay which were attached to documents and impressed with a seal. From the shape of its Hebrew characters (which vary throughout history) scholars date the collection to the 6th century BC, the time of Jeremiah. Within this collection are two bullae believed to have belonged to Baruch, and Jerahmeel. The three lines on the Baruch bulla read: "(Belonging) to Berekhyahu, the son of Neriyahu, the scribe.: The suffix -yahu was a common epithet attached to names in Judah, meaning, "blessed of Jehovah." While translations sometimes render it "-iah" (cf. Baruch's father Ner-iah), some texts drop it altogether. - The bulla is now displayed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. -- The March/April 1996 issue of Biblical Archeology Review featured an article on another bulla belonging to a private collector from the same seal. What is unique about this is the clear impression of a fingerprint on the upper left of the bulla. The article suggested this was the "fingerprint of Jeremiah's scribe." - While it is presumptuous to assume this is Baruch's fingerprint, at the very least discoveries such as this remind us that the people of the Bible were not imaginary figures from fairy tales, but real souls who served our God in the past. - Note: Jeremiah and Baruch were some of the last people in the original Jerusalem before it was destroyed, burned and covered over with dirt so any excavations in Jerusalem to the depth of the first Jerusalem would first reveal items from the last people there. Jerusalem and Israel were again destroyed in 70 A.D. so any excavations and archeology to the 2nd Jerusalem period go back to the times of the Apostles and the early Church just after the 32 A.D. ministry, cross and resurrection of Jesus. - To excavate the first Jerusalem is to enter into the time of the Davidic Kings of Jerusalem while to excavate at the level of the 2nd Jerusalem is to inter into the time of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

http://www.seventhsealdesigns.com/design.shtml ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 46-47 - Chapters 46-51 contain the 3rd and final Oracle grouping of messages, prophesies and teachings from the Prophet Jeremiah - The third Oracle is directed primarily at the Gentile Nations - The Gentile Nations are to know that though God has judged Israel He has not abandoned, rejected or forsaken Israel and that in actuality every Gentile Nation would be made to come to an end before the possibility that the Nation of Israel would be made to cease to exist [both Israel and the Gentile nations will continue to exist - but the Gentile Nation's existence and even the Gentile population is based on the existence of Israel (Acts 17:26-27)] -- 'Jeremiah 46:27-28 But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest and at ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.'

Jeremiah 46:1-12 The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles; Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah. Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle. Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines. Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD. Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates. Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as the rivers? Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof. Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow. For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be cured. The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together. - Jeremiah prophecies the great battle of Carchemish between Egypt and Babylon where Egypt [2rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10] is defeated and Babylon is the undisputed [3rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10].

Carchemish, Turkey - Carchemish [modern - Karkamis, Turkey] was an important ancient city of the northern Hittite empire, located on the border between Turkey and Syria - It was also the location of one of the decisive battles in world history - It was here that the armies of Babylon and Egypt met in battle

Carchemish (now Karkamis) was an important ancient city of the northern Hittite empire, located on the border between Turkey and Syria. It was also the location of one of the decisive battles in world history. It was here that the armies of Babylon and Egypt met in battle (Jer. 46:2; 2 Chr. 35:20-24). The prophet Isaiah lists Carchemish as one of the kingdoms overthrown by Sargon II of Assyria in 717 BC (Isa. 10:9). Carchemish is also mentioned in Egyptian and Assyrian texts. The ruins of Carchemish are located on the West bank of Euphrates River, about 35 miles southeast of Gaziantep, Turkey. The site lies in Turkish territory on the border of Syria. A large Turkish military now stands on the Carchemish acropolis, and access to the site is now heavily restricted and is out of bounds to archaeological exploration. The site was excavated three different times before World War One by the British Museum, led by David George Hogarth, Reginald C. Thompson, Leonard Woolley, and T. E. Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia"). These expeditions uncovered substantial remains of the Assyrian and Neo-Hittite periods, including forts, palaces, temples, market places, and a great wall sculptured with a procession of warriors, with the king and crown prince celebrating a great victory. ... The Battle Of Carchemish: The Battle of Carchemish was fought in May/June of 605 BC between an allied army of Egyptians and Assyrians against the Babylonian army. When the Assyrian capital of Ninevah was overrun by the Babylonians in 612 BC, the Assyrians moved their capital to Harran (now in Turkey). When the Babylonians captured Harran in 608 BC, the Assyrian capital was moved to Carchemish. Egypt was allied with the Assyrians, and marched to their aid against the Babylonians. In 609 BC, the Egyptian army of Pharaoh Necho II was delayed at Megiddo (in Israel) by the forces of King Josiah of Judah. Josiah was killed and his army was defeated. ... The Egyptians were further delayed at Riblah, and Necho arrived at Carchemish too late. Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar had surprised the Assyrians and had captured Carchemish. He then turned on the Egyptians and thoroughly defeated them in a bloody battle and the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were devastated. The Babylonian Chronicles, now housed in the British Museum, claim that Nebuchadnezzar "crossed the river to go against the Egyptian army which lay in Carchemish. The armies fought with each other and the Egyptian army withdrew before him. He accomplished their defeat and beat them to nonexistence. As for the rest of the Egyptian army which had escaped from the defeat so quickly that no weapon had reached them, the Babylonians overtook and defeated them in the district of Hamath so that not a single man escaped to his own country. At that time Nebuchadnezzar conquered the whole of Hatti-land." Before the battle of Carchemish, Egypt had one of the greatest armies in northern Africa and was a threat to the Middle East, but the battle of Carchemish changed all of that when the Babylonians destroyed the power of Egypt and the independent existence of Assyria. The Battle of Carchemish was the end of the Assyrian Empire, and Egypt was reduced to a second-rate power. Babylon became master of the Middle East.

http://www.padfield.com/2008/carchemish.html Wikipedia.org: Battle of Carchemish - The Battle of Carchemish was fought about 605 BC between the allied armies of Egypt and Assyria against Babylonia

Background: When the Assyrian capital Nineveh was overrun by the Babylonians in 612 BC, the Assyrians moved their capital to Harran. When Harran was captured by the Babylonians in 610 BC, the capital was once again moved, this time to Carchemish. Egypt was allied with the Assyrian king Ashur-uballit II, and marched in 609 BC to their aid against the Babylonians. The Egyptian army of Pharaoh Necho II was delayed at Megiddo by the forces of King Josiah of Judah. Josiah was killed and his army was defeated. The Egyptians and Assyrians together crossed the Euphrates and laid siege to Harran, which they failed to re-take and retreated back to northern Syria. - The Battle: The Egyptians met the full might of the Babylonian army led by Nebuchadnezzar II at Carchemish where the combined Egyptian and Assyrian forces were soundly destroyed by the Babylonians and the Assyrian Empire collapsed. - The Results: Assyria ceased to exist as an independent power. Egypt retreated and was no longer a significant force in the Ancient Near East. Babylon controlled the territory up to the Wadi of Egypt and the Pharoah no longer left Egypt to exert any influence in the affairs of the region. Babylonia reached its economic peak after 605 BC and became the dominant military power in the region from the Battle of Carchemish until the defeat of Nabonidus at the hands of Cyrus at the Battle of Opis some sixty-five years later. - Records of the battle: The Jerusalem Chronicle, part of the Babylonian Chronicles, now housed in the British Museum, claim that Nebuchadnezzar "crossed the river to go against the Egyptian army which lay in Karchemiš. They fought with each other and the Egyptian army withdrew before him. He accomplished their defeat and beat them to non-existence. As for the rest of the Egyptian army. which had escaped from the defeat so quickly that no weapon had reached them, in the district of Hamath the Babylonian troops overtook and defeated them so that not a single man escaped to his own country. At that time Nebuchadnezzar conquered the whole area of Hamath." The battle is also mentioned and described in the Bible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carchemish EndTimeProphecy.org: Pharaohs Of The Bible Study Tool - Paraoh Necho [King of Egypt]

Easton's Bible Dictionary additionally states concerning Necho, or Necho II: An Egyptian king, the son and successor of Psammetichus, (B.C. 610), the contemporary of Josiah, king of Judah. For some reason he proclaimed war against the king of Assyria. He led forth a powerful army and marched northward, but was met by the king of Judah [Josiah] at Megiddo, who refused him a passage through his territory. Here a fierce battle was fought and [King] Josiah was slain -- 2 Chronicles 35:20-24. Possibly, as some suppose, Necho may have brought his army by sea to some port to the north of Dor (comp.) -- Joshua 11:2, 12:23 -- a Phoenician town at no great distance from Megiddo. After this battle, Necho marched on to Carchemish (q.v.), where he met and conquered the Assyrian army; and thus all the Syrian provinces, including Palestine, came under his dominion. - On his return march, he deposed Jehoahaz, who had succeeded his father Josiah, and made Eliakim, Josiah's eldest son, whose name he changed into Jehoiakim, king. Jehoahaz he carried down into Egypt, where he died -- 2 Kings 23:31, 2 Chronicles 36:1-4. Four years after this conquest, Necho again marched to the Euphrates; but here he was met and his army routed by the Chaldeans, (B.C. 606), under Nebuchadnezzar, who drove the Egyptians back, and took from them all the territory they had conquered, from the Euphrates unto the "river of Egypt" -- Jeremiah 46:2, 2 Kings 24:7,8. Soon after this, Necho died, and was succeeded by his son, Psammetichus II.

http://www.endtimeprophecy.org/Content/Bible-Study-Tools/Pharaohs-Of-The-Bible.ssi ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 48 - A prophecy of Jeremiah from God to the Nation and area of Moab -- 'Jeremiah 48:1-2 Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed. *There shall be no more praise of Moab [modern Mormonism?] ...' [Has the ancient spirit of Moab become manifested today in the false religion of the modern LDS Mormon cult?]

Jeremiah 48:42-43 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. ... Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives. *Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab *in the latter days [LDS?], saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab. - The modern spirit of Moab is very possibly being manifested today in the modern LDS [Latter Day Saints] Mormon cult. Though a modern and ever so slightly revised version of ancient Moab the pride, deceit and false religion of LDS Mormonism if it is the ancient spirit of Moab the LDS is going to meet and deserve the same destruction.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 49 - A prophecy of Jeremiah from God to the Nation and area of the Ammonites -- 'Jeremiah 49:1-2 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his people dwell in his cities? Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.' [Is the ancient Ammonite spirit manifested today in the modern day Palestinians?]

Jeremiah 49:12-18 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to drink of the cup [of afliction, wrath] have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it. For I have sworn by Myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes. I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle. For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men. Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD. Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof. As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it. - All of the Gentile Nations are to drink from the cup of the wrath and indignation of God, there will be no exceptions. Since God's chosen Nation of Israel has had to drink from the cup of the wrath of God in part because the Gentile Nations helped to lead Israel astray from God now all of the Gentile Nations will also drink from that same cup of wrath that judged and destroyed Jerusalem.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 50 - A prophecy of Jeremiah [in conjunction with all the other prophecies particularly the future prophesies of Revelation about Babylon] from God to the Nation and area of Babylon -- 'Jeremiah 50:1-2 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. *Declare ye among the Nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel [Satan] is confounded, Merodach [statue] is broken in pieces; *her [Mystery Babylon] idols are confounded, *her [Mystery Babylon] images are broken in pieces.'

Jeremiah 50:6-7 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place. All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. - The pain and suffering of the Children of God extends from a threefold injustice. 1. We are all lost sheep who ourselves will go astray from god. 2. The shepherds [pastors and leaders] who were supposed to help direct the paths of the lost sheep failed themselves to do so. 3. The Gentiles and people who do not know God add insult to injury as they wrongly believe that they are doing the will of God in seeking opportunity to inflict additional judgment and injury upon the people of God. - Note: All three of these unjust actions are overcome and corrected in Jesus Christ the True Shepherd for the lost sheep of humanity.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 51 - The multiple destructions of Babylon continue out into the future and eventually the destruction of Mystery Babylon will be complete -- 'Jeremiah 51:1-2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind [lit. spirit]; And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.' - Note: The Prophet Jeremiah concludes his Scroll with a prophecy and an object lesson regarding the eventual complete destruction of Mystery Babylon.

Jeremiah 51:60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil thatshould come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate forever. *And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, *that thou shalt bind a stone [7th and final vial (bowl) judgmant of Revelation] to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, *Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. *Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. - The ancient Prophet Jeremiah is prophesying in conjunction with the future prophesies to be written by the Disciple John in the Book of Revelation. - Revelation 16:17-17:6 And the seventh angel poured out his vial (final bowl judgment mixture) into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: *and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto *her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. *And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every *stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. -- And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me (Disciple John), saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters [peoples, nations]: With whom the kings [leaders] of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine [deceitful spirit] of her fornication [unfaithfulness]. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness [empty place]: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet [red] coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman [false religion] drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration [astonishment].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jeremiah 52 - Chapter 51 concluded the 3rd Oracle of Jeremiah and the Scroll writings of the Prophet Jeremiah - Chapter 52 is an additional source [like the Books of Chronicles are additional Source material for the books of Samuel and Kings] primarily regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, the destruction of the Temple and the captivity of the people - Jeremiah 52:12 Now in the fifth month [Av], in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, And burned the House of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: - Note: The second source of the Jeremiah Scroll records the tenth day of the month of Av as the day the Temple was burned, the 9th day of AV [Tisha B'Av] is historically mourned as the day of the destruction of the Temple, the 9th day being the first day the Temple was unable to fulfill the Temple sacrifices and ordinances to God.

The Prophet Jeremiah who was imprisoned in the king's courtyard during the 586 B.C. fall of Jerusalem was clearly overwhelmed with grief and despair as a result from the destruction of Jerusalem and later wrote the Book of Lamentations about the event. The Prophet Jeremiah can barely bring himself to record in a few vague sentences the painful destruction of Jerusalem and those few sentences only show up later in Chapter 39 of his scroll as if he never intended to write about it until the last possible moment. Comparing Jeremiah to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus who was an eyewitness to the 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem and the burning of the second Temple of Jerusalem where Josephus wrote broadly about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. - Jeremiah 52:31-34 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin [Coniah] king of Judah [the last independant Jewish king was deported then Zedekiah his uncle was made king in Israel by Babylon and Zedekiah the very last King of Israel was later captured and blinded by Nebuchadnezzar], in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon [after king Nebuchadnezzar] in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Wikipedia.org: Siege of Jerusalem 70 A.D. - The Siege of Jerusalem in the year 70 AD was a decisive event in the First Jewish-Roman War - It was followed by the fall of Masada in 73 AD - The Roman army, led by the future Emperor Titus, with Tiberius Julius Alexander as his second-in-command, besieged and conquered the city of Jerusalem, which had been occupied by its Jewish defenders in 66 AD - The city and its famous Temple were destroyed [70 A.D.] - The destruction of the Temple [both 1st Solomon's Temple and the 2nd Herod's Temple] is still mourned annually as the Jewish fast Tisha B'Av, and the Arch of Titus, depicting and celebrating the sack of Jerusalem and the Temple, still stands in Rome (Photo)

Josephus had acted as a mediator for the Romans and, when negotiations failed, witnessed the siege and aftermath. He wrote: "Now as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their fury (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any other work to be done), [Titus] Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and Temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as they were of the greatest eminence; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison [in the Upper City], as were the towers [the three forts] also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall [surrounding Jerusalem], it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it [Jerusalem] had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind. And truly, the very view itself was a melancholy thing; for those places which were adorned with trees and pleasant gardens, were now become desolate country every way, and its trees were all cut down. Nor could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judaea and the most beautiful suburbs of the city, and now saw it as a desert, but lament and mourn sadly at so great a change. For the war had laid all signs of beauty quite waste. Nor had anyone who had known the place before, had come on a sudden to it now, would he have known it again. But though he [a foreigner] were at the city itself, yet would he have inquired for it." -- Josephus claims that 1,100,000 people were killed during the siege, of which a majority were Jewish. 97,000 were captured and enslaved, including Simon Bar Giora and John of Gischala. Many fled to areas around the Mediterranean. Titus reportedly refused to accept a wreath of victory, as there is "no merit in vanquishing people {seemingly} forsaken by their own God." {If actually spoken, then spoken from an uniformed, unspiritual Gentile perspective}.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(70) ;#; - - - - - - ;#;

THE

===== LAMENTATIONS =====

OF JEREMIAH

1911encyclopedia.org: Lamentations - [The Lamentations of Jeremiah - "Lamentations was originally part of the Book of Jeremiah. It was later isolated because it was read publically at one of the Feats of Israel and included in the five Megilloth (or scrolls; see introduction to the Book of Ruth - The Book of Ruth was originally part of the Book of Judges). Lamentations is read each year at Tisha B'av (6th of August), a fast commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Kgs, 25:8,9) in both 586 B.C. [Solomon's Temple] and A.D. 70 [2nd Temple - Herod's Temple]. The style and content leave no doubt that Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," is the author." - Source: The Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible (KJV) - Spiros Zodhiates]

LAMENTATIONS (Lamentations of Jeremiah), book of the Old Testament. In Hebrew MSS. and editions this little collection of liturgical poems is entitled "How...!", the first word of ch. (1) i. (and chs. ii., iv.); cf. the books of the Pentateuch, and the Babylonian Epic of Creation a far older example[?]. In the Septuagint it is called Opiivoc, "Funeral-songs" or "Dirges," the usual rendering of Heb. nirp (Am. v. 1; Jer. vii. 29; 2 Sam. i. 17), which is, in fact, the name in the Talmud (Baba Bathra 15a) and other Jewish writings; and it was known as such to the Fathers (Jerome, Cinoth). The Septuagint (B) introduces the book thus: "And it came to pass, after Israel was taken captive and Jerusalem laid waste, Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem, and said .. .," a notice which may have related originally to the first poem only. Some Septuagint MSS., and the Syriac and other versions, have the fuller title Lamentations of Jeremiah. *In the Hebrew Bible Lamentations is placed among the Cetubim or Hagiographa, usually *as the middle book of the five Megilloth or Ferial Rolls (Canticles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther) *according to the order of the days on which they are read in the Synagogue, *Lamentations being read on the 9th of Ab (6th of August), when the destruction of the Temple is commemorated (Mass. Sopherim 18). *But the Septuagint appends the book to Jeremiah (Baruch intervening), just as it adds Ruth to Judges; thus making the number of the books of the Hebrew Canon the same as that of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, viz. twenty-two (so Jos. c. Ap. i. 8), instead of the Synagogal twenty-four (see Baba Bathra 14b).

http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Lamentations Background of Lamentations - The Hebrew title of the book is 'echah (How...!), which is the first word of the book - The Greek and Latin translations of this book have called it 'Lamentations' because of its mourning over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple and the taking of the citizens of Judah into exile in 586 B.C. - Lamentations is a funeral song written in a poetic fashion to convey the deep emotional loss - The book of Lamentations has given Jeremiah the nick name of "the weeping prophet"

Structure: The structure of the book is rather unique and does not show it's beautiful form when translated into English. Each chapter is an acrostic which means that each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are twenty two verses in each poem-chapter. The third chapter has three sets of the Hebrew alphabets adding to 66 verses. While these were emotional laments the structure indicates that there was deliberate care taken in their composition. This form of literature is also common in other Old Testament writers. There are many Psalms written as laments and the prophets often broke into this format, but this is the only book in the Bible that is entirely written in the form of a lament. It is a form that is also common with extra-biblical writings of the time especially in Sumeria. The Book has a universal liturgical history. Orthodox Jews have the custom of reading it on the ninth day of Ab, in commemoration of the destruction of Solomon's Temple in 586 B.C. and destruction of Herod's Temple in 70 A.D. It is also commonly read at the Wailing Wall in the old part of Jerusalem. Roman Catholic's read the book the last three days of Holy Week. -- Contents: Because of Judah's sin, God has left his dwelling place in the Temple and has allowed the sanctuary to be destroyed. The laments are over Judah's sin and not at the Lord's righteousness. The book is a solemn, mournful cry for the people of God to repent. Lamentations 5:21-22 Chapter 3 gives a ray of hope and salvation in the midst of tears. 'It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion's fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.' (Lamentations 3:22-23) God's grace shines through the clouds of gloom.

http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/Lam00b.htm THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS - For Christians today, the book serves as a serious reminder of God's attitude toward sin and the need for sincere repentance - Each of the five chapters of Lamentations is a separate poem - The first four are arranged as acrostic poems - [An acrostic (from the late Greek akróstichis, from akros, "top", and stichos, "verse") is a poem or other form of writing in an alphabetic script, in which the first letter, syllable or word of each line, paragraph or other recurring feature in the text spells out a word or a message. As a form of constrained writing, an acrostic can be used as a mnemonic device to aid memory retrieval. A famous acrostic was made in Greek for the acclamation JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S SON, SAVIOUR which in Greek is: Iesous (Jesus) CHristos (Christ), THeou (God) Yios (Son), Soter (Savior), ch and th being each one letter in Greek. The initials spell ICHTHYS - Greek for fish - hence the frequent use of the fish as a symbol for Jesus Christ from the early days of Christianity to the present time. - Wiki.com]

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS: The text of the Bible does not tell us who wrote the Book of Lamentations. But a tradition says that Jeremiah is the author. The old Greek translation, the Septuagint, added this note at the beginning of the book: "And it came to pass, after Jeremiah was taken captive and Jerusalem laid waste, that Jeremiah sat weeping and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem and said ..." Perhaps Jeremiah is the author, but we cannot know for certain. A "lamentation" is an expression of deep sorrow. The Book of Lamentations is made up of five sad poems or songs. The sad event that each of the five poems is concerned with is the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. In tone the poems are like a dirge that might be heard at a funeral. They are bursting with grief and teardrops. The author of the five Lamentations grieves so deeply not just because the beloved city of Jerusalem has been destroyed; he grieves especially because he knows that the destruction came because of God's judgment on the people's unrepented sins. The reader can almost feel the poems dripping with sorrow even as the first poem begins: "How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave." (1:1) Still today the Jews sadly chant the words of Lamentations to commemorate the destruction of Jerusalem. If you visit the so-called "wailing wall" near the old temple area in Old Jerusalem, you will hear the sobbing laments from Lamentations.

http://archive.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?1712&cxDatabase_databaseID=4&id=28 ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Lamentations 1 - The Prophet Jeremiah begins his personal lament over the destruction of the Nation of Israel; the city of Jerusalem, the Temple of Solomon and the captivity of the Jewish people -- 'Lamentations 1:1-2 How doth the city [Jerusalem] sit solitary, that was full of people how is she become as a widow she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary! She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.'

Lamentations 1:3-8 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest: all her persecutors overtook her between the straits. The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer. Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, and did mock at her Sabbaths. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Lamentations 2 - The Prophet Jeremiah presents and maintains the perspective that it was God Himself who allowed and oversaw the destruction of Jerusalem and not some random or arbitrary event or force -- 'Lamentations 2:1 How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in His anger, and cast down from Heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not His footstool [resting place for His soul] in the day of His anger!'

Lamentations 2:2-14 The Lord hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not pitied: He hath thrown down in His wrath the strong holds of the daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: He hath polluted the Kingdom and the Princes thereof. He hath cut off in His fierce anger all the horn [strength] of Israel: He hath drawn back His right hand [the hand of deliverance] from before the enemy, and He burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about. He hath bent his bow like an enemy: He stood with His right hand as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: He poured out his fury like fire. The Lord was as an enemy: He hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all her palaces: He hath destroyed His strong holds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and *lamentation. And He hath violently taken away His Tabernacle [Temple], as if it were of a garden: He hath destroyed His places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of His anger the King and the Priest. The Lord hath cast off His altar, He hath abhorred His sanctuary, He hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces; they have made a noise in the [Temple] House of the LORD, as in the day of a solemn feast. The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: He hath stretched out a line, He hath not withdrawn His hand from destroying: therefore He made the rampart and the wall to lament; they languished together. Her gates are sunk into the ground; He hath destroyed and broken her bars: her King and her Princes are among the [Babylonian] Gentiles [in captivity]: *the law is no more [really Israel never at any time in history fulfilled the law only Jesus can uphold and fulfill the law]; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD. The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground. Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city. They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? When they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was poured out into their mothers' bosom. What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Lamentations 3 - The Prophet Jeremiah prophesies that God's ways and decisions are just and that mankind is the one in need of change and repentance in order to restore back and renew a right relationship with God -- 'Lamentations 3:19-23 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.'

Lamentations 3:40-57 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. Thou hast covered Thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven. Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Lamentations 4 - Israel since is miraculous inception had changed, as all things must change, but it had not changed for the better as God had intended - Instead it had changed for the worse as man had intended -- 'Lamentations 4:1-2 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!'

Lamentations 4:7-16 Her Nazarites [The Vow of the Nazarite (Numbers 6:1-27)] were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there. The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Lamentations 5 - The Prophet Jeremiah concludes his writings with prayer and petition for God's deliverance for the people and the Nation of Israel -- 'Lamentations 5:1-3 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our reproach. Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.'

The Bible's book of Lamentations concludes: Lamentations 5:15-22 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning. The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have sinned! For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim. Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. Thou, O LORD, remainest forever; thy throne from generation to generation. Wherefore dost thou forget us forever, and forsake us so long time? Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old. But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Note: The blog Bible Study will take a few days off and then return on Friday with the Book of 1st Chronicles

The Book of 1st Chronicles will begin the final Old Testament Segment followed by the final New Testament Segment concluding with the Book of Revelation. - Also Note: After completion of the current blog Bible Study the Basic Christian Info RSS feed is going to begin a brief study of Christian Church history and of famous people in Church history. Then it's probable that the RSS feed will continue with topical studies and devotions, though preceding at a much more relaxed and slower pace. There is no intention of returning the RSS feedback to current events or to politics or any other conspiracy type of events. The RSS feed is going to remain exclusively devoted to Christian devotions, Christian topics (current events) and Christian studies.

http://www.basicchristian.info/wordpress/ ;#; - - - - - - ;#;

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET

===== EZEKIEL ===== An Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel - In Hebrew: the book is titled 'laqzhy' meaning God strengthens - In Greek: the book is titled 'IESEKIHL' the Hebrew is simply transliterated [sounded out letter for letter] - DATE: 593/2 to 562 B.C. Ezekiel's prophecies seem to be dated around the exile of king Jehoiachin (597 B.C.)

Thirteen of Ezekiel's message are dated precisely to the day, month and year of King Jehoiachin's exile to Babylon. The following chart lays out the general chronological arrangement of these prophecies with three exceptions (29:1, 17; 32:1) all of which were oracles against Egypt and thus placed together with the other Egyptian prophecies. ... CANONICAL PLACEMENT: In the Hebrew canon [concluded Bible] Ezekiel is placed following Isaiah and Jeremiah among the Major Prophets. In the Greek canon [concluded Bible], which the English arrangement follows, Ezekiel is placed after Lamentations which was associated with the Prophet Jeremiah. Hill and Walton write, While Ezekiel was always included in the Hebrew canon, later Jewish scholars disputed the book's canonical value. *At issue were seeming discrepancies between the prophet's understanding of [4th] temple ritual and the prescriptions of Mosaic law (e.g., a disagreement in the number and kinds of animals sacrificed at the New Moon [new month] festival {Israel had a [360 days a year] Lunar (moon) Calendar, we have a [365 days a year] Solar, sun based calendar} --cf. Num. 28:11 and Ezek. 46:6). The rabbis eventually restricted the public and private use of Ezekiel, commenting that the ultimate harmonization [1st-2nd Temple, 4th Temple] of the difficulties must await 'the coming of Elijah' (cf. Mal 4:5).

http://bible.org/article/introduction-book-ezekiel Wikipedia.org: The Book of Ezekiel - The Book of Ezekiel is a book of the Hebrew Bible named after the prophet Ezekiel, a prophet from the sixth-century BC - This book records Ezekiel's preaching - His name (Hb. Yekhezqe'l) means "God strengthens" or "May God strengthen" - Ezekiel lived out his prophetic career among the community of exiled Judeans [Jews] in Babylon - He belonged to the priestly class and was married (see Ezk. 24:15-24), but it is doubtful that he had any children - The frequent use of vivid, symbolic language [and the very far into the future scope of the visions] causes this book to have much in common with the Book of Revelation in the New Testament - Ezekiel's resurrection of the dead - Ezekiel's greatest miracle consisted in his resurrection of the dead "The Valley of Dry Bones" [both the restoration of Israel (May 14, 1948) and the eventual resorrection of Israel], which is recounted in Ezekiel 37 - There are different traditions as to the fate of these men, both before and after their resurrection, and as to the time at which it happened

The Book of Ezekiel was written for the captives of the tribe of Judah living in exile in Babylon following the Siege of Jerusalem of 597 BC. Up until that exile, their custom had been to worship their God in the Temple in Jerusalem. Exile raised important theological questions. How, the Judeans asked, could they worship their God when they were now in a distant land? Was their God still available to them? Ezekiel speaks to this problem. He first explains that the Judean exile is a punishment for disobedience and he then offers hope to the exiles, suggesting that the exile will be reversed once they return to God. Unlike their ancestors, who were enslaved and socially marginalized while in exile in Egypt, the Jews of Ezekiel's time were able to become part of the society they found themselves in. The Exiles were told by Jeremiah not to worship the foreign gods, but Jeremiah did tell them that they could become part of the Babylonian culture. They did this well, often being called upon by the Babylonians to complete projects using their skills as artisans. Unlike other enemies, the Babylonians allowed the Jewish people to settle in small groups. While keeping their religious and national identities, many Jewish people did start to settle into their new environment. From building homes to opening businesses, the Jews seemed to settle into their exile land for the long haul. This growing comfort in Babylon helps to explain why so many Jewish people decided not to return to their land. Many people would have been born in exile and would know nothing of their old land, so when the opportunity came for them to reclaim the land that was taken from them, many decided not to leave the Babylonian land they knew. This large group of people who decided to stay are known to be the oldest of the Jewish diaspora communities along with the Jews of Persia. - The Visionary Ezekiel Temple plan [4th Temple] drawn by the 19th century French architect and Bible scholar Charles Chipiez (Illustration). ... Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah (Ezekiel 4:1-24:27) - Ezekiel makes a series of denunciations against his fellow Judeans (3:22-24), warning them of the certain destruction of Jerusalem, in opposition to the words of the false prophets (4:1-3). The symbolic acts, by which the extremities to which Jerusalem would be reduced are described in Chapters 4 and 5, *show his [Ezekiel's] intimate acquaintance with the Levitical legislation. See, for example, Exodus 22:30; Deuteronomy 14:21; Leviticus 5:2; 7:18,24; 17:15; 19:7; 22:8.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Ezekiel ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 1-2 - The Prophet Ezekiel [second captivity] like the Prophet Daniel [first captivity] has been taken into captivity from Israel to the Nation of Babylon (Iraq) - The Levitical Priest Ezekiel is going to have a Prophetic Ministry dedicated to the Holy Spirit - Ezekiel is going to have more direct contact and direct interaction with God the Holy Spirit than any other person in the Bible -- 'Ezekiel 1:1-3 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year [of the 70 years of Israel's desolation], in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the [second group of] captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity, The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the [Levitical] Priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar [modern Khabur River - Syria, Turkey]; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.'

Ezekiel 2:1-10 And He (Holy Spirit) ["likeness of the Glory of the LORD" Ezekiel 1:28] said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the [Holy] Spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that spake unto me. And He said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious Nation that hath rebelled against Me [Holy Spirit]: they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD [Holy Spirit]. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, for they are a rebellious house, yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak My words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious. *But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; *Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee [Revelation 10:10]. And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book [scroll] was therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without [Revelation 5:1]: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. - The Levital Priest Ezekiel now away from Jerusalem and no longer able to perform his priestly Temple duties receives the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In one of the most powerful and anointed visions in the Holy Bible Ezekiel is called by God the Holy Spirit into a ministry as a Prophet for the Nation of Israel and to the world.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 3-4 - Ezekiel is to function as a Preacher to the people - First Ezekiel is to read and internalize the Word of God the Holy Bible then Ezekiel is to Preach to the people what he has previously appropriated internally from the Word of God -- 'Ezekiel 3:1-4 Moreover He said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat [internalize] this roll [Holy Bible], and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll. And He said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels [deep insides] with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto them.'

Ezekiel 3:16-21 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. - The Prophet Ezekiel in his anointing from the Holy Spirit is to facilitate in the office of "Watchman" for God to the people. The office of Watchman is fulfilled in conjunction with the Holy Spirit and today after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the giving of the Holy Spirit upon all mankind [Acts 2:38-39] the office of Watchman is more of an alerting, informing office as the Holy Spirit is actively involved in seeking the repentance of each individual person. - John 16:7-11 Nevertheless I [Jesus] tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away [back into Heaven]: for if I go not away, the Comforter [Holy Spirit] will not come unto you; but if I depart [cross and resurrection], I [Jesus] will send Him [Holy Spirit] unto you. *And when He is come, He will [Watchman] reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me [Jesus]; Of righteousness, because [of the absence of the righteousness of Jesus] I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more [until the Second Coming]; Of judgment, because the prince of this world [Satan] is judged.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 5-6 - Earlier the Prophet Ezekiel had personally witnessed [Ezekiel 1:20] the orderly, precise movements of God the Holy Spirit and the Angels accompanying the Holy Spirit - Now Ezekiel is going to prophesy and enact out many prophecies regarding Israel and the future but being influenced by the Holy Spirit everything will be enacted in a precise an orderly manner -- 'Ezekiel 1:20-21 Whithersoever the [Holy] Spirit was to go, they [accompanying Angels] went, thither was [also] their [Angel] spirit to go; and the wheels [movement of the Holy Spirit] were lifted up over against them: for the [Holy] Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels [movement]. When those [movements of the Holy Spirit] went, these [Angels] went; and when those [Holy Spirit movements] stood, these [Angels] stood; and when those [Holy Spirit movements] were lifted up from the earth, the wheels [perceivable presence of the Holy Spirit] were lifted up over against them: for the [Holy] Spirit of the living creature was in the wheels [perceivable movement of the Holy Spirit].'

Ezekiel 6:8-10 Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries [70 A.D. Diaspora]. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them. - The Prophet Ezekiel is going to in a sense pick up where the other prophets [Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc.] left off and Ezekiel is going to prophesy way out in to the future from his day especially regarding the Last Days, End Times and Millennial Kingdom reign of the Messiah [Jesus Christ].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 7-8 - The Prophet Ezekiel's 2nd Vision of God - The Prophet Ezekiel [Ezekiel 8:1-3] like the Prophet Daniel [Daniel 10:7-11 ] and later the Disciple John [Revelation 1:13-15] has a Vision of Jesus Christ in the Revelation -- 'Ezekiel 8:1-4 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the [exiled] elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me. Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the appearance of His loins even downward, fire [judgment]; and from His loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber [brass (sin) being judged]. And He put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock [hair] of mine head; *and the [Holy] Spirit lifted me up *between the earth and the heaven [judgment, the cross of Jesus Christ, the two thieves - one repented, one didn't, all mankind is facing the same death and judgment as the two thieves, we are all in the position of the two thieves being executed by this world, we all have a choice to make], and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate [symbolically the inner conscience] that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of the image of jealousy [imaginations of man], which provoketh [God] to jealousy.'

Ezekiel 8:4-18 And, behold, the Glory of the God of Israel was there [in Jerusalem], according to the vision that I saw in the plain. Then said He [Jesus] unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy [imaginations of man] in the entry. He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do? even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here [in their imagination, mind], that I should [be offended and] go far off [away] from My sanctuary? but turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations. And He brought me to the door of the [Temple] court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said He unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door [into the mind of mankind, even religious (godly) mankind]. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the House of Israel, portrayed [envisioned] upon the wall [of the mind] round about. And there stood before them seventy men [elders] of the ancients of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer [adoration, prayers] in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up. Then said He unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the House of Israel do in the dark, *every man in the chambers of his imagery [imagination]? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth. He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S House [Temple] which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz [Nimrod the ancient god of Babylon]. Then said He unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S House [Temple], and, behold, at the door of the Temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, *with their backs toward the Temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then He said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the House of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke Me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose [divination]. Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them. - Like the Levitical Priest and Prophet Jeremiah the Levitical Priest and Prophet Ezekiel is finding out that the 1st Covenant is un-maintainable in the actions and abilities of a fallen (sinful) mankind. In order for mankind to appropriately worship, praise and interact with God, God is going to have to do a work, ultimately a work in the cross and resurrection of God in Jesus Christ providing the very Spirit of God to indwell, not the Temple of stone, but the heart; mind, determination, imagination and worshipful praises [prayers] of mankind.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 9-10 - The Prophet Ezekiel has a vision of the remnant of God being set apart to God and of the Holy Spirit departing from Solomon's Temple and [shortly thereafter] from Jerusalem -- 'Ezekiel 9:3-6 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up [the Holy Spirit is departing the Temple of Solomon] from the cherub [Throne of God Angels], whereupon He was, to the threshold of the [Temple] House. And He called to the man [reaping Angel; also a type of Jesus or possibly Jesus] clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side; And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark [designation] upon the foreheads of the men that [repent] sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. And to the others [non-repentant] He said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: *but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My [Temple] Sanctuary.'

Ezekiel 10:1-19 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. And He spake unto the man [Angel who had the inkhorn] clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in [into the Holy Spirit] in my sight. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the [Temple] House, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court [Leviticus 16:13]. Then the Glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over [hesitated at] the threshold [doorway, entrance] of the House [Temple]; and the House was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S Glory. ... *Then the Glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the [Temple] House, and stood over the cherubims [Throne Angels]. And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up *from the earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD'S house; and *the Glory of the God of Israel was over them above [returning back up to Heaven]. - The Prophet Ezekiel through a vision is able to witness the sad and hesitant departure of the Holy Spirit from out of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit indwelt the Temple in Jerusalem at the dedication of the Temple by King Solomon [2 Chronicles 5:14]. The Holy Spirit was not present in the 1st Temple when the Temple was destroyed by the forces of Babylon. - Note: The Spirit of God in the person of Jesus Christ then departed the 2nd Temple [Matthew 24:1] prior to the 70 A.D. destruction of the 2nd Temple by the forces of Rome.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 11-12 - The Prophet Ezekiel like the Prophet Jeremiah [Jeremiah 31:33] gets a prophecy regarding the New Covent [New Testament] of God between God and mankind -- 'Ezekiel 11:17-20 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered [70 A.D. Diaspora], and I will give you the land of Israel [May 14, 1948]. And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from thence. And I will [eventually (Ezekiel 37:14)] give them one heart, *and I will put a New Spirit [born again] within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.'

Ezekiel 11:21 But as for them [children of God included] whose heart walketh after the heart of their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD. Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels beside them; and the Glory of the God of Israel was over them above. *And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city [of Jerusalem], and stood upon the Mountain [Mt. Olivet] which is on the east side of the city. Afterwards the [Holy] Spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea [Babylon], to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up [left] from me. Then I spake [told the vision] unto them of the captivity all the things [sin in the minds and imaginations of mankind, the Holy Spirit departing the Temple in Jerusalem, the giving of the 2nd Covenant between God and mankind] that the LORD had shewed me. - The perceivable presence of the Holy Spirit having hesitantly departed from the Temple of God in Jerusalem now hesitantly departs from the city of Jerusalem, pausing momentarily upon the top of the Mount Olivet to the east of Jerusalem.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 13-14 - The Prophet Ezekiel even among the captives in Babylon continues to contend for the pure Word of God - - Ezekiel 13:1-5 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy [see] out of their own hearts, *Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, *that follow their own spirit, and have *seen nothing [they need to listen and hear God]! O Israel, thy [false] prophets are [out of place] like the foxes in the deserts. Ye [false prophets] have not gone up into the gaps [preformed intercession], neither made up the hedge [restored the broken] for the House of Israel to stand [with the LORD] in the battle in the Day of the LORD. - Note: Biblically every day is 'A Day of the LORD'.

Ezekiel 13:8-23 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity [emptiness], and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And Mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the [eternal] assembly of My people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the House of Israel, neither shall they enter into the [Promise] Land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace [with sin]; and there was no peace [with sin]; *and one built up a wall [a wall for human protection, ultimately a wall of separation (to separate themselves) from God], and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter (mud): Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter [mud only no cement type of hardener - modern cement was invented by Rome in about 50 B.C.], that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones [Revelation 16:21], shall fall; and a stormy wind [Holy Spirit] shall rend it. Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in My fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in My fury to consume it. *So will I break down the wall [i.e. tower of Babel] that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof [the deception] shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. Thus will I accomplish My wrath upon the wall, *and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The wall [Babylon] is no more, neither they that daubed it; To wit, the prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD. -- Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women that sew pillows [shoulder pads] to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature to [entice] hunt souls! Will ye [entice] hunt the souls of My people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you? And will ye pollute Me among My people for [small pay] handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your [deception] lying to My people that hear your lies? Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows [flattery], wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly [unstable], and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly. Your kerchiefs [false righteousness] also will I tear, and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. *Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; *and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life: Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations: for I will deliver My people out of your hand: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. - During the time of God's active work of rebuking and correcting the people of Israel the many false prophets were just as busy continuing to culturally lead people astray.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 15-16 - The Prophet Ezekiel instructs that the Vine is unique among plants and that its Only Purpose is to bear fruit - Likewise the Children of God are unique among mankind in that its Only Purpose is to please God -- 'Ezekiel 15:1-2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest?'

Ezekiel 16:59-63 59 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the [O.T.] Covenant. *Nevertheless I will remember My Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth [fresh out of Egypt], and I will establish unto thee an Everlasting Covenant [New Testament]. Then thou shalt remember thy [rebellious] ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters [Sodom, Samaria], thine elder [sister Sodom] and thy younger [sister Samaria]: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy [your] covenant. And I will establish My Covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth [boasting] any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee [upon the cross of Jesus] for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD. - The New Testament, the eternal nature, the reconciliation [even reconciling Sodom and Samaria], the true Peace and the finality of it all as accomplished by God on the cross and by the resurrection continues to be in view even among the captives in Babylon.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 17-18 - The Prophet Ezekiel reiterates the fundamental Biblical concept of individual accountability towards God - Each person is individually accountable before God just as each of the two thieves on the two adjacent crosses to Jesus [Matthew 27:38] were each accountable before God to repent of their own sins and to seek for themselves the forgiveness of God [Jesus Christ] in order to then enter into Heaven with Jesus -- 'Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.'

Ezekiel 18:24-32 But when the righteous [redeemed - saved] turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: *in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal? *When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. *Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, *he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the House of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O House of Israel [Governed by God], are not My ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O House of Israel [Governed by God], *every one [individually] according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. *Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; *so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you *a new heart and *a new Spirit [Numbers 14:24; 27:18][after the cross and resurrection of Jesus a new born again Spirit]: for why will ye die, O House of Israel? *For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: *wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye. - This Prophecy Teaching of Ezekiel remains in effect today it has not been removed, changed, altered or negated. To turn from God is to turn from God and by doing so removing oneself [Righteous Gentile (Balaam - Joshua 13:22), Hebrew/Jew (Korah - Numbers 16:1), Christian (Demas - 2 Timothy 4:10; Revelation 3:5,16)] from the presence of God and the result is for the person to receive the condemnation of the unjust. - Note: "Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new Spirit for why will ye die, O House of Israel?" The way these verses and concepts foretell and combine with the New Testament means that whoever wrote the Old Testament [i.e. the Holy Spirit] had complete knowledge and understanding of the coming of the New Testament and of its implementation to mankind.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 19-20 - God has done a miraculous work and will continue His extraordinary work in and through the Nation of Israel "for My Name's sake" -- 'Ezekiel 20:19-22 I am the LORD your God; walk in My statutes [ways], and keep My judgments, and do them; And hallow [holy] My Sabbaths [rest]; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God. Notwithstanding the children rebelled against Me: they walked not in My statutes, neither kept My judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted My Sabbaths [rest]: *then I said, I would pour out My fury upon them, to accomplish My anger against them [Israel] in the wilderness. *Nevertheless I withdrew Mine hand, and wrought [Deliverers, Judges, Priests, Kings, Prophets in Israel] for My Name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen [unholy], in whose sight I brought them forth.'

Ezekiel 20:33-44 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm [on the cross], and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: And I will bring you out from the [Gentile] people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm [on the cross - the cross of Jesus Christ saved Israel], and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD. And I will cause you to pass under the rod [to be numbered in servitude], and I will bring you into the bond of the [New] Covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against Me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD. As for you, O House of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto Me: but pollute ye My Holy Name no more with your gifts, and with your idols. For in Mine Holy Mountain, in the Mountain [Temple Mount] of the height of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the House of Israel, all of them in the land, serve Me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things. *I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered [70 A.D. Diaspora]; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country [May 14, 1948] for the which I lifted up mine hand to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought [created, worked] with you for My Name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye House of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. - God has begun to bring the Nation of Israel back into the land of Israel. "I [God] will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people" is also a commitment and a promise that is made by God to the Christian Church. - 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Wherefore come out from among them [unsaved], and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 21-22 - Ezekiel the Prophet prophesies of the need for one to come that can "stand in the gap" between God and mankind on behalf of both God and mankind - That one person is Jesus Christ the Son of God the Son of Man -- 'Ezekiel 22:30 30 And I sought for a man among them [humans], that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.' - 'Luke 14:16-23 Then said He [Jesus] unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade [invited] many ... And the lord said unto the servant [Holy Spirit], Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to [answer the invitation] come in, that My House may be filled.'

Ezekiel 22:23-31 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her [Israel], Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine Holy things: *they have put no difference between the Holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes [rulers] in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. *And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none [so Jesus Christ was sent to Redeem mankind]. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: *their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD. - Man's ways are not by nature God's ways and therefore no man can stand in the gap and represent both man and God. It takes Jesus Christ to effectively bridge the distance and to be able to stand in the gap only Jesus is capable uniting a fallen mankind back into the presence of the Holy God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 23-24 - Ezekiel's beloved wife dies and also as a sign Ezekiel will no longer himself be able to speak audibly unless God has a prophecy for him to speak to the people - Ezekiel as a sign to his fellow Jews is not to weep or mourn from the loss of his wife because his fellow Jews are also going to suffer the loss of many loved ones - Ultimately not mourning the loss is a sign of the resurrection because eventually there will be no mourning for God's children only a great rejoicing in the eternal life resurrection of Jesus Christ -- 'Ezekiel 24:15 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man [Ezekiel], behold, I take away from thee [his wife] the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.'

Ezekiel 24:15-27 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded. And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Speak unto the House of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword. And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. *Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters, That he that escapeth [from the fall of Jerusalem] in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear [the news] it with thine ears? In that day shall thy mouth be opened [and Ezekiel will be able to speak regularly again] to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD. - Death for the children of God is tragic and it is a loss for those who are still living however it is only a temporary loss because in the eternal resurrection of Jesus Christ all of the children of God will live for eternity. - 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 So when this corruptible [physical body] shall have put on incorruption [spiritual body], and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the [resurrection] victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain [but eternal] in the Lord.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 25-26 - Ezekiel like the other Prophets of Israel pronounces judgments from God upon the surrounding Gentile Nations - Ammonites [descendants of Lot and his younger daughter], Moab [descendants of Lot and his older daughter], Edom [descendants of Jacob's brother Esau], Philistines [immigrants to Canaan originally from the island of Crete, Greece], Tyre [an ancient kingdom in Lebanon] -- 'Ezekiel 25:1-4 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; *Because thou saidst, Aha, against My sanctuary, when it was profaned [by Egypt and Babylon]; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the East [Arabs] for a possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy milk.'

Ezekiel 26:2-5 Son of man, *because that Tyrus (Tyre) hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many Nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a spoil to the nations. - Another Gentile Nation that observed the Satanic lie that God is against Israel or that God has abandoned or is done with Israel and His chosen people. God is always doing a work in and through the people of the Nation of Israel and to turn against Israel even or especially in their times of trouble and distress is to turn against God. Each European Nation can correlate its history and achievements based exclusively on their charity and benevolence towards the Jewish people. The European Nations that supported the Jews prospered and grew while they supported the Jews and the same Nations declined rapidly and drastically as their public support for Israel declined.

Politically Correct [Anti-Israel] Anti-Semitism - The Presbyterian Church Boycotts Israel - The Presbyterian Church seems to be using politically correct economic empowerment to cover its non-politically correct anti-Semitism

According to the articles the Presbyterians can feel for the Palestinian suffering because many Palestinians can't get help in the church run hospitals in Israel. What an absurd accusation! Israeli hospitals treat anyone that comes to them for help. Perhaps the Presbyterians should consider the fact that the Palestinians can't go to the Presbyterian hospitals in the Muslim countries surrounding Israel because there are none. The Muslim countries of the Middle East don't allow people to practice any other religion - including Christianity - and they don't allow their good Samaritans in to do their 'good work' either. Maybe the 'divestment of funds tactic' should be used with the Muslim countries that deny their people access to the help the church offers around the world. The Church believes that the Bible, which says very clearly that the Holy Land was given to the Jewish people, is a living document. Over the years when the support came from the church they used the Bible as a reason for supporting Israel's survival - what happened now? Are the Presbyterians ready to say that part of the Bible is G-d [God] given and the rest is up to human interpretation? ... The Presbyterian divestment scheme smacks of anti-Semitism. The church should simply stay out of the fray and out of Middle Eastern politics altogether and do its charity work with the poor Muslims in their own countries - if they will let the Christians in. By using politically correct economic empowerment to cover politically incorrect anti-Semitism directed against Israel which has hosted the church for so many years, the Church is practicing nothing less than "throwing stones into the well that they drink from." ~ from the September, 2005 Edition of the Jewish Magazine. {Note: The Christian Church is practicing nothing less than Satanic doctrine by [lying, misrepresenting and] unjustly treating the Jews unequally among mankind. It actually pleases God for Christians and Gentiles to give mercy to the Jews [Romans 11:31]. Mercy towards the Jews might at times be unobtainable from some however equality and common courtesy cannot ever at any time be forsaken by anyone when regarding the Jews especially courtesy from Christians.}

http://www.jewishmag.com/94mag/presbyterian/presbyterian.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 27-28 - The Prophet Ezekiel reveals Tyre's true anti-Israel agenda and that it does come from Satan himself -- 'Ezekiel 28:1-10 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus [followers of Satan the king of Trye (Tyrus)], Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick [Revelation 18:12-13] hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness [illumination - illuminati]. They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.'

Ezekiel 28:11-26 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus [Satan], and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: *thou wast upon the Holy Mountain [Government] of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect [complete] in thy ways *from the day that thou wast created [Satan-Lucifer is a fallen created Angel], till iniquity [sin] was found in thee. *By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the Mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub [Throne Angel], from the midst of the stones of fire. Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness [illumination - Lucifer]: I [God] will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings [of the earth], that they may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. *All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished [unimpressed] at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. -- Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Zidon [sister city of Tyre], and prophesy against it, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her. For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her street; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD. *And there shall be no more a pricking brier [agitator] unto the House of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, *that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the House of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered [starting about May 14, 1948], and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to My servant Jacob. And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, *when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they [Jews and Gentiles] shall know that I am the LORD their God. - See also: Isaiah 14:12-16.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 29-30 - The judgments of God are now directed at Egypt and the world's system -- 'Ezekiel 30:4 And the sword {Word of God} shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations [worldly system] shall be broken down.'

Ezekiel 30:1-8 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time [visitation of God] of the heathen. And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down. Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled [metropolitan] people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league [societies], shall fall with them by the sword. Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt [worldly system] shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire [judgment] in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed. - Egypt and the other main Biblical countries of the time represented systems, worldly systems. What is being judged is not just the ancient Nation of Egypt but the system and particularly the spiritual system that guided and directed Egypt and the people away from a knowledge of God and into a system of worldly, ungodly substitutions of the real Kingdom of God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 31-32 - The warnings from God continue regarding Egypt and the substitution of the Kingdom of God that Egypt and Pharaoh represent, embrace and espouse to the rest of the world -- 'Ezekiel 31:1-4 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? Behold, the Assyrian [Assyria, previously a great Nation] was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. The waters [demonic realm] made him great, the deep [of Satan] set him up on high with her rivers [influences, Mystery Babylon] running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers [of demonic influence] unto all the trees [Nations] of the field [world].'

Ezekiel 31:15-18 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he [Assyria] went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep [water] for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him. I made the Nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden [earth, Middle-East], the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink [demonic] water, shall be comforted [lit. sigh, heavy breathing] in the nether parts of the earth. They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen. To whom art thou [Egypt] thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether [lit. lower, underneath] parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD. - In creation and in the Bible God uses physical realms to help reveal for us the spiritual realms. The blue sky realm helps reveal God, freedom, openness, eternity and heaven for us. The deep, dark, mysterious water realm often represents the demonic realm, man cannot naturally breath or live in the water realm. The deep dirt, pits, graves and volcanic fires from the earth also reveal the 'nether' lower regions of the earth and hell. All of these realms exist both physically and spiritually, there is a real heaven, a real demonic and fallen Satanic realm, death is real and there is a real eternal hell that is one option for humans at death.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 33 - God reiterates that Ezekiel is a Watchman for Israel and that what he is watching over is his fellow countrymen for their sake, their safety and for the wellbeing of their eternal souls -- 'Ezekiel 33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the House of Israel [Governed by God]; therefore thou shalt hear the Word at My mouth, and warn them from Me.'

Ezekiel 33:21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten. Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb. Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance [yet they were removed from the land]. - Ezekiel can now speak again and he tells the people that even though the land was their inheritance through Abraham they did not honor the land nor did they honor God and therefore they lost their land inheritance. Note: The land inheritance from God to Abraham for Israel was a conditional inheritance they did need to obey God in order to remain in the land [Deuteronomy 30:1-6]. The promise [Genesis 12:1-3] from God to Abraham to be their God is not conditional and though they were temporarily removed from the land God will always been their God.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 34-35 - The Prophet Ezekiel is instructed that the Messiah Jesus Christ, God Himself will one day be the 'One Shepherd' of His flock and the only overseer of His Worshipers -- 'Ezekiel 34:1-11 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds [Pastors] of Israel [Governed by God], prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds [Pastors]; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed [promote] themselves! should not the shepherds feed [buildup, strengthen] the flocks [Worshipers]? ... Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require [reclaim] My flock [Worshipers] at their hand [from their services], and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed [lavish] themselves anymore; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat [merchandise] for them. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep [people], and seek [rescue] them out.'

Ezekiel 34:11-31 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [Jesus Christ], even I, will both search My sheep [people], and seek [rescue] them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out My sheep, *and will *deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: *there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. *I [Jesus] will feed My flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. *I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. *And as for you, O My flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle [person] and cattle [person], between the rams and the he goats. Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture [not to share with others], but ye must tread down [destroy] with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have *drunk of the deep waters [deep spiritual matters, experiences - both holy und unholy], but ye must foul the residue with your feet? And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; *and they drink that which ye have fouled [bad doctrine] with your feet. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; *Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. *And I will set up One Shepherd [Jesus Christ] over them, and He shall feed them, even My servant David [Beloved, Jesus Christ]; He [Jesus] shall feed them, and He [Jesus] shall be their shepherd. And I [Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit] the LORD [YHWH] will be their God, and My servant David [Beloved Jesus as King, King David as Prince] a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it. *And I will make with them a [New] Covenant of Peace, and will cause the evil [Satanic] beasts to cease out of the land: and they [sheep] shall dwell safely in the wilderness [vulnerable places], and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about My hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower [rain] to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they [Worshipers] shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when *I have broken the bands of their yoke [on the cross], and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them [at the resurrection]. And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid. *And I will raise up for them a plant [vine, grapevine] of renown [glory], and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even *the House of Israel, are My people, saith the Lord GOD. And ye [Worshipers] My flock, the flock of My pasture, are men [people], and I am [the Good Shepherd - John 10:1-21] your God, saith the Lord GOD. - Jesus the Messiah is the "One Shepherd" for all the people of the world. Note: In Hebrew the name 'David' means 'beloved' and is often used to refer to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 36 - The Prophet Ezekiel reveals that God is always dedicated and eternally faithful to the House of Israel -- 'Ezekiel 36:8-9 But ye, O Mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people of Israel; for they are at hand to come [return to the Promise Land]. For, behold, I am for you [Israel], and I will turn [face] unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown [made productive again]:' - Note: The House of Israel is spiritually and physically the Jewish descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. - Also Note: The name Israel [Governed by God or Submitted to God] is an inheritance name given to Jacob as a blessing from God [Genesis 35:10] after Jacob wrestled all night with God and asked (demanded) a blessing from God. The name or status of Israel is given from God to His worshipers as a blessing. Israel is not a state or condition that a person [Jew or Gentile] is born into [Jacob is the natural birth name, Israel is the received blessing name] it is a rebirth condition to be brought into a relationship willingly submitted to God and therefore Biblically the name of Israel [Submitted to God] does also apply Spiritually to all of those, including Gentiles, who are 'born again' Israel - submitted to God, those who have received the blessing of fellowship with God.

Ezekiel 36:22-36 Therefore say unto the House of Israel [submitted to God], Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O House of Israel, but for Mine Holy Name's sake, which ye have profaned [not accurately represented God's Name] among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify [set apart] My great Name, which was profaned [misrepresented] among the heathen [unsaved], which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified [made Holy, set apart] in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into [Israel] your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water [Word of God, Bible] upon you {before the cross of Jesus, after the cross the blood of Jesus has permanently made clean}, and ye shall be clean [John 15:3]: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I [permanently] cleanse you [on the cross]. *A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you [New Testament]: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit [born again] within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will also save [Salvation] you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you. And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen. Then [Romans 2:4] shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O House of Israel. Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. *And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited. *Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: *I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. - The 'Salvation' process is a continuing process both in the Nation of Israel [postponed until later] and in the Christian Church. The House of Israel has not yet properly represented, made Holy or honored the Name of God and likewise the Christian Church has not yet represented Jesus or made Holy and honored His Name.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 37 - Ezekiel has one of his most famous Visions - The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones -- 'Ezekiel 37:1-4 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry. And He [Holy Spirit] said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again He said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the LORD.'

Ezekiel 37:5-14 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath [Spirit] to enter into you, and ye shall live: And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath [Spirit] in them. Then said He unto me, Prophesy unto the wind [lit. Spirit], prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds [unhindered], O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may [Resurrection] live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. *Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole [Resurrection] House of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O My people, I will [Resurrection] open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves [Matthew 27:52-53], and bring you into [Heaven] the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, And shall put My spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 38-39 - Ezekiel reveals an enormous End Time event where several Gentile Nations attack the re-born Nation of Israel -- 'Ezekiel 38:1-12 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal ... Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy [Gentile] mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought [against Israel]: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest [peaceable], that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and *upon the people that are gathered out of the Nations [May 14, 1948], which have gotten cattle and goods [some wealth], that dwell in the midst of the land.' - Note: This major prophesied event appears to not yet have occurred however it is one of many End Time events and like all the great End Time events surrounding the coming of the Antichrist those events should not be looked to for guidance in the End Times but simply and faithfully look to Jesus Christ and His guaranteed return, it's the only certain way to purposefully fulfill our time until the return of Jesus.

Ezekiel 39:21-29 And I will set My glory among the heathen [Gentiles], and all the heathen shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid upon them. So the House of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward. And the heathen shall know that the House of Israel went into captivity [70 A.D.] for their iniquity: because they trespassed against Me, therefore hid I My face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid My face from them. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole House of Israel, and will be jealous for My Holy Name; After that they have borne their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid. When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many Nations; Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them anymore there. Neither will I hide My face any more from them: for I have poured out My Spirit upon the House of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. - The events in and around Israel are events [large and small] that God is using to direct and instruct both the Nation of Israel and the Gentile Nations of the world. God deals the same way with individual Christians as He does with the Nation of Israel. It is up to us Christians to learn from the mistakes of Israel as well as learning from our own mistakes and the mistakes of others just as much as we are to learn from the successes of the Nation of Israel, our successes and the successes of others in our walk and experiences with God.

What are Gog and Magog? - Historically speaking, Magog was a grandson of Noah - The descendants of Magog settled to the far north of Israel, likely in Europe and northern Asia [Russia] - The duplicated use of the names Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:8-9 is to show that these people demonstrate the same rebellion against God and antagonism toward God as those in Ezekiel [Ezekiel 38-39] - According to Ezekiel, Gog will be defeated by God Himself on the mountains of Israel - The slaughter will be so great it will take seven months to bury all of the dead (Ezekiel 39:11-12) - The battle in Ezekiel 38-39 is used by God to bring [the Nation of Israel] Israel back to Him (Ezekiel 39:21-29)

Answer: Historically speaking, Magog was a grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:2). The descendants of Magog settled to the far north of Israel, likely in Europe and northern Asia (Ezekiel 38:2). Magog seems to be used to refer to "northern barbarians" in general, but likely also has a connection to Magog the person. The people of Magog are described as skilled warriors (Ezekiel 38:15; 39:3-9). - Gog and Magog are referred to in Ezekiel 38-39 and in Revelation 20:7-8. While these two instances carry the same names, a close study of Scripture clearly demonstrates they do not refer to the same people and events. In Ezekiel's prophecy, Gog will be the leader of a great army that attacks the land of Israel. Gog is described as "of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal" (Ezekiel 38:2-3). Ezekiel's battle of Gog and Magog occurs in the tribulation period, more specifically in the first 3 1/2 years. The strongest evidence for this view is that the attack will come when Israel is at peace (Ezekiel 38:8, 11). The description from Ezekiel is that of a nation that has security and has laid down its defenses. Israel is definitely not at peace now, and it is inconceivable that the nation would lay down its defenses apart from some major event. When Israel's covenant with the Beast/Antichrist is in effect at the beginning of Daniel's 70th Week (also known as the 7-year tribulation, Daniel 9:27a), Israel will be at peace. Possibly the battle will occur just before the midpoint of the seven-year period. According to Ezekiel, Gog will be defeated by God Himself on the mountains of Israel. The slaughter will be so great it will take seven months to bury all of the dead (Ezekiel 39:11-12). - Gog and Magog are mentioned again in Revelation is found in 20:7-8. The duplicated use of the names Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:8-9 is to show that these people demonstrate the same rebellion against God and antagonism toward God as those in Ezekiel 38-39. ... The book of Revelation uses Ezekiel's prophecy about Magog to portray a final end-times attack on the nation of Israel (Revelation 20:8-9). The result of this battle is that all are destroyed, and Satan will find his final place in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10). -- It is important to recognize that the Gog and Magog of Ezekiel 38-39 is quite different from the one in Revelation 20:7-8. Below are some of the more obvious reasons why these refer to different people and battles. 1. In the battle of Ezekiel 38-39, the armies come primarily from the north and involve only a few nations of the earth (Ezekiel 38:6, 15; 39:2). The battle in Revelation 20:7-9 will involve all nations, so armies will come from all directions, not just from the north. 2. There is no mention of Satan in the context of Ezekiel 38-39. In Revelation 20:7 the context clearly places the battle at the end of the millennium with Satan as the primary character. 3. Ezekiel 39:11-12 states that the dead will be buried for seven months. There would be no need to bury the dead if the battle in Ezekiel 38-39 is the one described in Revelation 20:8-9, for immediately following Revelation 20:8-9 is the Great White Throne judgment (20:11-15) and then the current or present heaven and earth are destroyed, replaced by a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). There obviously will be a need to bury the dead if the battle takes place in the early part of the tribulation, for the land of Israel will be occupied for another 1,000 years, the length of the millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). 4. The battle in Ezekiel 38-39 is used by God to bring Israel back to Him (Ezekiel 39:21-29). In Revelation 20, Israel has been faithful to God for 1,000 years (the millennial kingdom). Those in Revelation 20:7-10 who are rebellious are destroyed without any more opportunity for repentance. ~ Recommended Resource: Understanding End Times Prophecy by Paul Benware.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Gog-Magog.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 40-43 - The Prophet Ezekiel is spiritually transported from Babylon to Jerusalem and is given a very important vision and lesson in what appears to be the Millennial Kingdom Temple the location for God the Messiah to reside at during His 1,000 year Kingdom reign over the entire earth -- 'Ezekiel 40:1-4 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city [Jerusalem] was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither. In the visions of God brought He [Holy Spirit] me *into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain [Millennial Kingdom restoration landscape], by which was as the frame of a city on the south. And He brought me thither, and, behold, there was a Man [possibly Jesus Christ or an Angel], whose appearance was like the appearance of brass [judgment], with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and He stood in the gate. And the Man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, *and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou brought hither: *declare all that thou seest to the House of Israel [those Governed by God].'

Ezekiel 41:1-7 Afterward He [possibly Jesus] brought me to the Temple [4th Temple], and measured the posts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the {new?} Tabernacle [tent]. And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the breadth, twenty cubits. Then went He inward, and measured the post of the door, two cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven cubits. So He measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and He said unto me, This is the most holy place. After He measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on every side. And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not hold in the wall of the house. And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest by the midst. - Ezekiel is given a grand tour of what appears to be a 4th Temple in Jerusalem. The dimensions are exceedingly beyond anything that would be possible today at the current physical Temple Mount location in Jerusalem. - Note: There seems to be an amalgamation and representation of several eras of God's Divine work among mankind. There is a reference to a Tabernacle and there seems to be elements of several Priesthoods with the Righteous Gentile, Levitical-Aaronic, Levitical-Aaronic-Zadok and the eternal Melchizedek Priesthood all either active or represented as remembrance, instruction and interaction to man's one relationship with God in Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel Chapter 40: Messiah's Millennium Temple - The next portion of Ezekiel, Chapters 40 to 48, is an area that is not often covered in Christian literature because it can seem confusing - The events of these chapters refer to a future time, following the tribulation period - The period of Ezekiel 40 to 48 refers to events taking place in the Millennium - The people who survive the tribulation and enter the millennium cross into it without resurrected bodies - In the gospels, Jesus explains about the role of those who are saved [Christians] and then die {or the Rapture} how they will have a role in His [Millennial] Kingdom

The next portion of Ezekiel, Chapters 40 to 48, is an area that is not often covered in Christian literature because it can seem confusing. The reason for this confusion is a lack of understanding of the time-period to which the text refers. The events of these chapters refer to a future time, following the tribulation period. The period of Ezekiel 40 to 48 refers to events taking place in the Millennium. The Millennium will be covered in more detail below; for now, let us understand the Millennium as a 1000-year period of time (Mille-thousand, Annum-Years) which follows the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. First, we need to clear up some areas of confusion people have regarding the division between Ezekiel 36-39 and Ezekiel 40 to 48. The Tribulation: The events of Ezekiel 38 and 39, the invasion of Gog from the land of Magog, takes place before the tribulation period. The tribulation period is a seven-year period also known as Daniel's 70th Week and the Time of Jacob's Trouble. According to Daniel's 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27) the beginning of the Tribulation starts when Israel makes an agreement with the world or nations to build the Temple on the site known as the Dome of the Rock. After Israel attains victory, through God's intervention between the nations, Israel builds the Temple in an attempt at obedience to the Lord. ... After the first Temple was destroyed by Babylon, Ezekiel was taken to Jerusalem in a vision to view the Millennium Temple. God is reassuring Ezekiel that the Temple will one day be restored, God is not done with the nation of Israel. Here, Ezekiel is given a glimpse of when the Glory of the Lord, the presence of God, will rule and reign from Jerusalem. ... In these verses Jesus describes the transition from the kingdoms of this world to the kingdom of God. Notice that Jesus returns in power and glory with ALL the Holy Angels and the nations are brought before the throne of the Son of Man. As a shepherd separates sheep and goats the nations will be divided. This division of people, survivors of the tribulation, is to determine who will enter the Millennium. Those on the right, the sheep, will enter into the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ, while those on the left, the goats, are the lost that will be cast into everlasting fire [note: this event (sheep and goats judgment) probably happens at the end of the Millennial reign just prior to the creation of the eternal new heaven and new earth]. ... Who enters the Millennium?: According to scripture, two groups of people will be alive during the millennium; resurrected and non-resurrected people. Non-Resurrected: The people who survive the tribulation and enter the millennium cross into it without resurrected bodies. Therefore, they will be able to get married and have children; they will also be able to repopulate the earth. This point is clear in both the Old and New Testaments. We know there will be nations in the Millennium; who will populate these nations? People born during the 1000-years will repopulate the earth after God renews it from the destruction of the tribulation. According to Jesus, most people on the earth will die during this period. ... People who are born in the Millennium still must come to salvation through faith. At the end of the Millennium, Satan is freed to test the nations, specifically those born in the Millennium. As in the past, those who are saved will reject Satan, those who are lost will follow Satan and listen to his lies; they will rebel against God who will judge them. These nations will include the descendants of the Gog and Magog alliance. Satan lies will test the nations who will have lived in peace and prosperity during the reign of Christ on the Earth. ... Old Testament Saints: In the Old Testament both Job and Daniel look forward to the Resurrection. Job proclaims he will see God in his flesh, with his own eyes, after his body is destroyed. Daniel is told he will awake from the dust of the earth to his inheritance at the end of days. ... The Church Age Saints: In the gospels, Jesus explains about the role of those who are saved [Christians] and then die; how they will have a role in His Kingdom. He specifically describes the role of the disciples [Jewish Apostles] during this period, how they will rule over [alongside] the 12-tribes of Israel in the resurrection. His promise is by extension to all those [Jewish believers] who follow Him [Note: The Jewish Apostles of Jesus' day and modern Jews who receive Salvation will still have interaction and authority in and among Judaism but Gentile converts to Christianity have no such place in and among Judaism].

http://www.truthnet.org/Ezekiel/11/Ezekiel-40-Messiah-Millennium-Temple.htm Ezekiel's Temple - The Millennial Temple [4th Temple] - The sixth major dwelling place of the Lord in His story will be the Temple described in detail to the prophet Ezekiel which will serve God's purpose in discipline the Nations for 1,000 years during the promised Reign of Peace on the earth - {During the coming Millennial (1,000) year reign of Jesus Christ here on the earth centered in Jerusalem in the 4th Temple there will still be unbelieving people being born and living throughout the earth in that future time. The people who do not have the belief and with it the blood covering of Jesus will apparently need the blood covering of the animals much as it was during the times of Cain, Abel, Job and the other Righteous Gentiles who made animal [blood atonement] sacrifice offerings to God. Sinful humans [human blood] will not be allowed to live during the Kingdom reign without the presence of another life giving blood either animal blood each year or the eternal blood of Jesus. - Note: the Temple ordinances of Ezekiel's Temple appear to be more of a return to the sacrifices of the Righteous Gentiles than a continuation of the Levitical Law. In short the Millennial reign seems to be the Melchizedek Priesthood for believers, including Levitical Priests who have been received into the Melchizedek Priesthood and an animal blood atonement Ministry to cover the sins of the non-believers among the world while they have the opportunity to individually come to an eternal faith in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.}

Are animal sacrifices in a future temple blasphemous towards the finished work of Jesus? One truth about the 1,000 year reign of Messiah that is often hard for believers today to understand is that there will be animal sacrifices in this coming Millennial Temple. As we will see, Ezekiel is quite clear about this. If you believe that the book of Ezekiel is inspired prophecy from God, then there is no alternative but to understand that what Ezekiel saw over 2,000 years ago will come to pass in a literal sense. This is NOT blasphemous to the finished work of Jesus' blood on the cross, but rather it is a reminder of His ultimate sacrifice for all of humanity. Since 1998 when I first published this Millennial Temple information on the internet, I have received more questions on this one issue of animal sacrifice than anything else. Therefore, I want to take some time to establish the truth of this matter of sacrifice and atonement. The bottom line fact is that Jesus (Yahoshua) is the ONLY sacrifice that can take away our sins and give us eternal life. Hebrews 10:4 is clear that "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." The 11th verse in this same chapter declares that animal sacrifices "can never take away sins." So, the blood of bulls and goats have NEVER taken away sins for anyone past present or future! There is a wrong concept in many people's minds that animal sacrifices, during the Old Covenant before Jesus came, took away peoples sins - but this is not true. The saints who lived before Messiah came were saved by FAITH (Rom. 4:3) just like us today. The animal sacrifices were a "shadow of good things to come" pointing forward to the blood of Messiah Yahoshua (Jesus). It has always really been about Jesus, and not animal sacrifices. Likewise, in the coming Millennial Temple the animal sacrifices will point backward to the Blood of Jesus, which is our only atonement for sin. God told the Old Covenant believers to sacrifice animals to give them a point of reference in which to base their FAITH since the Messiah had not yet come. Hebrews chapters 7-10 explains how the Old Covenant sacrifices were copies and replicas of what Jesus did for us on the cross. After explaining the meaning of the blood sacrifices in chapters 7-10, Paul explains in Hebrews chapters 11-12, that it is by FAITH we please God and appropriate His promises for us, and not by the works He commands us to do. The works that we do out of obedience are merely expressions of the faith, which is in our hearts. During the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, the animal sacrifices will be object lessons that look BACK in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us, similar to the way that the Old Testament sacrifices looked FORWARD to what He would do. These sacrifices in no way take away our sins. Only faith in the finished work of the shed blood of Jesus can take away sins. Everything done in this temple points us to Jesus, because all things can be summed up in Jesus "in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9). Now that we have established that animal sacrifices are not blasphemous to the finished work of Jesus; let's take a look at all of the incredible details that were shown to Ezekiel regarding the order of services for this millennial temple which to date has not yet been built.

http://www.sonstoglory.com/ThirdTempleEzekielsMillennialTemple.htm#PhotosofEzekielsTemple The Millennial Temple of Ezekiel - Objections to a Literal Interpretation of Ezekiel Chapters 40-48 - "The area of the temple courts (500 x 500 "reeds," or about one square mile) would be larger than the entire ancient walled city of Jerusalem, and the holy portion for priests and Levites (20,000 x 25,000 reeds, or about 40 x 50 miles) would cover an area six times the size of greater London today and could not possibly be placed within present-day Palestine, that is between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea (Ezek. 47:18) - {Note: In order to accommodate the Temple of Ezekiel's vision the land of Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple Mount all need to undergo drastic revisions. At the least the current Temple Mount needs to be elevated significantly and expanded dramatically. All of these earthen modifications to the land of Israel are considered to be 'restoration' events that probably occur during the upheaval of the Great Tribulation period.}

Objections to a Literal Interpretation of Ezekiel 40-48: 1. "The area of the temple courts (500 x 500 "reeds," or about one square mile) would be larger than the entire ancient walled city of Jerusalem, and the holy portion for priests and Levites (20,000 x 25,000 reeds, or about 40 x 50 miles) would cover an area six times the size of greater London today and could not possibly be placed within present-day Palestine, that is between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea (Ezek. 47:18), to say nothing of the "portion of the prince" on either side of this area (45:7, 47:21). The Millennial Jerusalem would be about 40 miles in circumference and thus ten times the circumference of the ancient city. Furthermore, it would be somewhat north of the present site of the city, and the Temple area would be about ten miles north of that, on the way to Samaria! This is quite unthinkable, for such a city would not be the Jerusalem of Jewish memories and associations, and a Temple in any other locality than Mount Moriah would hardly be the Temple of Jewish hope" (J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, IV, 32). -- Answer: Israel will have the only sanctuary and priesthood in the world during the millennial age, so the Temple courts and sacred area will need to be greatly enlarged to accommodate the vast number of worshippers and the priests who will serve them (Isa. 2:3, 60:14, 61:6, Zech. 8:20-23). Various Old Testament prophecies speak of great geological changes that will occur in Palestine at the time of Christ's Second Coming, so it is not impossible to imagine a 2,500 square mile area for the Temple and city fitted into a reshaped and enlarged land. See Isaiah 26:15, 33:17, 54:2, and especially Zechariah 14:4-10. The latter passage tells us of new valleys and rivers, and a flattening of portions of land "like the Arabah" which then "shall be lifted up." Presumably the entire Dead Sea region will be lifted more than 1,300 feet, above the present sea level, for it will contain fish "after their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many" (Ezek. 47:10). Revelation 16:20 informs us that at the end of the Great Tribulation gigantic earthquakes will cause islands and mountains to vanish. Thus, both testaments speak of topographical and geographical changes that will accompany the inauguration of the millennial kingdom. Jerusalem itself will be the capital of the world, the beloved city (Rev. 20:9), and its size will surely be proportionate to its importance. If Nineveh, the capital of one ancient empire, was sixty miles in circumference (Jonah 3:3; cf. Baxter's discussion, IV, 170), why would it be impossible for the millennial Jerusalem to be forty? -- With regard to the problem of the Millennial Temple being located about ten miles north of Jerusalem, God specifically indicates to Ezekiel that the Temple area will no longer adjoin the royal palace as in the days of old (43:7-9). The point is clearly stated in 43:12 -- "This is the law of the house: upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house." Vast topographical changes will not make Palestine less the Promised Land for Israel, nor will a centralized, enlarged Temple ten miles removed from the city be a disappointment to Israelites who have been accustomed to thinking of it in terms of Mount Moriah. The important thing is that the glory of Jehovah will fill the Temple (43:5), and the city will be renamed on the basis that "Jehovah is there" (48:35).

http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/proph/templemi.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 44-45 - The vision and instructions continue for Ezekiel on our behalf -- 'Ezekiel 44:1-3 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the East; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the Prince [Messiah]; the Prince, He shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; He [Jesus] shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.'

Ezekiel 44:1-16 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. Then brought He me the way of the North Gate before the House [Temple]: and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the House of the LORD: and I fell upon my face. *And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the House, with every going forth of the sanctuary. And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the House of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye House of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, In that ye have brought into My sanctuary strangers, *uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to pollute it, even My House, when ye offer My bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken My Covenant because of all your abominations. And ye have not kept the charge [responsibilities] of Mine Holy things: but ye have set keepers [substitutes, replacements] of My charge in My sanctuary for yourselves. Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. And the Levites that are gone away far from Me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from Me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having charge at the Gates of the House, and ministering to the House: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the House of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their iniquity. And they shall not come near unto Me, to do the office of a [Melchizedek] Priest unto Me, nor to come near to any of My Holy [Melchizedek] things, in the most Holy Place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. But I will make them keepers of the charge of the House, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein. But the Priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to Minister unto Me, and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: They shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to Minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge. - The Prophet Ezekiel is clearly given a vision and instruction of future events but events that are composed in part on the past actions and accountabilities of the children of God from the time before the Millennial Kingdom and Temple reign of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Ezekiel 46-48 - The Prophet Ezekiel concludes his Vision of the 4th Temple and concludes his Scroll and his Ministry to the House of Israel -- 'Ezekiel 47:1-9 Afterward He [Jesus] brought me again unto the door of the House; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the House eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar [Revelation 22:1]. Then brought He me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. ... Then said He unto me, These waters issue out toward the East country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish [life], because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh.' - Note: In many ways the New Testament counterpart to the Prophet Ezekiel is the Apostle Peter. Ezekiel in receiving the Vision of the New Millennium Kingdom of the Messiah and Peter in receiving the keys to the Kingdom of God [including the Millennial Kingdom] both men helped to transform man's personal relationship with God into a New Era of intimacy between a sinful, fragile humanity and God in Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 48:31-35 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the Name of the city from that day shall be, *The LORD is there. - God in close fellowship with His creation and with His people as it has always been intended to be since the beginning of Genesis and as it will become after the End Time events of Revelation.

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THE BOOK OF

===== DANIEL ===== Introduction: The Book of Daniel - The Prophet Daniel [from the Tribe of Judah] is the Old Testament counterpart to the New Testament "beloved" Disciple John - The prophet Daniel is the only person in the Old Testament to be directly called "beloved" Daniel is called "greatly beloved" three times - At a young age Daniel was removed from his native Israel and taken captive to the distant Nation of Babylon (Iraq) - Daniel will perform his entire ministry in captivity outside of Israel - The Prophet Daniel will interpret dreams and have visions and dreams that are the most sweeping, global and broad based of any Prophet in the Bible - Daniel will mainly prophesy in three areas 1. Regarding Nations [and their fallen angelic guides] the 5 remaining Gentile world Nation Kingdoms [4 empires and the final emergent Antichrist kingdom] - The coming 1,000 year Messiah Kingdom - 2. The reestablishment of Nation of Israel [the Archangel Michael] as an angelic assistant for the Nation of Israel and the rebuilding of the 2nd Jewish Temple in Jerusalem - 3. The bringing in of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, into the world and among mankind the entry of the Messiah assisted and foretold [in the ministry of the Archangel Gabriel] - *Daniel's "70 Weeks" prophecy is perhaps the most famous prophecy in the Old Testament

Daniel 9:23-24 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. *Seventy weeks [Jewish decades - 7 years each] are determined upon thy people [Jews] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins [cross], and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness [resurrection], and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and (for the Nation of Israel in Jerusalem) to *anoint [at the 2nd Coming] the most Holy [Jesus Christ - starting the 1,000 Millennial Reign]. - John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples [the Disciple John], whom Jesus loved. -- Both the Prophet Daniel and the Disciple John are referenced as 'beloved' of God. Daniel will have and write all of his prophecies outside of Israel. The Disciple John like Daniel will be sent away captive, the Disciple John being imprisoned on the Island of Patmos when he has his end time Revelation of Jesus Christ [Daniel 10:7-11 - Revelation 1:13-15]. Daniel was miraculously saved from the den of lions, Church tradition has the Disciple John miraculously saved from Roman martyrdom [immersed in boiling oil]. The Prophet Daniel will prophecy the rebuilding of the 2nd Temple (Sanctuary) in Jerusalem [Daniel 9:26]. The Disciple John will prophecy the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple (used by the Antichrist) in Jerusalem [Revelation 11:1-2].

http://basicchristian.org/blog_biblestudy.html The Amber May Show - Daniel part 1 of 6 (Mp3s)

(Part 3) What would you do if you were threaten to be put to death because of your faith? Would you deny your beliefs in order to live? Would you stand firm to your faith? In this episode we look at just that. Three young men are threaten to be put to death because of their faith. Listen to what happens to them. - (Part 4) God tries to reach out to people every day. He says I stand at the door and knock if any one hears my voice and lets me in, I will come in and dine with him and he with me. God was after the King. The King kept ignoring him until an event that happened in the King's life. An event so big that it changed the King from thereafter. - (Part 5) What do you think would happen to you, if you were a King and defiled the things of God? Would there be pledges? Would you continue to be King? Would everything be alright and keep going like normal. Check out this program and see what happens to the King and to Daniel. - (Part 6) This is the final episode of Daniel. But we end it with one of the best stories from Daniel. How would you feel if people at work were so jealous of you that they wanted to kill you, the legal way? Listen to what happens to Daniel and his "co-workers".

http://theambermayshow.podbean.com/2009/08/28/the-amber-may-show-daniel-1/ Commentary on the First Chapter of Daniel - That Nebuchadnezzar took Jewish captives in [605 B.C.] before he returned to Babylon for his coronation is confirmed by Berosus, a Babylonian priest who died about 250 BC - In his history of Babylon, quoted by Josephus, Berosus says, Being informed ere long of his father's death, Nebuchadnezzar settled the affairs of Egypt and the other countries - The prisoners -- Jews [including Daniel and his three friends], Phoenicians, Syrians, and those of Egyptian nationality -- were consigned to some of his friends, with orders to conduct them to Babylonia, along with the heavy troops and the rest of the spoils; while he himself, with a small escort, pushed across the desert to Babylon [Iraq] - (Chart)

The critics allege that the opening statement of the Book of Daniel-that Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem in Jehoiakim's third year-is pure fiction. The date is much too early, they say. The precise span of Jehoiakim's third year is uncertain, but the end of it could not have fallen later than October 605 BC. The critics insist that although Nebuchadnezzar may have exacted tribute from Judah as early as 604, the first actual Babylonian siege of Jerusalem did not occur until 597. - Yet the account in Daniel 1 is consistent with other ancient sources. The most important of these is the Babylonian Chronicle, a contemporary listing of important events during the reigns of the Babylonian kings. The Chronicle reports that in the early summer of 605 BC, the Babylonians and Egyptians fought a major battle at Carchemish [located on the border between Turkey and Syria], a city in northern Syria. The Babylonians, under the leadership of their crown prince, Nebuchadnezzar, crushed the Egyptians and pursued fleeing enemy soldiers all the way to Hamath, far to the southwest. Not one Egyptian survived to return home. The Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 46:2) and other sources indicate that Pharaoh Necho was himself present at the battle. If he was, he was undoubtedly among the casualties. The Chronicle continues with the claim that Nebuchadnezzar then "conquered all of Ha[ma]th". That is, he moved immediately to assert control over all the kingdoms nearby that had previously been friendly with Egypt. It is inconceivable that he did not press his advantage after he had so thoroughly routed Egyptian forces and deprived Egypt of a leader. Josephus reports that at this time, Nebuchadnezzar "occupied all Syria, with the exception of Judaea, as far as Pelusium [on the Egyptian border]". Immediately afterward, his father died, and he hurried back to Babylon to take control of the kingdom. - The Book of Daniel agrees that Nebuchadnezzar did not occupy Judah in 605. It says only that he approached Jerusalem and threatened war. The expression "besieged" (Daniel 1:1) can refer merely to action preliminary to a siege. Jehoiakim was able to appease the aggressor by giving him hostages and treasure. That Nebuchadnezzar took Jewish captives before he returned to Babylon for his coronation is confirmed by Berosus, a Babylonian priest who died about 250 BC. In his history of Babylon, quoted by Josephus, Berosus says, Being informed ere long of his father's death, Nebuchadnezzar settled the affairs of Egypt and the other countries. The prisoners-Jews, Phoenicians, Syrians, and those of Egyptian nationality-were consigned to some of his friends, with orders to conduct them to Babylonia, along with the heavy troops and the rest of the spoils; while he himself, with a small escort, pushed across the desert to Babylon. - Spoils and Captives: The following chart gives an overview of the events connected with the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The Babylonians came against Judah not just in 605, but repeatedly, and took captives at four different times: in 597, 586, and 581 (or 580) as well as in 605. Altogether, about 15,000 men, women, and children made the arduous thousand-mile trek from Judah to Babylon. After their successful assault upon Jerusalem in 605 BC, the Babylonians removed some of the vessels in the [Temple] House of God (verse 2). They took also a group of young men meeting five requirements (verses 3-4). The young men were related to the royal family [Tribe of Judah]. They were "children," meaning that they were in their early teens or younger. They had "no blemish" and were "well favoured." In other words, they were good looking. This requirement was not unusual. In every ancient Middle Eastern court, it was customary to let only good-looking people serve as the king's attendants. The young men were "skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science." Not only were they well educated, but also they were intelligent enough to use and apply what they had learned. They were able "to stand in the king's palace." That is, they were a gracious addition to the court. Having tact, self-confidence, and the other traits of a winning personality, they were highly presentable even to a king.

http://www.themoorings.org/prophecy/Daniel1/less1.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 1 - A young Daniel is taken as a hostage and deported from his native land of Israel to the distant, strange and powerful Nation of Babylon (Iraq) - Daniel would never again return to his native Israel - Like Joseph before him Daniel would also never give up any of his Jewish heritage in exchange for any Gentile preferential treatment -- 'Daniel 1:1-8 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. *Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave [Babylonian] names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego. *But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile [un-kosher] himself with the portion of the [Babylonian] king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.'

Daniel 1:17-21 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Now at the end of the [instructional, orientation, training] days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten [testing, trials, tribulations, endurance] times better than all the [Babylonian] magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus [king of Iran]. - Daniel like Joseph before him was able to remain loyal to God in a distant and strange land and just as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had given Joseph favor in Egypt God gave Daniel in his day favor in the land of Babylon.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 2 - Daniel through the Holy Spirit is able to interpret the Five Kingdom, End Time Dream of king Nebuchadnezzar -- 'Daniel 2:1-2 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.' - 'Daniel 2:10 The Chaldeans answered before theking, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician,or astrologer, or Chaldean.' - 'Daniel 2:16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

'Daniel 2:27-28 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar *what shall be in the latter days [End Times]. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these ...' - 'Daniel 2:31-37 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold [Babylon, 3rd Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], his breast and his arms of silver [Iran, 4th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], his belly and his thighs of brass [Greece, 5th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], His legs of iron [Rome, 6th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], his feet part of iron and part of clay [Revised Roman Empire - Antichrist Arises, 7th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10]. Thou sawest till that *a [Divine] stone [Jesus Christ] was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [7th kingdom is in power] that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: *and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain [Government], and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou [Nebuchadnezzar], O king, art a [powerful] king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. ...' - 'Daniel 2:40-46 And the fourth kingdom [Rome] shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces [physically destroys] and subdueth [puts in slavery] all things: and as iron that breaketh all these [human willpower], shall it break in pieces and bruise [continual suffering]. And whereas thou sawest [*Revised Roman Empire] the feet and toes, part of potters' clay [human element], and part of iron [demonic eliment] (1 Timothy 4:2), the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the [demonic] iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron [now] mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron [demonic beings] mixed with miry clay [human beings], they shall [demonic - fallen angels] mingle [666 Mark of the Beast (Antichrist)] themselves with the seed [human spirit, soul] of men: but they shall not cleave [be combined] one to another, even as iron [demonic] is not [compatible] mixed with clay [humans]. *And in the days of these kings shall *the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom [of Jesus Christ], which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to [outsiders] other people, but it [Kingdom of Jesus Christ] shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, *and it shall stand [eternally] forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king [Nebuchadnezzar] what shall come to pass hereafter: *and the dream is certain, *and the interpretation [given by Daniel] thereof sure.' - Note: Daniel interprets king Nebuchadnezzar's disturbing dream for him and king Nebuchadnezzar is content with the interpretation given by Daniel. The Revised Roman Empire "feet of iron mixed with clay" events depicted are seemingly in the processes of occurring today, the times of the other kingdoms depicted having already passed. With the events of the final kingdom the Revised Roman [European] Empire still predominantly in the future we unlike the Prophet Daniel are just making predictions from the Bible of what seems to be accurate End Time events unfolding in our day before our very eyes.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 3 - Nebuchadnezzar still mesmerized by his dream makes his own statue all of gold, all of his kingdom - The image (statue) of gold is 60 cubits high by 6 cubits wide depicting that this is a forerunner to the actual "image of the beast" Antichrist image [Revelation 13:14-18] that is yet to come and is also to be worshiped and those who also refuse to worship the Antichrist image will also be put to death -- 'Daniel 3:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore [60] cubits, and the breadth thereof six [6] cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together [government] the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.'

'Daniel 3:4-28 Then an herald [society, culture] cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick [music], ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth *shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace [beheaded in Revelation 20:4]. Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick [music], *all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live forever. Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick [music], shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick [music], ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, *answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, *we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, *be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven [complete heat] times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments [clothing], and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed- nego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, *Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said,*Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; *and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God [Jesus Christ]. Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, *ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither [the ropes had burned away]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, *nor the smell of fire had passed on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent His Angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.' - Notice how all levels and branches of government, the popular culture [society] and the music of the day all combine into the one entity encouraging and literally enforcing the global human worship of the false image. Then for those who do not follow the system imposed by the government, culture and the music it is decreed to be a death sentence carried out instantly.

What is the Mark of the Beast 666 - Image of the Beast - There are at least three aspects to the Mark of the Beast as explained in the book of Revelation

There are at least three aspects to the Mark of the Beast as explained in the book of Revelation. It is an actual mark or marking and it is also an Image (Icon) a representation of the Antichrist (Satan) himself and it is represented in his personal name of, emptiness, which is referenced by the number 666.

http://www.basicchristian.org/mark_beast_666.html Rock and Roll Sorcerers of the New Age [Music] Revolution - The one that started it all with Pastor Joe Schimmel - the original 1992 video expose - A four-hour live seminar given at Hermosa Beach California - Because of the live format - this DVD remains a favorite (DVD)

This video seminar is the most comprehensive music documentary exposing the Satanic influence behind yesterday and today's secular music. It contains irrefutable evidence that demonic beings are leading the world to destruction in fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Don't miss out on the opportunity to own your own copy of this eye opening exposé which is sure to convince even the hardest of skeptics!

http://www.goodfight.org/store/resources_main_video.html LostSeed - Compilations: Reverend Roberts - Who is that Fourth Man - Fourthman.mp3 (Mp3)

Speaker: Reverend Roberts. Older man speaking with techno music.

http://www.lostseed.com/audio.php CNN: Danger and the 'Third Man' - Near death, aided by ghostly companion - Aviator Charles Lindbergh said the 'Third Man' {in his case a Satanic-demonic} presence helped him survive his famed transatlantic flight - John Geiger has sifted through the survival stories of people like Sevigny for six years - Adventurers, sailors, prisoners of war and pilots, they all tell strikingly similar stories of being saved [sometimes only physically but often also Spiritually (Christianity)] from death by a mysterious presence, he says - In the book "The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible" Geiger attempts to solve the mystery of that presence - "The debate around the book is not 'are people actually encountering an unseen being' but rather, 'what is it?'" {'what is it? It [i.e. unseen spiritual cognizant "aware beings"] probably belonging to one of three categories: either deceiving spirits who are momentarily being helpful only to engender a lifetime of deception, or holy spirit (angelic beings) who are legitimately seeking to be helpful on behalf of God, or the very real possibility of God Himself interacting with His creation.}

Who is the Third Man? John Geiger has sifted through the survival stories of people like Sevigny for six years. Adventurers, sailors, prisoners of war and pilots, they all tell strikingly similar stories of being saved from death by a mysterious presence, he says. In the book "The Third Man Factor: Surviving the Impossible," Geiger attempts to solve the mystery of that presence. - Most of the people who've encountered the Third Man aren't mystics, says Geiger, a senior fellow at the University of Toronto and governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. They include a NASA astronaut, aviator Charles Lindbergh, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton he coined the "Third Man" term {1st man physical strength, 2nd man inner soul strength, 3rd man external 'ghost' being} and atheists. Third Man encounters aren't restricted to exotic locales, either, Geiger says: He experienced a Third Man-like encounter in the study of his home while writing his book. "When I give talks about the book, there are always a few people who will come up afterward to say they have similar stories," Geiger said. "The debate around the book is not 'are people actually encountering an unseen being' but rather, 'what is it?'" ... After the avalanche, Sevigny says, he was passed out for about an hour in the snow before he came to. The crumpled body of a climbing companion was nearby. The fall had killed him. "Blood was everywhere," he said. "We had fallen 2,000 feet." When he first heard the voice, Sevigny says, it reminded him of a woman {Mystery Babylon}. It was warm and nurturing, and it gave practical advice: "You have to get your jacket on. You have to get water." It even told him to arrange the blood dripping from his body in the shape of arrows, pointing to the way he was walking in case rescuers came up on his trial. "I didn't question it," Sevigny said. "I didn't think about it. I did exactly what the voice said." The presence led him through a valley to Sevigny's campsite. It constantly encouraged him when he felt like giving up. When he arrived at the campsite, Sevigny saw three people skiing nearby and called for help. At that moment, the presence left him, he says. ... Sevigny spent months in the hospital. Today, he's an environmental consultant in Canada and a father. For about two years afterward, he couldn't talk about what happened. "It made me cry," he said. "It was so powerful. I just couldn't tell many people." As he talked about his experiences, his 1-year-old son, Tuzo, started crying in the background after falling. "He's like his father," Sevigny said with a chuckle. "He climbs, and then he falls." Sevigny says the experience didn't make him religious. He sees himself as a scientist and has little use for organized religion ("Organized religion and organized crime share a number of parallels"). "I don't give it great thought," he said. "I'm not a spiritual person. I don't say it was God or a guardian angel {why couldn't it be a fallen angel or a demon?}. I have a Ph.D. in chemistry." What he will say is that mysterious presence was the only reason he got off that mountain alive. "If it wasn't for the Third Man, I would be dead," he said. "There's no way that I would have the strength to get up and walk across that valley and do the things I did to survive." {Note: Is CNN knowingly promoting, Mystery Babylon and 'heralding' the false worship of the coming Mark of the Beast?}

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/11/08/third.man/index.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 4 - After building an image of gold and demanding universal worship for it Nebuchadnezzar is given a second dream from God - This dream reveals that if Nebuchadnezzar boasts in his pride again that he will be humbled by God -- 'Daniel 4:5-6 4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.'

Daniel 4:28-37 All this [from the dream] came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. *The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? *While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times [seven seasons, fall, winter, summer, spring, etc. (or more accurately summer - winter - summer - winter) - 3 ½ years] shall pass over thee, *until thou know that the Most High [God] ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven [insane] from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured Him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting [eternal] dominion, and His Kingdom is from generation to generation: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the Army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou? *At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of Heaven [Jesus Christ], all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment: and those that walk in pride He is able to abase. - Note: Daniel chapter 4 makes reference to "the watchers" the holy ones from heaven. The "watchers" are considered to be a class of angels that intently watch all of the actions of all of mankind and then report on the actions [both good and bad] directly to God. God is of course completely Knowledgeable about everything that occurs within all of existence but God also has a plan and a participation for the angels of heaven and a big part of their participation is to "watch" over the affairs, actions and even the comments of all of mankind.

Wikipedia.org: Watcher (Angel) - In the Book of Daniel an Aramaic term used to denote angels is "watchers" - The term "watcher" probably derives from the verb "to be awake" or "to be vigilant" so that the implication of calling the angels "watchers" is that they are constantly on watch as sentinels for Yahweh [God] {Note: This portion of the Book of Daniel is regarding the Gentile king Nebuchadnezzar and specifically his dreams and actions and it also records some of his written and spoken decrees enacted from his viewpoint. Daniel's text in this area is then written in Aramaic [ancient Canaanite] a corresponding Gentile language that king Nebuchadnezzar and his administers could read and understand and that would verify the Gentile viewpoints and Gentile origins of the few passages in the Bible.}

Other References to the Watchers: The Book of Jubilees adds further details about the "watchers". In the Book of Daniel an Aramaic term used to denote angels is "watchers". The term "watcher" probably derives from the verb "to be awake" or "to be vigilant," so that the implication of calling the angels "watchers" is that they are constantly on watch as sentinels for Yahweh. Angels were fairly popular in Jewish folklore, which often describes them as looking like large human beings that never sleep and remain forever silent. While there are good and bad "watchers", most stories revolve around the evil ones that fell from grace when they took "the daughters of man" as their mates. In the Old Testament (Daniel 4:13-17) there is reference made to the Irin, or "watchers", which appear to be an order of angels. In early Hebrew lore the Irin were a high order of angels that sat on the supreme Judgment Council of the Heavenly Court. Richard Cavendish, in his book The Powers of Evil, suggests that the Giants mentioned in Genesis 6:4 were the Giants or Titans of Greek Mythology. He also lists the "watchers" as the fallen angels which magicians call forth in ceremonial magic. Cavendish mentions that the "watchers" were so named because they were stars, the "eyes of night." 16th Century French theologian Sinistrari referred to the Watchers as beings existing between Humans and Angels. He called them demons and associated them with the Elemental natures of Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Clement of Alexandria, influenced by Hellenistic cosmology, attributed the movement of the Stars and the control of the four elements to angelic beings. Sinistrari attributed bodies of fire, air, earth, and water to these Beings, and concluded that the "watchers" were made of fire and air. Cardinal Newman, writing in the mid-1800s, proposed that certain angels existed who were neither totally good nor evil, and had only "partially fallen" from the Heavens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watcher_(angel) ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 5 - By the fall of Babylon 70 years later Nebuchadnezzar's son Nabonidus had made his son Belshazzar a co-ruler with himself [Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, who after ruling only three years, went to the oasis of Tayma and devoted himself to the worship of the moon god, Sin. He made Belshazzar co-regent in 553 B.C., leaving him in charge of Babylon's defense. - wiki.com] -- 'Daniel 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.' [Josephus makes Darius the son of Astyages, and uncle of Cyrus - wiki.com]

Daniel 5:1-31 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. ... Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. ... And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written [in Aramaic], MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians [Iran]. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler [3rd after Nabonidus and his son Belshazzar] in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. [Although usually left untranslated in English translations of Daniel, these words are known Aramaic names of measures of currency: MENE, a mina, TEKEL, a spelling of shekel, PERES, half a mina. - wiki.com] - God is able to set up and takedown each kingdom of mankind at any moment according to His choosing. Note: The Three (Trinity) Handwritings of God: The finger of God writing His 10 Commandments into stone tablets. 'Exodus 31:18 And He [God] gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God' - The finger of God writing the judgment decree of unrepentant men in the hardened plaster of a wall. 'Daniel 5:4-5 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister [plaster] of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.' - The finger of God writing the sins of repentant men in the dust of the earth. 'John 8:6 This they said, tempting Him [Jesus], that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not.'

ThreshingFloor-Radio.com: The Threshing Floor Radio Show November 6, 2009 - Mystery #3: "the Prophet's Reward" The TRUE Purpose of Prophecy by Randy Maugans (Mp3)

"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." Matthew 10:41. -- Another part of the "mystery" - and a realignment of the prophetic. Strong doctrine here as we break through from all the religious mindsets and get REAL about the purpose and operation of the prophetic gifting. The Lord is calling HIS people to rise as a voice of hope and reconciliation to the world now caught in the grips of the DESTROYER-APPOLYON - the author of confusion and corruption, who want to keep you ignorant of your "prophet's reward."

http://threshingfloor-radio.com/index.php/2009/11/the-prophets-reward/ TheBereanChronicles.com: 11/05/2009 - Kelly McGinley Standing for the Truth of God's Word - Exposing the Blasphemies on Dr. Stan Monteith's show [Radio Liberty] with Craig Winn {Craig Winn - New Age devotee, Anti-Christian religious synthesiser.} (Mp3)

Standing for the Truth of God's Word - Exposing the Blasphemies on Monteith's show w/Craig Winn. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3. Kelly answers Cumbey's [Constance Cumbey] defense of Monteith. Daily Scripture Reading: Rev 20.

http://audio.thebereanchroniclesaudio.com/podcasts09.html FutureQuake.com: 10-14 Aug 09 Evangelical Christianity "On The Couch" - 'A Spiritual and Mental Health Assessment' of American Christianity (Mp3)

Guest: Mark Breton, Author, Freelance Writer, "The Nashville Scene", Founder of The Relational Discipleship & Worldview Studies Institute.

http://futurequake.com/FQ_PastShows.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 6 - Even in the new Kingdom of Persia (Iran) Daniel continues to be in placed in one of the highest positions of trust, power and authority -- 'Daniel 6:1-3 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.'

Daniel 6:16-28 Then the king [unable to change Persian law] commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee. And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live forever. My God hath sent His Angel [Jesus Christ], and hath shut the lions mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the living God, and stedfast forever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and *He worketh signs and wonders in Heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. - Daniel as a type of Jesus Christ, reigning continually over multiple kingdoms, he is placed in a sealed tomb and [resurrects] - comes out alive from a death that was certain.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 7 - The Prophet Daniel has a Vision parallel to Nebuchadnezzar's 5 Empire Dream (Daniel 2:1) - However where Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue from his perspective made consisting mostly of valuable and strong metals, Daniel sees God's perspective and the same 5 empires are represented to Daniel as a series of wild beasts - Daniel also records his vision of the 5 Empire [four beasts and Antichrist] events in Aramaic - Chapter 7 completes the Aramaic language portion of Daniel[Daniel 2:4-7:28] then the remainder of the Book of Daniel continues and concludes in the original Hebrew language -- 'Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar [Grandson of Nebuchadnezzar] king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.' - 'Daniel 7:12-14 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him [Son] near before Him [Father]. And there was given Him dominion, and glory, *and a Kingdom, that all people, Nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is {resurrection} an [eternal] everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His [resurrection] Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.'

Daniel 7:15-28 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them [Angels] that stood by [the Throne of God - Ancient of Days], and asked him [Angel] the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four [four left after the two already passed kingdoms of Nimrod and Egypt], are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the Kingdom, and possess [inherit] the Kingdom forever, even forever and ever. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast [Rome], *which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue [lit. left down behind - those not yet in Heaven] with his feet; And of the ten horns [ten super-state global regions] that were in his head, and of the other [Antichrist] which came up, and before whom three [regions] fell; even of that [Antichrist] horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. *I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them [Revelation 13:7]; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the Kingdom. Thus he [Angel] said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom [Rome] upon earth, which shall be *diverse {more spiritual than physical} from all kingdoms, *and shall devour [control] the whole earth {this is the only human kingdom ever referenced in the Bible to have an entire earth, global encompassing Government - all of the other kingdoms were strictly Middle-East in dominion}, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns [10 regions] out of this kingdom [Revised Roman Empire - the ten horns = the 10 toes of iron and clay from the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's earlier dream] are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he [Antichrist] shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great [blasphemous] words against the Most High, *and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times [new era to replace B.C.-A.D.] *and laws: and they [Saints, Martyred Saints of Revelation] shall be given into his [Antichrist] hand until a time [1] and times [2] and the dividing of time [½] {for a total of 3½ years}. But the judgment shall sit, and they [Ancient of Days, Son Jesus] shall take away his [Antichrist] dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of the Most High, whose Kingdom is an [eternal] everlasting Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations [End Time thoughts] much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.- Daniel sees a vision of the four remaining World Kingdoms. His main concern and fascination is with the unique fourth kingdom of Rome. The fourth kingdom is unique, possibly in its use of deception, treachery and in its willing allegiance to known demonic entities where the kingdoms before were merely deceived the fourth kingdom [and particularly the revised Antichrist kingdom] seeks out demonic influences in an attempt to further an evil empire's intent on complete enslavement of the human body, mind, spirit and soul. Even though the Prophet Daniel saw both the final Victory and the terror of the End Times the Prophet was still completely shaken and visibly changed by the momentous End Time circumstances he witnessed.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 8 - Two years after the previous vision Daniel has another vision of similar content this time with a Ram [Persia - 4th Kingdom] and a Goat [Greece - 5th Kingdom] -- 'Daniel 8:1-2 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan [modern, Shush in Iran] in the Palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.'

Daniel 8:20-27 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia [Iran]. And the rough goat is the king [Alexander the Great] of Grecia [Greece]: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms [Ptolemaic, Seleucid, Pergamon, Macedon] shall stand up out of the nation, but not [descendants] in his [Alexander the Great] power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance [Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Greek Nero, type of Antichrist, a Greek king over Jerusalem 175 BC until his death in 164 BC], and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy [Jewish] people. And through his policy also he shall cause [occult, witch] craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [deceit] shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes [God]; but he shall be broken without hand [Antiochus died suddenly of disease in 164 BC - wiki.com]. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. -- [Alexander the Great - Born 20 or 21 July 356 BC, Birthplace Pella, Macedon [Macedonia, Greece] - Died 10 or 11 June 323 BC (aged 32), Place of death Babylon -- Alexander had no obvious or legitimate heir, his son Alexander IV by Roxane being born after Alexander's death. This left the huge question mark as to who would rule the newly conquered, and barely pacified Empire. ... the Hellenistic [Greek] world settled into four stable power blocks: the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, the Seleucid Empire in the east [Israel], the kingdom of Pergamon in Asia minor, and Macedon [Greece]. In the process both Alexander IV [Alexander's son] and Philip III [a half-brother, Alexander's father (Philip II)] were murdered. - wiki.com] - Note: There seems to be a progression indicated in that the extremely evil Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes whose name means (Manifest God) and was the last Seleucid adult ruler [his nine year old son ruled briefly for almost two years before being put to death along with the death of his adult guardian - wiki.com]. Antiochus who knowingly sought out evil is more the exception then the rule in the first five kingdoms where the other rulers genuinely tried to prosper themselves, their families, friends and their innocent people to the best of their abilities. Then in the 6th kingdom of Rome with King Herod, the Cesar's and eventually culminating in Caesar Nero [the fifth and last Roman Caesar - wiki.com ] evil rule becoming more common place than the exception. Finally transitioning into the Revised Roman Empire [10 region super-states] where it is almost exclusively evil cumulating in the ultimate evil of the Antichrist. The 5th kingdom Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes is the ultimate manifest of that kingdom's evil then Cesar Nero becomes the ultimate manifest of the evil of Rome and the 6th kingdom. Eventually the Antichrist becomes the accumulation [in part through Satanic ceremonies and rituals] of the evil of the Revised Roman Empire.

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat [Daniel Chapter 8] - The Palace at Shushan - Once a magnificent city, the city of Shushan is today a mass of ruins [in modern Iraq] - The city proper lay to the east of the Tigris River about 150 miles and north of the head of the Persian Gulf - In the same citadel or fortress palace, Daniel, Esther, Mordecai and Nehemiah all made their names in the annals of history - The opulence of the palace of Ahasuerus (Xerses, Darius and Cyrus) was worthy of any potentate in the orient - As described in the BibleSearchers manuscript called The Feast of Esther (Photos)

The eighth chapter of Daniel is one of the pivotal chapters of all prophecies. It appears to be the link with the ancient empires that affected the Nations of Israel and Judah prior to and during the days of Daniel and the future imperial forces that will affect their descendants at the time of the end. Lest we forget, even before we start, the angel Gabriel said to Daniel the prophet, Daniel 8:17 - "Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision." ... The eighth chapter of Daniel begins at the end of one era and moves the reader into a new and different historical era when the people of God, the Jews, were about to experience what it is like to be redeemed and restored by to favor with their God, the God of Israel. Here Belteshazzar (Daniel), possibly now the semi-retired prime minister of the now deceased king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in the winter royal Babylonian palace outside the capital city of Babylon while Belshaz'zar, the last ruler of Babylon was living in the capital city of Babylon. Trying to understand this era of history at the time of the end for the Babylonian Empire has been elusive for centuries until the shovel of the archeologist began to uncover the ancient treasures of the Middle East. What we now know is that within six years of the death of Nebuchadnezzar, one of the governors and a seasoned warriors, Nabonidus (559-536 BCE), assumed the kingship of Babylon in a coup d'etat. By taking control of the government, he eliminated the two prior successors to Nebuchadnezzar. Archeologists now feel that Nabonidus' mother, the Queen Mother was part of the harem of Nebuchadnezzar's court and as such, King Nabonidus was recognized as a step-son of king Nebuchadnezzar. - The Cylinder of Nabonidus: What is interesting is that Nabonidus did not really like being king. His real interests in life were as a historian, archeologist and archival restorationist. He loved history and the restoration of the shrines of the god's he worshipped. He did not believe in the gods of his step-father, Nebuchadnezzar. Rather he disassociated himself with the national god of Babylon, Marduk, to the shock and anger of the powerful Babylonian priesthood. Nabonidus then announced his allegiance to the Sumerian moon-god Sin and the sun-god Shamash. He spent almost the rest of his life in the reconstruction of the ancient temple at Harran (Harrânu in Akkadian and Carrhae in Latin) and the temple at Sippar. On the clay tablet called the Cylinder of Nabonidus that was discovered in the Temple of Shamash at Sippar, Nabonidus records his restoration and reconstruction of the temple to the moon-god Sin in Harran and to the sun-god Shamash and goddess Anunitum at Sippar. This archeological restoration is highlighted by the fact that Daniel, the ex-official prime minister of Babylon was no doubt receiving diplomatic messages about the restoration project being done by King Nabonidus. *Almost fifteen hundred years prior, this very temple was built and dedicated to the moon-god Sin at Harran by Daniel's ancestor, Abraham's father, Terah, [!!!Warning: extra-biblical references!!!] who was the oracular priest in the Sumerian religious hierarchy in the dynasty of Nimrod. The Book of Jasher, quoted from in Joshua 10:3 which said, "Is not this written in the Book of Jasher", wrote about Terah; Jasher 9:7 - "And the king (Nimrod) and all his servants, and Terah with all his household were then the first that served gods of wood and stone. And Terah had twelve gods of large size, made of wood and stone, after the twelve months of the year, and he served each one monthly, and every month Terah would bring his meat offering and drink offering to his gods; thus did Terah all the days. And all that generation were wicked in the sight of the Lord, and they thus made every man his god, but they forsook the Lord who had created them. And there was not a man found in those days in the whole earth, who knew the Lord (for they served each man his own God) except Noah and his household, and all those who were under his counsel knew the Lord in those days. And Abram the son of Terah was waxing great in those days in the house of Noah, and no man knew it, and the Lord was with him." In the ancient Jewish archives and now with modern archeology we now understand that the temple at Harran that was built Tell Harran was a replica or mirror image to the central Sumerian religious complex at Nannar/Sin in Ur. According to the ancient texts, Terah was a former priest of Ur (Uratu) and as such was a worshipper of the Sumerian moon god Sin. ... Today in the archives of the British Museum, there is the basalt Stela called the Stela of Nabonidus. Though its origin is not known, this Stela shows a figure appearing to represent King Nabonidus in the traditional royal dress of the Babylonians, holding the royal standard used in religious ceremonies. The divine symbols of the moon-god, Sin, the planet Venus or Ishtar and the winged disc of the sun-god Shamash, are to the right of the standard. The basalt Stela of Nabonidus - British Museum: Here he celebrates the return of the showering rain and the anticipation of a time of plenty after a drought. Gone were the evocations to the god of Marduk, the revered god of the Babylonians. It was Marduk, whom the Babylonians thought gave them the right for universal imperial rule. Yearly during the annual New Years spring festival of Akitu, the king of Babylon presided. Now the god Marduk was no longer honored by King Nabonidus and the festival of Akitu was abandoned, because it demanded the presence of the king. Was this an omen to the citizens of Babylon? Here in these tablets, the once assumed mythical picture of King Belshazzar in Babylon has now been revealed in archeology. Babylonia was administered by Nabonidus' son as co-regent, Bel-shar-user, whom we know today as King Belshazzar. With the ruler of Babylonia, Nabonidus, living in Harran and later in the Arabian oasis city of Teima away from the political wrath and religious machinations of the Babylonian priesthood, the crown prince, the son of Nabonidus, the step grand-son of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar was truly the co-regent ruler and king of Babylon. - The Tablet with part of the Nabonidus Chronicle (556-530 BCE) - British Museum: The mystery of the "mythical" Biblical king of Babylon, Belshazzar, was not known until the discovery of the series of tablets called the Nabonidus Chronicles, today in the British Museum. Here in this collection of tablets were the records of the key events in each year of the life of the Babylonian king Nabonidus while he lived for ten years at his royal headquarters in the rich Arabic city of Teima. Here in the tablets of the Nabonidus Chronicle (556-530 BCE), the once assumed mythical picture of King Belshazzar was non-other than the son of Nabonidus, Bel-shar-user.

http://www.biblesearchers.com/prophecy/daniel/daniel8-1.shtml ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 9 - The Prophet Daniel having read the prophecies of fellow Prophet Jeremiah realizes the 70 years of captivity are about to come to an end and begins to pray for their restoration -- 'Daniel 9:1-6 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his [Medes-Persia 4th kingdom] reign I Daniel understood by books [O.T. Bible Scrolls] the number of the years, *whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet [in Jerusalem], that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem [Jeremiah 25:11]. *And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession {Daniel confesses for the entire Nation of Israel}, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments; *We [Nation of Israel] have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in Thy Name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. ...' - 'Daniel 9:18-19 O my God, incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city [Jerusalem] which is called by Thy Name: *for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. [TriUnity] O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my [one] God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name.'

Daniel 9:20-27 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin *and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the Holy Mountain [Kingdom] of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man [in appearance] Gabriel [the Archangel], whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; *for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people [Jews] and upon thy Holy City [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision [Law] and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy (Jesus). Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah (Jesus) the Prince shall be seven weeks [seven Jewish decades 49 years - these weeks were the Jewish decade of seven years the Levitical decade seventh year of release], and threescore and two weeks [62 Jewish decades 434 years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks [the 434 years] shall Messiah be cut off [crucifixion], but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And He [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the 70th and final week regarding Jerusalem]: and in the midst of the week at [3½ years] he [Antichrist] shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [in the rebuilt Temple] to cease, and for the overspreading [saturation] of abominations [evil] he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation [end of the Book of Revelation], and that determined shall be poured [vial (measured) judgments of Revelation 16:1] upon the desolate. - The 70 Weeks [Jewish Decades] Vision is one of the most famous prophecies in the whole Bible. While Daniel is in the very act of praying for his people and for the city of Jerusalem he had a vision and the Angel Gabriel gave Daniel the interpretation of the 70 Weeks vision. Where the other visions of Daniel were primarily about the Gentile governments the 70 Weeks Vision is now exclusively about the people and Nation of Israel and it involves their destiny and Ministry to physically manifest - bring in the Messiah into the physical world for God on behalf of the entire world. The vision concentrates on the city of Jerusalem and on the rebuilding of the 2nd Jewish Temple in Jerusalem where the Messiah, Jesus Christ entered into, cleansed and temporarily taught from though the physical Kingdom of the Messiah on earth will be delayed until after the Christian Church age [the primary calling of the Gentiles into the assembly of God] is completed. Note: The Prophet Daniel prophesied the rebuilding of the 2nd Temple, the Disciple John in the Book of Revelation [Revelation 11:1] prophecies the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple [usurped by the Antichrist] in Jerusalem and the Prophet Ezekiel will seem to prophesy about a coming 4th Temple and it is thought that it is the 4th Temple in Jerusalem that the Messiah, Jesus Christ will finally righteously rule the earth from during the 1,000 year Blessed Kingdom reign of the Messiah visibly ruling on the earth.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 10 - The Prophet Daniel [Belteshazzar is his given Babylonian name] continues to have intense visions, and interactions with Angels particularly the Angel Gabriel -- 'Daniel 10:7-11 And I Daniel alone saw the vision [Jesus of Revelation - Revelation 1:13-15]: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of His words: and when I heard the voice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, an hand [of an Angel] touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he [Angel] said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he [Angel] had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.'

Daniel 10:12-21 Then said he [Angel, probably Gabriel] unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words [of prayer] were heard [in Heaven], and I am come for thy words. But the prince [fallen Angel] of the kingdom of Persia [Iran] withstood me one and twenty days [21 continuous days of Angelic spiritual warfare]: but, lo, [the Archangel] Michael, one of the chief princes [holy Angels of Heaven], came to help me {the Archangel Gabriel}; and I remained there with the [opposing fallen Angels] kings of Persia. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, {another Angel appearing as a man} one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, *And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia [Iran - 4th kingdom]: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince [fallen Angel] of Grecia [Greece - 5th kingdom] shall come. *But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth [Holy Bible]: and there is none that holdeth [lit. strengthens himself] with me in these [Nation of Israel, coming Messiah] things, but Michael your prince. - It appears that the Gentile Nations have some fallen Angels actually fighting against the plans and the holy Angels of God. The Archangel [highest ranking Angel] Michael is thought to be the Angel, guardian Angel of the Nation of Israel, fighting in behalf of Israel against the other fallen angel influences. Where Michael is thought to be the highest ranking warrior Angel, the Archangel Gabriel is thought to be the highest ranking messenger Angel. It was the Angel Gabriel that went to the Virgin Mary [Luke 1:19] with the message that she was to deliver the Messiah into the world.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 11 - After the fall of the Babylonian kingdom the Prophet Daniel continued to work with the new kingdom of Persia -- 'Daniel 11:1-2 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I [Daniel] shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia [Greece].'

Daniel 11:32-39 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries [a false deceptive peace]: *but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits [The Jewish festival of Hanukkah celebrates the (165 B.C.) re-dedication of the Temple following Judah Maccabee's victory over the Seleucids]. *And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword [martyrdom], and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 3Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. *And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. And the king [Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a forerunner of Antichrist] shall do according to his will; and he [Antichrist] shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. - The Prophet Daniel is conclusive that the End Times will be a time of peril, deception, intrigue, beguile and above all an exceedingly unjust and ungodly era for all of humanity.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Daniel 12 - The Prophet Daniel is given a number of days regarding the ending of sacrifices in the 3rd Temple and the seating of the Antichrist in the Temple Holy of Holies [1290 days] - and an addition 45 days [the 1335th day], possibly signifying the 2nd Coming return of Jesus Christ -- 'Daniel 12:8-13 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be *the end of these things? And He said, Go thy way, Daniel: *for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end [70th Week]. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; *but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away [possibly just before the Antichrist is revealed, one thought is that the 3rd Temple will barely get up and sacrificing and then the daily animal sacrifices will be quickly ended], and the abomination that maketh desolate set up [Antichrist appearing in the Holy of Holies - Temple], there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days [1290 days, 3.583 years]. Blessed is he that waiteth [45 days], and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days [1335th day - possibly the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ]. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.' - 'Matthew 24:15-22 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, *spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place [Holy of Holies inside the 3rd Temple], whoso readeth, let him understand: Then let them which be in Judaea [Israel] flee into the mountains {for 45 days?}: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: *For then shall be great [Satanic] tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. *And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those [great tribulation, wrath of Satan] days shall be shortened.' - Note: during the Great Tribulation the wrath of God is not poured out upon the Jewish remnant but on the unbelieving followers of Antichrist.

The Prophetic Bible scroll of the Prophet Daniel concludes with Daniel uncertain of the coming End Time events but certain that the God of Heaven and earth will in actuality be enthroned on the earth and that Daniel like Job, he will stand "in thy lot" in that day and have a part in the eternal Kingdom resurrection. Daniel 12:8-13 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== HOSEA ===== Hosea 1-3 - Hosea is a prophet primarily to the Northern Israel Kingdom - Hosea will prophesy until the captivity of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria - The ministry of Hosea will be very similar to the later ministry of Jeremiah when 100 years later the Southern Kingdom of Judah is taken into captivity by Babylon and Jeremiah is the prophet in the Southern Kingdom during their time of captivity - During much of the same time that Hosea is prophesying in the Northern Kingdom of Israel the Prophet Isaiah is prophesying in the Southern Kingdom of Judah -- 'Hosea 3:4-5 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a King, and without a prince [future King], and without a [Levitical] sacrifice, and without an image (Temple, Lit. pillar or statue), and without an (Priest's) ephod, and without teraphim [household idols]: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David ('Beloved' - Jesus) their King; and shall fear the LORD and His goodness in the latter days.'

The Gentiles will eventually acknowledge that the Jews are the Sons of God: Hosea 1:9-11 Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not [visibly] My people, and I will not [visibly] be your God. Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the [Gentile] place where it was said unto them [Jews], Ye are not My people, *there it shall be said unto them, *Ye are the sons of the living God. Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together [May 14, 1948], and appoint [a president not a king] themselves one head, and they shall come up [from the Diaspora] out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel. {The valley of Jezreel is located near and connected to the "valley of Megiddo" where the end time battle "Har Megiddo" (Armageddon) is to take place.} - "Then [after a time of seemingly rejection by God, from the Gentile point of view] shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together." The Nation of Israel has been reborn, officially by the U.N. on May 14, 1948 and since that time the Jewish people have been in the process of being regathered by God back into their homeland of Israel. Many of the O.T. verses about the Diaspora, the dispersion of the Jews among the Gentiles and of the reprimand of the Jews by God has been fulfilled and now with the Nation of Israel once again in the Land of Israel and appointing their own leaders it is now a new era for the Jews just like the regathering of Israel back into the land after the Babylonian captivity to await the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ the Jews have once again been regathered back into the Promise Land to await the Second Coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

Hosea lived during the last twenty five years of [Northern] Israel's existence as a nation {The prophet Isaiah was a contemporary of Hosea. Isaiah was prophesying in the Southern Kingdom of Judah while Hosea was present and oversaw the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians. Hosea had a life and ministry in much the same way that the later Prophet Jeremiah (who was told not to take a wife) would have in his seeing the destruction of Jerusalem, the Temple and the captivity of the Southern Kingdom Judah into Babylon.}

Hosea lived during the last twenty five years of Israel's existence as a nation. During this time six Kings reigned through a period of near anarchy and bloodshed. Hosea 4:2 During this period Israel was being oppressed by the Assyrians under the leadership of Tiglath-Pileser III. Hosea prophecies against the covenant unfaithfulness of Israel and the sure and certain judgment of God upon Israel through his instruments the Assyrians. During these last years of Israel's existence the spiritual condition had deteriorated to the point where even the knowledge of Yahweh had been forgotten. (Hosea 2:5-13) Canaanite religion had been mixed with the worship of Yahweh until Yahweh could not be recognized. The fertility gods of the Canaanites were worshipped with ritual drunkenness and temple prostitution. Hosea 4:10-13 Baal worship had replaced Yahweh. Idolatry, adultery and drunkenness had replaced holiness. ... Interpretation: There is a difficulty which arises in the first three chapter of the book where Hosea is told to marry a woman who would be unfaithful to him. Israel's sin is compared to Hosea's marriage. For some the marriage of Hosea to Gomer is considered an allegory because God would never ask someone to marry anyone known to be unfaithful. Others take the account as literal history. There is no reason to doubt this view, as the story has all the markings of truth and it is not uncommon for the prophets to live out their prophecies in their own lives. This action by the prophet would be a vivid reminder of the unfaithfulness of Israel. Some of this dramatic effect would be lost if it were simply an allegory. To the question of God's commandment against committing adultery, they still remain binding. The actions of Hosea and Gomer do not make God the author of sin. What must not be lost in the debate is the fact that Israel was unfaithful as Gomer was unfaithful, but God is full of compassion and will receive sinners. If Hosea's story is not real then neither is the story of salvation. God brought His people to himself when they also were unclean and unfaithful to make them both clean and faithful.

http://www.abu.nb.ca/ecm/Hos00b.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Hosea 4-6 - The Prophet Hosea takes an unfaithful woman (Gomer) to be his wife symbolizing that Israel is an unfaithful wife to God - Hosea representing God is at no time to reject Gomer - Hosea though separated from Gomer he still pays her bills and sends her gifts and in the end buys her back from her slavery and restores her to her rightful position as his wife -- 'Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed *for lack of knowledge [of the Laws of Moses]: because thou hast rejected knowledge [Law - the image of God], I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest [Levitical or Melchizedek] to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.'

'Hosea 5:15-6:2 I [Jesus] will go and return [back to Heaven] to My place, till they [Nation of Israel] acknowledge their offence, *and seek My face: in their [tribulation] affliction they will seek Me early [earnestly]. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. After *two days will He revive us [May 14, 1948]: *in the third day He will raise us up, *and we shall live [eternally] in His sight.' - 'Luke 13:35 Behold, your House [House of Israel, Levitical Priesthood] is left unto you desolate [disorganized]: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me (Jesus), *until the time come when ye [Nation of Israel] shall say, Blessed is He (Jesus) that cometh in the Name of the Lord.' - Preparing to meet the Messiah in both the first coming of Jesus Christ and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is the Ministry of the Nation of Israel. The meeting and the greeting of the Messiah Jesus Christ is not a Ministry of the Christian Church. The Christian Church was not yet formed at the first coming of Jesus Christ and the Christian Church will already be in Heaven at the Second Coming [to the Mt. of Olives - Acts 1:9-12] of Jesus Christ. {It seems that the Christian Church is not to look for Jesus at the Mt. Olivet return as the two Angels basically told the people [Christians] when Jesus ascended into Heaven from Mt. Olivet that they shouldn't be there looking for Jesus to return so the Christians left Mt. Olivet and went back to Jerusalem.}

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Hosea 7-9 - For desiring to be like the Gentiles instead of like the Children of God they are intended to be the Jews of Northern Israel are overcome and sent back into the land of the Gentiles -- 'Hosea 8:8 [Northern] Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.'

The day of God's taking account of the actions of the people of Northern Israel has arrived: 'Hosea 9:7-9 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence [compensation for a wrong action that has caused an injury] are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. *The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. *They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore He will remember their iniquity, He will visit their sins.' - This is the final condition in the judgment of a people of God when the very people [prophets, priests and the spiritual man] have all turned against God in order to embrace the ways and actions of the pagan Gentile world. Exceedingly true even today in our own times and in our Christian Church that the very Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists and Prophets that once were for God have now forsaken God and have turned against God in order to seek the notoriety, wealth and ways of the world. - Note: Only the alert 'Watchman' remained faithful to God. It seems to be a good Biblical indicator that for us even today we are to be 'Watchman' aware, Biblically alert, engaged and in prayer regarding the current and future events of the day in part by knowing and understanding the past to help provide a context for the present. Really the blessings of the current Christian Church are the Watchmen and Watchwomen Ministries that are alert for God and are informing His people with prayer, devotions and information while the Corporation Christianity Pastors are the ones who are quickly selling the Church into an unholy, early, worldly demise.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Hosea 10-11 - Hosea having taken a wife shows the people of God that a relationship with God is more than a friendship and more than a father and son relationship - It is an intimate one to one *individual relationship more like a relationship between a husband and a wife -- 'Hosea 10:12 Sow *to yourselves [individuals] in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow [pale, unresponsive] ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain [the] Righteousness [of Jesus Christ] upon you.'

Because Northern Israel admired human strength a stronger country [Assyria] is going to take them into captivity: 'Hosea 10:13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because *thou didst trust in thy way, *in the multitude of thy mighty men.' - Northern Israel was overcome by the desire to be strong, accomplished and secular like the pagan Gentile countries around them. Unable to grasp the higher calling of Judaism over that of their pagan neighbors Northern Israel adopted the way of the pagans and having become like the pagans were overcome and sent into captivity by God. Later Judah the Southern Kingdom of Israel will also forsake their higher calling in God and will embrace not the strength of the world like Northern Israel did but will embrace the enchantments of the world and being overcome by the sorcery of the world the Southern Kingdom will be conquered and brought into captivity by the mystical Nation of Babylon (Iraq). -- '2 Peter 2:19 While they [worldly people] promise them [Christians/Jews] liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of [worldly philosophies] whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.' - Note: Shorty after Assyria's strong military rises to power as a Nation they will be defeated by Babylon and Assyria (Mosul) will become and remain a part of Northern Iraq even today. The Jews of Northern Israel (Samaria) that were taken into captivity to Assyria in 721 B.C. at the fall of Samaria would shortly become citizens of Babylon (Iraq) as Babylon would soon defeat Assyria and incorporate Assyria (Mosul) into Northern Iraq. When Babylon later defeated Judah and at the fall of Jerusalem in 539 B.C. the captives of Judah joined the captives of Northern Israel already in Babylon by way of Assyria. Then later when Persia (Iran) conquered Iraq and let the people return to their native lands all of Tribes of Israel (Northern and Judah) were free to return to Jerusalem and a remnant of all Israel did return to Jerusalem. - Also Note: The mystical [Hollywood, Disneyland] kingdom of Babylon proved to a stronger kingdom than the [biker, skinhead] kingdom of Assyria but neither are not match for the everlasting Righteous Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Hosea 12-14 - Hosea the Prophet concludes his ministry to the people of Israel reminding the people that God is still there for them -- 'Hosea 14:4 I (God) will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.'

The final words of the Prophet Hosea: 'Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall [go astray] therein.' - The words of God are wisdom and they are life! What is written out here in the pages of the Prophets is that God can punish people when it is necessary to do so however punishing people is not a desire and is not really even in the personality of God to do so. Everyone who knows God intimately also knows a secret about God and that is that He is really a softy who does not want to punish people. In fact God took our punishment upon Himself so it can't be any clearer or any more evident that God does not desire to punish people but rather He even took our punishment for us. What God can do and does do is that He is a rewarder and He rewards appropriate behavior more often and more abundantly than He punishes bad behavior. If you really want to get to know God then get to know that His ways and His words are truth and they are life and that He is as generous and as rewarding as His Word says He is.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== JOEL ===== Wikipedia.org: The Book of Joel is part of the Hebrew Bible - Joel is part of a group of twelve prophetic books known as the Minor Prophets or simply as The Twelve; the *distinction 'minor' indicates the short length of the text in relation to the larger prophetic texts [Isaiah, Jeremiah, The Lamentations of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel] known as the "Major Prophets" - As there are no explicit references in the book [of Joel] to datable persons or events, scholars have assigned a wide range of dates to the book - The main positions are: during the early-period Prophets around the reign of King Joash - the middle-period prophets with the Prophets Jeremiah and Habakkuk - the late-period of prophets with the Prophets Zechariah and Haggai] - c.520-500 B.C., [Joel a] contemporary with the return of the exiles and the careers of Zechariah and Haggai [or most probably (450 B.C.) a generation after Zechariah and Haggai (520-500 B.C.) and a generation before the last Prophet Malachi (400 B.C.)

Content: After a superscription ascribing the prophecy to Joel son of Pethuel, the book may be broken down into the following sections: Lament over a great locust plague and a severe drought (1:1-2:17) The effects of these events on agriculture, farmers, and on the supply of agricultural offerings for the (Jerusalem) sanctuary, interspersed with a call to national lament.(1:1-20) A more apocalyptic passage comparing the locusts to an army, and revealing that they are God's army. (2:1-11) A call to national repentance in the face of God's judgment. (2:12-17) Promise of future blessings (2:18-32) Banishment of the locusts and restoration of agricultural productivity as a divine response to national penitence. (2:18-27) Future prophetic gifts to all God's people, and the safety of God's people in the face of cosmic cataclysm. (2:28-32) Coming judgment on God's (Israel's) enemies and the vindication of Israel. (3:1-21) Prominent in Joel is the theme of the day of the Lord/Yahweh (1:15, 2;1, 2:11, 2;31, 3:14), which is applied to Joel's contemporary situation as well as to future blessing and judgment. -- Historical context: The Prophet Joel as imagined by Michelangelo (Fresco, Sistine Chapel Ceiling, 1508-1512) As there are no explicit references in the book to datable persons or events, scholars have assigned a wide range of dates to the book. The main positions are: Ninth century BC, particularly in the reign of Joash - a position especially popular among nineteenth-century scholars (making Joel one of the earliest writing prophets) c.630-587 BC, in the last decades of the kingdom of Judah (contemporary with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Habakkuk) c.520-500 BC, contemporary with the return of the exiles and the careers of Zechariah and Haggai. The decades around 400 BC, during the Persian period (making him one of the latest writing prophets) Evidence produced for these positions are allusions in the book to the wider world, similarities with other prophets, and linguistic details. Other commentators, such as John Calvin, attach no great importance to the precise dating.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Joel Book of Joel - The Book of Joel, a prophetic book of the Old Testament of the Bible, derives its name from the prophet Joel. Nothing other than his name is known about the prophet. The date of composition was probably between 400 and 350 BC, although some scholars place it much earlier 9th-7th century BC - Promises the gift of the [Holy] Spirit of the Lord for the entire [world] population and declares final judgment on all nations - The passage on the outpouring of God's Spirit (Joel 2:28-32) is cited in Saint Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:17-21

General Information: The Book of Joel, a prophetic book of the Old Testament of the Bible, derives its name from the prophet Joel. Nothing other than his name is known about the prophet. The date of composition was probably between 400 and 350 BC, although some scholars place it much earlier (9th - 7th century BC). The book falls into two sections. The first (1:1 - 2:17) gives an account of a plague of locusts and a drought that ravaged Judah as a symbol of divine judgment. The second (2:18 - 3:21) promises the gift of the spirit of the Lord for the entire population and declares final judgment on all nations, with protection and fertility for Judah and Jerusalem. The passage on the outpouring of God's Spirit (2:28 - 32) is cited in Saint Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts 2:17-21. -- Advanced Information: Joel was probably a resident in Judah, as his commission was to that people. He makes frequent mention of Judah and Jerusalem (1:14; 2:1, 15, 32; 3:1, 12, 17, 20, 21). He probably flourished in the reign of Uzziah (about B.C. 800), and was contemporary with Amos and Isaiah. The contents of this book are, 1. A prophecy of a great public calamity then impending over the land, consisting of a want of water and an extraordinary plague of locusts (1:1-2:11). 2. The prophet then calls on his countrymen to repent and to turn to God, assuring them of his readiness to forgive (2:12-17), and foretelling the restoration of the land to its accustomed fruitfulness (18-26). 3. Then follows a Messianic prophecy, quoted by Peter (Acts 2:39). 4. Finally, the prophet foretells portents and judgments as destined to fall on the enemies of God (ch. 3, but in the Hebrew text 4).

http://mb-soft.com/believe/txs/joel.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Joel 1 - The Prophet Joel begins to prophesy though the exact timing is unknown although no King is mentioned meaning that it was probably after the return from Babylon though it could have been much earlier during the reign of King Joash when he was but a child - Joel preaches with examples from very far in the past and prophesies out very far into the future including the 70 A.D. destruction of the 2nd Temple and speaks about their future return to Israel Statehood on May 14, 1948 -- 'Joel 1:1-5 The Word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel. Hear this, ye old men [elders, leaders of Israel], and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. That which the palmerworm hath left hath [another plague] the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath [yet another plague] the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath [even more plague] the caterpillar eaten. *Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine [worldly influences], because of the New Wine [New Testament]; for it is cut off from your mouth.'

Joel seems to be prophesying of the Roman occupation in Israel and of the destruction of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. -- Joel 1:6-16 For a Nation [Rome: 63 B.C.~640 A.D. -- Rome destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. then an Islamic invasion captured Jerusalem in 638 A.D. and the rest of Israel by 642 A.D. - Wiki.com] is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD'S ministers, mourn. The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men. Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the House [2nd Temple] of our God?

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Joel 2 - Joel prophesies the verse that the Apostle Peter declared (Acts 2:16) is being fulfilled beginning on Pentecost -- 'Joel 2:28-29 And it shall come to pass afterward [after Messiah's redemption (cross) and salvation (resurrection)], that I will pour out My [Holy] Spirit *upon *all *flesh [globally all mankind]; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit.' - Note: This is a global outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh - since Pentecost all mankind has the direct witness of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 10:15, 1 John 5:6) leading, encouraging and teaching people to accept Jesus Christ .

Joel 2:28-32 And it shall come to pass afterward [after Messiah's redemption (cross) and salvation (resurrection)], that I will pour out My [Holy] Spirit *upon *all *flesh [globally all mankind]; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My Spirit. And I will shew wonders [Book of Revelation] in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. *And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the LORD *shall be delivered: for in Mount Zion [crucifixion and resurrection site] and in Jerusalem [2nd Coming site] shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. - Note: The giving of the Holy Spirit "upon" all mankind starting at Pentecost (in every language - to all Nations) will remain throughout the End Times, Tribulation and Great Tribulation events in the Book of Revelation. The giving of the Spirit (baptism) "indwelling" of the Spirit by Jesus beginning on Resurrection Sunday [John 20:22]the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will cease with the Rapture of the Christian Church.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Joel 3 - Like Isaiah (Isaiah 11:11) Joel also Prophesies of the 1948 re-gathering and Statehood of the modern End Time Nation of Israel -- 'Joel 3:1-2 For, behold, in those days [diaspora after 70 A.D.], and in that time [May 14, 1948 Israel, Statehood], when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all Nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for My people [Jews] and for My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the Nations, and parted [divided] my land.' [with the politics of Middle-East peace accords and conferences - Paris Peace Conference, 1919 - Oslo Accord, 1993 - etc.]

The Bibles book of Joel concludes with the Prophet Joel's famous "Valley of Decision" Prophesy on of the most famous prophesies in the Old Testament and one of the Most startling Prophesies: Joel 3:9-21 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. *Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the Children of Israel. So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My Holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down New Wine [New Testament], and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the House of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah [Praise] shall dwell forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. *For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== AMOS ===== Amos 1-3 - Amos is one of the early prophets of Israel his ministry was attempting to deal with the divided Israel and Judah as one Nation reminding them that they are both a part of the same plans of God -- 'Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa [a town eight kilometres south of Bethlehem - wiki.com], which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah (Azariah) king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.'

Israel though divided as a Nation is still one family in the eyes of God: Amos 3:1-8 Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, *saying, You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you [as a Father punishes a son] for all your iniquities. *Can two walk together {man walking with God}, except they be agreed? Will a lion roar [rejoice] in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry [rejoice] out of his den, if he have taken nothing? Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin [snare, trap] is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth [when it is empty], and have taken nothing at all? Shall a trumpet [alarm, alert system] be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done [allowed] it? *Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets [and later His Christians]. The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy? Publish in the [foreign] palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria [Northern Israel], and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof. For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled. Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the [remnant] children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD, the God of hosts, That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.

BlueletterBible.org: Chuck Missler Commentaries the Book of Amos

Mr. Missler is the chairman of Koinonia House (K-House), a non-profit organization which is dedicated to the development and distribution of materials for encouraging and facilitating serious study of the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. K-House was founded by Chuck and Nancy Missler, and moved to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho in 1992. K-House now reaches tens of thousands through its monthly newsletter, radio shows, cassette tapes, and conferences. More than eight million study tapes have been distributed in the U.S. and in over 35 countries around the world.

http://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/comm_topic.cfm?AuthorID=21&commInfo=54&GroupID=30 Amos, Prophet of Solidarity - 'Surely the Lord Yahweh does nothing without revealing his counsel to his servants the prophets' - The notion of the heavenly council has a firm place in the book of Amos. It would be wrong to regard the idea as purely figurative or expressing stereotyped imagery (PDF)

THE HEAVENLY COUNCIL: The concept of the heavenly council of Yahweh is now a familiar one in Old Testament study. Apart from such fundamental passages as Job 1-2 and 1 Kings 22, it has been seen to embrace many others in its ramifications. In the council Yahweh announced His sovereign will and planned its execution among 'all the host of heaven' and 'the sons of God'. The prophets too were allowed to stand 'in the council of Yahweh to... hear his word' before proclaiming it to the people, according to Jeremiah 23. 18, 22. So far the book of Amos has tended to be left to one side in the search for traces of the idea. Amos has been viewed as a lonely figure who went from private communion with his God to attack a world of corrupt cult, courts and commerce. But evidence is not lacking that Amos saw himself as part of a larger entity. On the human plane, he was doubtless encouraged by his heritage in the goodly fellowship of earlier prophets. In the very rejection of his message he was not alone: others before him had had their message of judgment spurned (2. 11-12; 7. 12ff).1 But on a higher plane, indications may be found that Amos was aware of involvement with a supernatural group that shared his concern and co-operated in his mission. 'Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod... and say', he had heard Yahweh command (3. 9). But to whom were those plural imperatives addressed? They are surely a telltale sign of the heavenly council. Elsewhere in the prophetic literature similar cryptic plural commands have been recognized as belonging to this setting. The supernatural heralds of Yahweh are here sped on their way. Amos was privileged to listen in to the briefing of God's heavenly messengers. It is probable that the plural imperatives in. 13, 'Hear and give evidence', also belong to the same milieu: the role of witness was often played by members of the divine council. ... The notion of the heavenly council has a firm place in the book of Amos. It would be wrong to regard the idea as purely figurative or expressing stereotyped imagery. Rather, what has been said of later prophets may be applied to Amos. 'It provides a permanent basis of fellowship, so marked in the dialogues of Jeremiah, whilst also giving occasion for the "high lights" of special moments, as in the call of Isaiah. It introduces the idea of collaboration and of a personal relation more intimate than any external command suggests.'20 Amos did not stand alone. Man as he was, he took a privileged place beside the supernatural ministers and messengers of the King of kings, and doubtless derived sustenance and strength from the knowledge of this fellowship. ... THE COMMUNITY: Amos assumed the solidarity of the nation [Northern Israel - Southern Judah] to which he was called to prophesy. One way in which this unity finds expression is the treatment of those who heard him as representatives of a larger whole. The prophet identified his audience with a greater entity: his hearers represent their forebears. They are addressed in terms of their ancestors: 'I brought you up out of Egypt and led you in the wilderness...' (2. 10); 'Did you bring me sacrifices... in the wilderness?' (5.25). They are designated as 'the whole family... brought up out of Egypt' (3.1).

http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/vox/vol06/amos_allen.pdf The earthquake in the days of Uzziah - Even 2 years before the earthquake Amos speaks of an earthquake and it is associated with an eclipse

We are told about the earthquake by Amos. We have to put two things together. Firstly Amos introduces his prophecy as being 2 years before the earthquake. This means the whole book of Amos was written in less than a year, or the book was finished 2 years before the earthquake. ... We can note also that this eclipse is corroborated by Assyrian history. It is a famous fact that Assyrian history is dated by an eclipse, which is now thought to have occurred on 24 June 791BC which co-incides with Beecher's dating for the year after the death of Jeroboam: the year when Uzziah becomes ruler over all Israel. Ussher's dates place the eclipse 4 years later than Beecher (but still very close to Uzziah's take-over of rulership of Israel and his resounding defeat of the Philistines). ... Why doesn't Chronicles mention the great earthquake of Uzziah's day? The Book of Kings record only mentions that Azariah was made a king and then later made a leper [for instructing the Temple Priests that he was to burn incense unto the LORD (2 Chronicles 26:16-21)]. This is the history of Azariah. Kings however alerts us to the fact that Azariah was called Uzziah. The parallel Chronicles record speaks of the great things Uzziah did and how he became Azariah again. But why don't they mention the earthquake? It's because they do. And he (Uzziah) sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper. And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines. And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims. And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly. (2 Chronicles 26:5-8) ... But it is possible the one in Uzziah's day was bigger than that in Jonathan's day, according to Zechariah the prophet the Israelites had to flee away from it. Based on what is said, we may gather that the quake may have struck as a strong tremor and the superstitious Philistine army fled. Then the Israelites pursue them, as in the day of Jonathan, back to the city and the quake strikes and flattens the Philistine cities causing the Israelites to flee away and decimating those who had run to hide in the city and those who lived there. Then to top it all off there is an eclipse about mid-afternoon, so they can't even dig the survivors out of the ruins except with a lamp (which they can't see to light). News of such an event would get out to all the nations, especially if Egypt also shook a bit and received the wash from a tsunami. Uzziah and the Israelites, in a superstitious world, would be seen to have the power over all gods with them. In Chronicles it says God helped Uzziah, Zechariah says Then shall Yahweh go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3).

http://biblefocus.net/consider/v21uzziah/When_was_the_earthquake_of_Uzziah_s_day_.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Amos 4-6 - The glory days of Israel in King David and King Solomon were not the best and only days of Israel - God has a current and future plan for the Nation of Israel and it includes all Jews of all times and in all locations -- 'Amos 4:12 Therefore thus [deal with Israel] will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this [reveal God's ability] unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.' - 'Amos 5:24 But let judgment [flow] run down as waters, and righteousness [abundantly] as a mighty stream.'

The judgment of God is going to be sever even for the followers of God: 'Amos 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the [Judgment] Day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the Day of the LORD is [judgment] darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house [his shelter], and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the Day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? I hate, I despise your [Levitical] feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer Me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols [instruments]. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Amos 7-9 - The current and future plans of God for the Nation of Israel are expanded all the way to eternity in the Messiah Jesus Christ -- 'Amos 8:9 And it shall come to pass in that [crucifixion] day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day:' - 'Matthew 27:45-46 Now from the sixth hour [noon] there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [3:00 PM]. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My [Father] God, why hast thou forsaken Me?' {On the cross with our sin upon Jesus He was temporarily separated (for three hours) from the presence of the Holy Father God. Jesus was experiencing our just punishment not His own and now we will never experience separation from God because Jesus has taken our penalty of sin upon Himself and He was temporarily forsaken for us therefore we are not forsaken or ever separated from God not even momentarily.}

Israel as a Nation and as a people are assured of their eternal future in Jesus Christ: 'Amos 9:11-15 In that day will I raise up [through Jesus Christ] the tabernacle (House) of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. Behold, *the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper [the harvest to huge to bring in in one season], and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will bring again [May 14, 1948] the captivity of My people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== OBADIAH ===== THE MINOR PROPHETS - The Book of Obadiah - The name Obadiah means "Servant of Yahweh" literally "One who serves or worships Jehovah" - This prophecy has the distinction of being the shortest book in the O.T.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND: The name Obadiah means "Servant of Yahweh" (literally -- "One who serves or worships Jehovah"). This prophecy has the distinction of being the shortest book in the OT. There are twelve different individuals in the OT with this name (a very common name), but no indication that any of these other individuals are to be identified with this particular prophet. Nothing is known about his life, background or personality except what little can be inferred from this prophecy. It is assumed that he was a native of Judah. Others feel he may also have been among the circle of prophets attached to the Jerusalem Temple. The Jewish Talmud states Obadiah was not Jewish, but rather an Edomite proselyte God used to rebuke his own people. DATE: In addition to being the shortest book in the OT, Obadiah also "bears the distinction of being the most difficult of all the prophecies to date" (Gleason Archer). His work is ascribed to periods ranging from 845 to 400 BC. There are two major theories: 585 BC --- This is the view held by most liberal scholars. It places this prophecy about a year after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. 845 BC --- This is the view held by "a good majority of the evangelical scholars of the 19th and 20th centuries" (Archer). It places the prophecy during the days of King Jehoram (848 - 841 BC) when Jerusalem was attacked by the Philistines and Arabians (with probable cooperation from the Edomites --- II Kings 8:20; II Chron. 21:8-10, 16-17). This view seems to be the most probable. (For an excellent defense of this position see -- A Survey of OT Introduction, by Gleason L. Archer, Jr., p. 299-303, and A Commentary on the Minor Prophets, by Homer Hailey, p. 28-29.)

http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Proph4.htm ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Obadiah 1 - The Prophet Obadiah prophesying about the same time or slightly before the prophet Zephaniah will have a very similar contrasting message style to that of the Prophet Zephaniah [actually Zephaniah coming later his style would be similar to Obadiah] -- 'Obadiah 1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.' - 'Obadiah 1:17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the House of Jacob shall possess their possessions.'

Obadiah 1:21 And saviours [lit. liberty, freedom] shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau; and the [Blessed] Kingdom shall be the LORD'S. - The Prophet Obadiah closes his short Ministry to Israel with a prophecy and a blessing regarding the coming Millennial reign of the Messiah Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== JONAH ===== Jonah 1 - Jonah a Jewish Prophet is called by God to go prophecy to the Gentiles in Nineveh the capital of Assyria [modern Mosul, Northern Iraq] -- 'Jonah 1:1-2 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.'

Jonah rejects the call of God instructing him to go to the Gentiles: Jonah 1:3-6 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish [Europe] from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa [modern Tel Aviv-Jaffa]; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep. So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jonah 2 - Jonah is cast from the ship into the sea and swallowed by a giant fish "prepared" by God -- 'Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.'

Jonah repents from the belly of the fish: 'Jonah 2:1-10 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me forever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.' - It seems that in being thrown overboard and being in the belly of the fish that at one point Jonah briefly died and was resurrected in order to then go on preach his message of salvation to the Gentiles. - 'Matthew 12:39-41 But He (Jesus) answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, *but [one] the sign of the prophet Jonas [Jonah]: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man (Jesus) be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise [resurrection] in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.'

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jonah 3 - Jonah is given a second chance to accomplish his ministry for God -- 'Jonah 3:1-2 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.'

Jonah prophesies to the citizens of Nineveh: Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. *So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from His fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil [calamity], that he had said that He would do unto them; and He did it not.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Jonah 4 - Jonah becomes upset that God spared Nineveh from His judgment -- 'Jonah 4:1-4 But it [the repentance of the Ninevehites] displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: *for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. *Then said the LORD, Doest thou well [do you have the right] to be angry?'

God works in Jonah's heart: Jonah 4:5-11 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: *And should not I (God) spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand [don't know the Laws of Moses]; and also much cattle? - God is showing the world both the Jewish and Gentile world that God's plan encompasses all mankind and all of creation including all of the animals.

wikipedia.org: Nineveh - Nineveh [Capital of Assyria], an "exceeding great city", as it is called in the Book of Jonah, lay on the eastern bank of the Tigris in ancient Assyria, across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, Iraq

History: Texts from the Hellenistic period and later offered an eponymous Ninus as the founder of Nineveh. The historic Nineveh is mentioned about 1800 BC as a centre of worship of Ishtar, whose cult was responsible for the city's early importance. The goddess' statue was sent to Pharaoh Amenhotep III of Egypt in the 14th century BC, by orders of the king of Mitanni. The city of Nineveh was one of Mitanni's vassals until the mid-14th century BC, when the Assyrian kings of Assur seized it. ... It was Sennacherib who made Nineveh a truly magnificent city (c. 700 BC). He laid out new streets and squares and built within it the famous "palace without a rival", the plan of which has been mostly recovered and has overall dimensions of about 503 by 242 metres (1,650 ft × 794 ft). It comprised at least 80 rooms, many of which were lined with sculpture. A large number of cuneiform tablets were found in the palace. ... The stone carvings in the walls include many battle scenes, impalings and scenes showing Sennacherib's men parading the spoils of war before him. He also bragged about his conquests: he wrote of Babylon "Its inhabitants, young and old, I did not spare, and with their corpses I filled the streets of the city." He later wrote about a battle in Lachish "And Hezekiah of Judah who had not submitted to my yoke...him I shut up in Jeruselum his royal city like a caged bird. Earthworks I threw up against him, and anyone coming out of his city gate I made pay for his crime. His cities which I had plundered I had cut off from his land." ... Nineveh's greatness was short-lived. Around 633 BC the Assyrian empire began to show signs of weakness, and Nineveh was attacked by the Medes, who about 625 BC, joined by the Babylonians and Susianians, again attacked it. Nineveh fell in 612 BC, and was razed to the ground. The people in the city who could not escape to the last Assyrian strongholds in the west, were either massacred or deported. Many unburied skeletons were found by the archaeologists at the site. The Assyrian empire then came to an end, the Medes and Babylonians dividing its provinces between them. ... Modern Nineveh: On 15 October 2005, the province of Nineveh (Ninawa) cast the deciding votes in the referendum for Iraq's Constitution. One of three mostly Sunni Arab provinces whose veto could defeat the constitution, Nineveh was closely watched through the extended electoral count. Home to a majority Sunni Arab population and ethnically diverse minority which includes Kurds (Yezidi and Sunni) and Assyrian Christians, as well as the oil processing center Mosul (which is often considered to be the modern Nineveh city, and is called so by Aramaic speakers), the province of Nineveh promises to play a large role in Iraqi politics into the future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineveh THE MINOR PROPHETS Jonah by Al Maxey - The name Jonah (Hebrew: Yonah) means "dove" [dove = Holy Spirit] - From II Kings 14:25 we know that Jonah lived during the time of Jeroboam II (793-753 BC) - He was sent to Nineveh --- the capital city of Assyria --- to deliver a warning from God that unless they repented they would be destroyed - God's love and concern is for all people, and anyone who is willing to repent and turn to God can find salvation - In Jonah one sees "the forerunner of the universal gospel message" - Jonah is the only "minor prophet" ever to be mentioned by Jesus Christ - He [Jonah] is also the only O.T. figure that Jesus Himself likens unto Himself (Matthew 12:39-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32)

THE MAJOR MESSAGES OF JONAH - The overall message of the book is basically twofold: God's love and concern is for all people, and anyone who is willing to repent and turn to God can find salvation (Acts 26:19-20; II Peter 3:9). God is a universal God. There is but ONE God, and He alone is to be the God of all people. Jonah preached to a monotheistic people, but the god they worshipped was Nebo. He warned them they must repent and turn to Jehovah, and worship and serve Him only. Some of the other great lessons of the book of Jonah are: "God's judgments, even when declared in prophecy, can be averted by genuine repentance." This is a "crucial theological truth relating human repentance to escaping from anticipated judgment" (New Layman's Bible Commentary). "Jeremiah 18:7-8 --- "At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it." National sin demands national repentance! Just as this principle applied to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, so also does it apply to the nations of today! This book is a stern rebuke of a narrow exclusiveness that characterized the Israelites. Jonah, whose attitude was typical of his people, had no desire to see the Assyrians saved --- they were the enemy! He fled rather than preach such a distasteful message to this distasteful people. And even after finally preaching it, he sat outside the city waiting to see if God would change His mind and still destroy them. When he realized God was indeed going to show mercy to these people, he prayed to die rather than have to witness such a thing! (Jonah 4:1-3). When we today hold to such an attitude --- "We are the only ones God favors" ....... "We would rather die than see those people saved!" ....... "We're not about to preach the gospel to that bunch" --- then we have repeated the sin of Jonah. Further, we have failed to perceive the universal love of God. Jonah symbolizes a narrow, sectarian spirit! One cannot run away from God (Psalm 139:7-12). "Jonah learned, and through his valuable experience millions have learned, that when God enjoins a disagreeable duty, it is far easier to go and do it than to run away from it" (J.W. McGarvey). "When one sets out to baffle God, there is bound to be a storm" (George L. Robinson). "The infinite concern of God for life is shown in contrast to the concern of man for the material" (Homer Hailey). "The withering of the prophet's gourd, with the regrets it excited, strikes home in all ages, as it must have done in Jonah's day, the contrast between the infinite love of God and the selfish coldness of man. The growth of a night can be pitied when it touches ourselves; but unspeakably higher claims too often awaken no tenderness where we are not personally concerned" (Cunningham Geikie). In Jonah one sees "the forerunner of the universal gospel message" and messenger (Hailey). Also, we see the principle that "the most unpromising mission fields are often the most responsive" (The Ryrie Study Bible). "From the human standpoint Assyria was the last place an Israelite would choose for a missionary venture, so Jonah took a trip in the opposite direction" (Samuel J. Schultz). "There is no remonstrance and no mention of Jonah's former call and flight (Jonah 3:1-2). The Lord passes this over in gracious silence" (Homer Hailey). The Lord is willing to forgive and forget!

http://www.zianet.com/maxey/Proph8.htm Modern - Tel Aviv-Jaffa [Joppa] - Jonah's mission to Nineveh and their repentance brought about 50 more years of peace to Israel before Assyria invaded (Video)

Thought to be named for Noah's son Japhet, it was already ancient when mentioned in 15th century documents as an Egyptian and Canaainte port. Joshua allocated it to the tribe of Dan, and during David's and Solomon's rule it was Jerusalem's outlet to the great world. From here Jonah set sail to Tarshish and was swallowed by a whale. Here Peter lodged with Simon the tanner. ... Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. {Dorcas: or, Doe, or, Roe} And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid [her] in an upper chamber. And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring [him] that he would not delay to come to them. {delay: or, be grieved} Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning [him] to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her [his] hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive. And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord. And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.... It bears the modern name of Jaffa, and exibituds all the decrepitude and squalor of cities ruled over by the Turks. "Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned, and rebuilt." It was taken by the French under Napoleon in 1799, who gave orders for the massacre here of 4,000 prisoners. It is connected with Jerusalem by the only carriage road that exists in the country, and also by a railway completed in 1892. It is noticed on monuments B.C. 1600-1300, and was attacked by Sannacharib B.C. 702 [Jonah had just been to Nineveh in about 758 B.C. - then 56 years after the visit of Jonah to Assyria they attacked Joppa Israel].

http://www.olivebranch.com/isreal/telaviv.htm Jonah - A Veggie Tales Movie (2002) Trailer (YouTube)

When the singing Veggies encounter some car trouble, they're stranded at old, rundown seafood joint where nothing is quite as it seems. As Bob the Tomato and the kids settle in to wait for a tow truck to help get their van back on the road, the "Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" share a little story about a guy named Jonah. Jonah was kind of like a mailman except his messages came straight from God. Jonah loves his job, until the day comes when he has to deliver a message to the people of Nineveh. Instead of carrying out his mission, Jonah turns and sets sail in the opposite direction onboard a pirate ship. Soon Jonah embarks on an adventure that leads him into the belly of a whale, and to the heart of Nineveh for a hilarious showdown.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH5QEqqNlOk ;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== MICAH ===== Introduction to the Book of Micah: "Micah the Morasthite" - Morasthite is thought to be a village near Nazareth - Jonah a fellow 'early prophet' is also a "Galilean" from the Nazareth area village of Gath-hepher - Micah is a contemporary in Jerusalem with the prophets Isaiah and Nahum - As a part of the same moving of the Holy Spirit the three prophets [Isaiah, Micah, Nahum] each preach many of the same messages and even some of the same Scripture verses - Micah prophesies against religious corruption "the priests thereof teach for hire" - Religious corruption that extends political and judicial corruption - Political corruption that ultimately leads to fear to the point of every man being afraid of one another "a man's enemies are the men of his own house" - Micah then reveals that the false religious system that compromised its witness of God and instead faithfully served Satan's world will eventually be destroyed by the very global Satanic government system that the false church helped to put into power

The ministry message of the prophet Micah encompasses the entire globe. 'Micah 3:1 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from His Holy Temple.' - The religious leaders have become corrupt teaching a corrupt [compromised] message for status, perks and mainly for money. 'Micah 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof *teach for hire, and *the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD [blessing] among us? [we are doing so well] none evil can come upon us.' - With the religious leaders of the land corrupt and working mainly towards their own comfortable agendas the governing (princes) and institutions can now become even more corrupt. 'Micah 7:3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh [for a false verdict], and the judge asketh for a reward [bribe]; and the great [popular] man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up [close the case].' - With corruption permeating the religious institutions, the government and the courts the people now live in fear even in fear that one in their own house will accuse them. 'Micah 7:5-6 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.' - The corrupt religious Babylon "lady that rides the beast" will be destroyed. 'Micah 7:10 Then she [false church] that is Mine enemy shall see it [destruction], and shame shall cover her which said unto Me, Where is the LORD thy God? Mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she [false church] be trodden down as the mire of the streets.' - Revelation 17:3-16 So he [Angel] carried me [Disciple John] away in the spirit into the wilderness [bleakness, emptiness]: and I saw a woman [false church] sit upon a scarlet coloured beast [global government], full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads [complete control] and ten horns [10 regions]. ... And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast [at the convenience of the beast], these [10 region super nations, entire world] shall hate the whore [false church], and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall [devour] eat her flesh, and [torment] burn her with fire. - The eventual fate of the false church that is currently arising predominantly as the prophet Micah said it would out of the merchandising of the word and the teachings of God and by the refusal of the religious leadership to be the ordained Salt and Light of Righteousness to the community as a whole. Note: Earlier Absalom the eldest son of King David was a usurper to his father's throne while his religious counselor and assistant Ahithophel was the betrayer of King David. Later Barabbas was attempting to usurp the rightful Kingdom and Throne of Jesus Christ as Judas became the religious betrayer at the First Coming of Jesus Christ. Now in the building of the Antichrist system at the Second Coming return of Jesus Christ to His Kingdom Throne the Antichrist [Satan] will have attempted to usurp the throne and Satan will have seated himself [Matthew 24:15] in Jerusalem as king of the world while an as of yet unknown false prophet will emerge out of the false betrayer 'Christian' church system. All of the usurpers Absalom [2 Samuel 18:9-15], Barabbas [crucified if the image on the shroud of Turin is Barabbas] and Antichrist (who Satan possesses) [Revelation 19:20] will have been destroyed while all of the betrayers Ahithophel [2 Samuel 17:23], Judas [Matthew 27:5] and the false church prophet [having already committed spiritual suicide Revelation 20:14 is cast alive (physical death, second death) into the lake of fire Revelation 19:20] each commit suicide [1 John 5:16]. The false church is the woman riding the beast believing that because they are making some money and presuming that they have some political influence they wrongly conclude that they are ridding the political/world government when in fact the beast is actually ridding them and can and will in a moment turn and trample the false church even though the false church is participating with the global government to the extent of helping to kill [Revelation 17:6] the true worshipers of God the false church is still despised to the point of being destroyed by the greedy, corrupt unjust system it helped create and further into a world power. For the church, false or not, to attempt to join and to ride the beast of the world government system is to knowingly and willingly commit spiritual suicide. -- Also Note: What at one time might have been [well actually never was] an honorable and acceptable system of Pastors and Churches receiving pay [additional payment] for their tapes, cds, mp3s, dvds and books is long past and has now become a restrictive system of corruption, compromise and greed. Worse yet ministries now have two scales [double minded, James 4:8] and give for free to some while charging others a fee and this is Not the Christian system. The Apostle Paul told the Churches to make copies of his letters [at their expense] and to make sure other Churches received them freely [Colossians 4:16], merchandising is not a part of the early Church. The early Church partnered with its people [and the people partnered (financially) with the ministries] to get the Word of God and Christian information out into the whole world not just conveniently selling it to some of the world. -- A Final Note: Jesus Christ paid on the cross the only price that can ever be paid for His bride. For people to sell or restrict the eternal life giving teachings of God as if they own them is a disgrace to their ministry and a betrayal to the cross of Jesus Christ.

MICAH: Themes in the Book of Micah - DANGERS OF EVIL - 1. Breaking Through Sin's Power SOURCES OF HOPE (Micah Ch. 1-4) - 2. [The entire world is] Called by God [into obedience] - 3. Absence of Righteousness: Growth of Evil - 4. Injustice (Psalms 10:1; Psalms 2:1-2) - 5. God's plans and purposes [for Israel and the world]

Historical Background of the Book of Micah: Along with a great influx of wealth into the Israelite society during Micah's time, came an increasing number of social evils. A quasi-peace pervaded over the smaller regional nations, which in some respects is much like post-war America. Accompanying the loss of morals came a warped view of God and a corrupt religious community. At this point the Northern and Southern Kingdoms (Israel and Judah) were happy with class oppression, decadent religious observances (6:7), and smug contentment before their God. In light of their rejection of Him, God was raising up a nation (Assyria) that would in the near future (722-721 BC) swallow up their wickedness. ... God's faithfulness to preserve God's people: The obvious is not so obvious. Many have taken God's anger against His people as a sign that He has "dropped" His people and His plan. If we went back just several hundred years, we would have met David and his family. But now the society has degenerated in a society *marked by the characteristics of nations around them rather than God. The nations are ready to gobble up the north and south kingdoms (4:11), but they [secular Judaism and the Gentile Nations] do not understand His remaking a Kingdom by a remnant (4:6-7; 5:7) [the Jewish remnant is faithful and does understand the significance of staying intact in order to carryout and fulfill the promises and covenants of God].

http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/References/OT/Prophets/Micah/Micah0_Themes_Background.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Micah 1-3 - Micah the prophet begins his ministry to the people alongside the prophets Isaiah and Nahum as God continues to providing wisdom, conformation and the safety of His collaborated message through the multitude of His counselors and prophets - 'Proverbs 11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.' -- 'Micah 1:1-3 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite [Jeremiah 26:18] in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria [Northern Israel] and Jerusalem [Southern Israel]. Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from His Holy Temple [Heaven]. For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of His place, and will come down, and tread upon the high [proud] places of the earth.'

Micah 3:9-12 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood [abortion], and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward [bribe], *and the priests thereof teach for hire, *and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD [blessing] among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion *for your [spiritual] sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house [Jerusalem Temple and the homes of the people] as [piled up as] the high places of the forest. - In His resurrection letter to the Church at Laodicea Jesus instructs the Church members that Tribulation and the resulting spiritual growth is as spiritually important to God as gold is to mankind. 'Revelation 3:14-19 And unto the angel [messenger] of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith [Jesus] the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [reject] thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: *I [Jesus] counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire [of affliction], that thou mayest be rich; and white [righteousness] raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with [humanity] eyesalve, that thou mayest see [the needs of humanity]. *As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent [change your mind and focus from the world to that of God in Heaven].' Note: God works through a multitude of people. The Bible was written by over forty different people yet they are all saying the same message. It isn't spiritually safe to get doctrine or teaching from only one person [i.e. as will happen with the future false prophet for the Antichrist] or from only one (Church) Pastor and the worst possible scenario of all is for someone to submit themselves to a legalistic and binding type of teaching coming only from one person or one group. Most mature Christians would discourage the temptation to get spiritual life directing info from one teacher or from only one Church denomination. Also Note (Part 1): The BasicChristian.org website servant ministry believes strongly in the counsel and prayers from a multiple of people and therefore always tries to maintain a variety of links and resources in order for people to attempt to hear and confirm the voice God through a multitude of teachers and prophets.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Micah 4-5 - Micah like all of the other Biblical prophets extends the vision and the scope of his prophecies out both globally and into the future Millennial Kingdom reign of Jesus Christ on earth -- 'Micah 4:1 But *in the last days [Millennial reign of Jesus Christ] it shall come to pass, that the Mountain [Government] of the House of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.'

Micah 4:15 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the Mountain [Government] of the House of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains [human nation governments], and it shall be exalted above the hills [individual human choice and decisions]; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD, and to the House of the God of Jacob; *and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law [image of God] shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of Hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk [be accountable] everyone in the name of his god [choose your god wisely], and we will walk in the Name of the LORD our God [eternally] forever and ever. - All people are individually accountable to God for the spiritual decisions that we each make in our own life. If we choose to worship a false god [money, pride, lust, etc.] we will walk with that false god strait into the destruction [Revelation 19:20] awaiting the false gods. However if we choose to walk with the real God Jesus Christ we will walk [John 14:1-4] with God in Heaven. -- Also Note (Part 2): The BasicChristian.org website servant ministry is a servant ministry providing Christian material and resources for the convenience of other people and as a simple service website ministry [and for other reasons] the Basic Christian ministry does not request financial partnership from other people. However it is important to know that the Basic Christian ministry is unique for a reason in not requesting financial assistance and is not intended as an example for other ministries to follow and in fact all ministries are encouraged to seek partnerships and donations it's the excessive Church merchandising that has become a hindrance [to Christians and non-Christians alike] in modern Christianity. - When the Basic Christian website ministry began [2001] a main concern was that knowing that as difficult topics would be discussed that the ministry would not become too costly of a ministry to the people who visit the website. Meaning that the Basic Christian ministry has expressed many spiritual concepts and has also been involved in many current events and political events and all of which come at an emotional and spiritual expense to the people visiting the website. Therefore feeling led by God not to also add the additional burden to people of requesting donations the Basic Christian ministry has gladly served without donations though it is recommended that all ministries do partner with others in prayers and finances and actually the prayers of people who have prayed for the Basic Christian ministry have been invaluable being worth much more than money to the ministry and the website might not even exist or certainly the clarity and extensive nature of the research and messages would not exist without the prayer support of others. In conclusion the current general modern Church merchandising model is a broken, corrupt, unbiblical model and desperately needs to change [and I have sent out emails to merchandising ministries with no responses - more on that later] but there is a valid need both for ministries to receive finances from people and for people to give to and to partner with ministries. - Lastly, while we are studying about the problems of Church merchandising I just don't want to give the wrong impression that because the Basic Christian ministry does not request donations that other ministries are not to as well when in fact all ministries should seek the partnerships of prayers and finances for their ministries and they should spend that money as they determine is best for their ministry. Again because of the unique nature of the Basic Christian ministry I don't foresee any future plans of suddenly requesting donations for the Basic Christian ministry it just seems to be too costly and a Trifecta [religion, politics and money] that we do not want to complete. Instead the Basic Christian ministry would much rather be a simple servant ministry that is diligently and faithfully trying to encourage others to complete their destiny and to fulfill their purpose in life as people walk with and experience God for themselves in their own life.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Micah 6-7 - Micah concludes his valuable ministry to all people and reveals that for all mankind the desired plans of God are that people would walk in fellowship with God - 'Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?'

Micah 6:6-8 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the High God? shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? *He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? - A relationship with God is not intended by God to be complicated. A relationship with God is complicated not by God but by men and usually the very same men that seek to complicate a relationship with God [i.e. that Pentecost with flames of fire on the heads of people as they speak in tongues is what it takes to start to become a Christian - and because that isn't complicated enough (and unbiblical as Pentecost is empowerment of the Church not the start of the Church) the Pastors will gladly sell their even more complicated plan of salvation to the people for a profit] are the same people who merchandise and profit from their complicated plans aimed from the beginning at adding confusion to the body and bride of Christ just so they can keep an audience to themselves and profit from that audience through the very confusion that is being perpetuated and increasingly introducing.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== NAHUM ===== The Book of Nahum - Nahum stands in contrast [completion] to the book of Jonah [Nahum is Jonah II], [Jonah] which depicts at an earlier time, Yahweh's [God's] concern for even His [Israel's] bitterest enemy, Assyria - But now [a generation after Jonah] Assyria's sin has "reached its full measure" (Genesis 15:16) - The book of Nahum is a carefully crafted and executed piece of poetry in which a whole variety of prophetic forms - hymns, salvation, doom, taunt, dirge - are carefully interwoven so as to effect what is basically a "woe oracle" over Ninevah (Assyria), along with a salvation oracle over [Southern Israel] Judah (Doc)

OVERVIEW: Nahum is an unrelenting denunciation of, and pronouncement of, God's judgment against Assyria for her own unrelenting cruelty as master of the nations. As such, Nahum stands in contrast to the book of Jonah, which depicts at an earlier time, Yahweh's concern for even His bitterest enemy, Assyria. But now Assyria's sin has "reached its full measure" (Genesis 15:16), and Yahweh's famous patience is at an end. The key to Nahum's message is 1:7,8 which simultaneously expresses comfort for Judah and destruction for Ninevah. The overall progression of the prophecy is straight forward. It begins with a Divine Warrior victory hymn (1:2-8), the last lines of which (vs. 7,8) serve also to introduce the first major oracle (1:9 - 2:2). This is followed by a vision of Ninevah's ruin (2:3-10), plus a taunt (vs. 11-13). Next comes a series of oracles and taunts that declare the absolute certainty of Ninevah's demise (3:1-17), concluding with a satirical dirge over the fallen empire (vs. 18,19). -- UNDERSTANDING NAHUM: The book of Nahum is a carefully crafted and executed piece of poetry in which a whole variety of prophetic forms - hymns, salvation, doom, taunt, dirge - are carefully interwoven so as to effect what is basically a "woe oracle" over Ninevah (Assyria), along with a salvation oracle over Judah. Part of Nahum's mastery is his immediate introduction of Yahweh (1:2-6) followed by the interweaving of oracles against Ninevah and to Judah, without mentioning Judah until 1:15 and Ninevah until 2:8 (the NIV supplies the names earlier to help the reader through the alternating pattern in the first oracle). All of this is expressed in poetic style with a whole variety of parallelisms and evocative imagery.

http://www.visionchristianfamily.com/index.php?option=com_rokdownloads&task=download&id=88&Itemid=7 ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Nahum 1-3 - The prophecies and book of Nahum is considered to be a counterpart to the earlier book of Jonah - Where Jonah went to Assyria to provide that generation with the opportunity to repent the prophet Nahum now prophesies of the coming destruction of Assyria in the next generation or two - The prophet Nahum reveals the God is the overseer of the nations all of the nations the Jewish nation of Israel as well as the powerful Gentile nations like Assyria -- 'Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: *the LORD hath His way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet.' {Note: continually the Bible declares that the creation [Mother Nature] reveals and testifies to the glory of God.}

Nahum 3:18-19 Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man gathereth them. There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually? - The prophet Nahum prophesies primarily towards the ancient national power of Assyria. Assyria was an ancient power center ruling for approximately 700 years it was centrally located on the Tigris River in northern modern Iraq and was originally a part of the original set of ancient cities founded by the ancient ruler Nimrod. - Earlier the prophet Jonah was sent to Nineveh the capital of Assyria delivering a message of delayed judgment if the nation repented before God and the nation of Assyria did repented for a generation or two and now Nahum is prophesying the eventual destruction of Assyria the mighty nation that itself oversaw the destruction of every nation that was within its grasp to topple and destroy.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== HABAKKUK ===== Wikipedia.org: The Book of Habakkuk - The Book of Habakkuk is the eighth book of the 12 minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible - It is attributed to the prophet Habakkuk and was probably composed in the late 7th century BCE (606 B.C.) - A copy of chapters 1 and 2 (of 3) is included in the Habakkuk Commentary, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls - Habakkuk may have been a Levite and singer in the [Jerusalem] Temple - Note: A common Timeline for the Prophet Habakkuk is that his Ministry to Israel concluded about 606 B.C. -- 606 B.C. Prophet Habakkuk finishes his Ministry - [one year later] 605 B.C. The Battle of Carchemish [Babylon defeats Egypt] - 586 B.C. The fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple

Background: The prophet Habakkuk is generally believed to have written his book in the mid to late 7th century BCE, not long before the Babylonians' siege and capture of Jerusalem. Author: Habakkuk identifies himself as a prophet in the opening verse. Due to the liturgical nature of the book of Habakkuk, there have been some scholars who think that the author may have been a temple prophet. Temple prophets are described in 1 Chronicles 25:1 as using lyres, harps and cymbals. Some feel that this is echoed in Habakkuk 3:19b, and that Habakkuk may have been a Levite and singer in the Temple. There is no biographical information on the prophet Habakkuk; in fact less is known about him than any other writer of the Bible. The only canonical information we have comes from the book that is named for him. His name comes either from the Hebrew word (khavak) meaning "embrace" or else from an Akkadian word hambakuku for a kind of plant. Although his name does not appear in any other part of the Jewish Bible, Rabbinic tradition holds Habakkuk to be the Shunammite woman's son, who was restored to life by Elisha in 2 Kings 4:16. The prophet Habakkuk is also mentioned in the tale of Bel and the Dragon, part of the deuterocanonical additions to Daniel in a late section of that book. In the superscription of the Old Greek version, Habakkuk is called the son of Joshua of the tribe of Levi. In this book Habakkuk is lifted by an angel to Babylon to provide Daniel with some food while he is in the lion's den. - Historical context: The Chaldean Empire around 600 BCE. It is unknown when Habakkuk lived and preached, but the reference to the rise and advance of the Chaldeans in 1:6-11 places him in the middle to last quarter of the 7th century BC. One possible period might be during the reign of Jehoiakim, from 609-598 BC. The reasoning for this date is that during his reign that the Babylonians were growing in power. The Babylonians marched against Jerusalem in 598. Jehoiakim died while the Babylonians were marching towards Jerusalem and Jehoiakim's 8 year old son, Jehoiachin assumed the throne. Upon the Babylonians' arrival, Jehoiachin and advisors surrendered Jerusalem after a short time. With the transition of rulers and the age/inexperience of Jehoiachin, they were not able to stand against Chaldean forces. There is a sense of an intimate knowledge of the Babylonian brutality in 1:12-17.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Habakkuk ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Habakkuk 1 - The Prophet Habakkuk prophesied during the middle period prophets - Because of musical references in Habakkuk's writing it is thought that Habakkuk was a Levite Temple Choir singer - Habakkuk's main message and main concern is the common theme that God does not seem to be intervening against the commonplace injustices and evil of the day - Then when God does intervene God does so in a completely unexpected way i.e. sending His children in to exile, destroying His city of Jerusalem and His Temple building -- 'Habakkuk 1:1-2 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see. O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! - Note: We as humans seldom understand the way God is intervening in our lives and in humanity because God is working to form fruit [Galatians 5:22-26] and maturity in our lives. Seldom does the fruits of the Holy Spirit and the maturity God is seeking from humans come from humans in a conferrable, relaxed condition. The fruits of God do come from the rest, faith and trust in God during times of peril.'

Habakkuk 1:3 Why dost thou shew me [to discern] iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: *for I (God) will work a work in your days [captivity of the Jews, destruction of Jerusalem, destruction of the Temple], which ye will not believe, though it [already] be told you [in prophecy]. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. - Habakkuk a righteous man, probably a member of the Temple choir is looking around and seeing many of the failings of mankind and like many godly men Habakkuk is asking God why He isn't dealing with the ungodly. Habakkuk then comes to realize that God as a faithful Father first and foremost deals with the shortcomings of His own children. - 1 Peter 4:17-19 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God: and if it first begin at us [Christians], what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved [only by the cross of Jesus], where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear [only at the judgment]? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful [Father] Creator.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Habakkuk 2 - The prophet Habakkuk is dissatisfied with the actions of his fellow man he continues to seek answers accepting only the answers that come from God -- 'Habakkuk 2:2-4 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run [excel] that readeth it. ... Behold, his [worshiper] soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: *but the just shall live by his faith.' - The Apostle Paul then goes on to use his paraphrase "the just shall live by faith" as a cornerstone and a guidestone to his Apostolic Ministry and quotes it as a main theme in each of his three major New Testament epistle writings; Romans, Galatians, and the Book of Hebrews.

Habakkuk 2:1-6 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run [excel] that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: *but the just shall live by his faith. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he [Babylon] is a proud man, neither keepeth at home [his desires], who enlargeth his desire [upon others] as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay [human frailty]! - God is answering Habakkuk in a direct way about the shortcomings of mankind and specifically the desires of the Nation and King of Babylon, yet in actuality it is ultimately a judgment against Satan as the people who are seeking after their own pride are actually serving Satan and his original fall resulting from his pride.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Habakkuk 3 - The Prophet Habakkuk hears from God and realizes that the wrath [correction and maturity] that God has for His children is just as necessary as the ever-present mercy God has for His children -- 'Habakkuk 3:1-2 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth. O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.'

The Prophet Habakkuk closes out his Ministry to Israel by composing a song of declaration by stating his faith and trust in the judgments and ways of God. - Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my Salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high [Heavenly] places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== ZEPHANIAH ===== Book of Zephaniah: Historical Overview - Zephaniah calls God's people to repentance and hope - Will you? Will I respond?

Historical Introduction: Zephaniah the prophet prophesied during the reign of King Josiah who ascended his throne in 639 BC. at the age of eight years-old (2 Chronicles 34-35). The book of Zephaniah was written before 629 BC when Josiah found and eagerly read the holy scriptures discovered in the temple. He later celebrated a great Passover feast and cleansed both the temple and the priests. At this time, Assyria had already captured the northern kingdom of Israel. Over hundred years had past. God was now ready to destroy Judah the southern kingdom. But because of Josiah's reform, the fall of Judea was postponed until shortly after Josiah's time. Zephaniah's message no doubt played a key part in this revival.

http://www.foundationsforfreedom.net/References/OT/Prophets/Zephaniah/Zephaniah03.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zephaniah 1-2 - The Prophet Zephaniah [from the Tribe of Judah] a 4th generation descendant of King Hezekiah is a fellow middle period prophet with the Prophets Jeremiah and Habakkuk [actually slightly earlier than Habakkuk] - Zephaniah is going to have a short but compelling Ministry to Israel - Zephaniah much like the vision Jeremiah had of the two baskets of figs, the basket of very good figs and the basket of very bad figs with no in-between figs [Jeremiah 24:1-3] - Zephaniah is going to contrast the coming events in the darkness of wrath for the evildoer and in a brightness of Salvation for the "remnant of God's people" -- 'Zephaniah 1:1-2 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. *I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the LORD.'

Zephaniah 1:7-18 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel. In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from the second, and a great crashing from the hills. Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off. *And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles [i.e. The Passover feast and the practice of searching with a lit candle the floor and counters for bits of leven to be removed from the household before the Passover Feast begins], and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. - The Prophet Zephaniah dramatically illustrates the coming wrath of God a wrath that is to equal the 'bad fig' unjust behavior of mankind.

Zephaniah 3 - The Prophet Zephaniah after revealing the devastating wrath of God upon the ungodly now reveals the much higher magnitude of the Salvation of God -- 'Zephaniah 3:14-17 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. ... The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing.'

Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: the King of Israel [God], even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing. I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: *for I will make you a Name and a praise among all people of the earth, *when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the LORD. - As mighty as the wrath and the judgments of God are, even during the future ultimate wrath of Revelation, God is continually doing a work of Salvation that far surpasses and exceeds His work of wrath.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== HAGGAI ===== Walking Thru The Bible - HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH and MALACHI - These last three Prophets [and probably the Prophet Joel] in the Old Testament are from the period following the Babylonian captivity which we often call the "Restoration Period" or post-exilic period - The common message of these Prophets was: return to the right ways of the Lord - Haggai and Zechariah were particularly concerned with the rebuilding of the Temple which had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians nearly 70 years before [the Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C. during the third captivity of Jerusalem by Babylon then it was completed and dedicated in 516 B.C. seventy years after its initial destruction - (Daniel and the first captives left Jerusalem in 606 B.C. (1st captivity of Babylon) twenty years before the Temple was destroyed then after 70 years in Babylon at 536 B.C. the Jews began to return to Jerusalem and 20 years later in 516 B.C. dedicated the 2nd Temple)] - The people had been tending to their personal affairs and neglecting the temple and other spiritual responsibilities

HAGGAI: Haggai has been described as a man with a single ambition. He preached to a poor, discouraged, and frightened people. He attributed their lack of success in all areas of their national life to the single fact of their neglect of the temple. In a bold and authoritative manner, he pleaded for the people to rebuild the temple. Haggai and Zechariah are credited with getting the temple completed c. 516 BC (Ezra 6:14-15). The dates of Haggai's ministry which is covered in the book is only about four months in the year 520 BC (1:1; 2:1; 2:10; 2:20). The temple foundation had been laid almost immediately after the exiles returned from Babylon. But then about sixteen years intervened before the work resumed. It took the powerful exhortation of Haggai and Zechariah to motivate Zerubbabel and Jeshua to arise and begin to rebuilt the house of God. -- ZECHARIAH: Zechariah was born and reared in Babylon and was among the group that returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel (Neh. 12:1,4,16). He was evidently younger than Haggai and his recorded ministry continued a year or so beyond the record of Haggai. Under Haggai and Zechariah's preaching the people were stirred to again take up the rebuilding of the temple. While Haggai rebuked and admonished, Zechariah encouraged and looked to brighter days. Their work was fully complementary and compatible. The book of Zechariah contains many visions and a great deal of apocalyptic symbolism. It is the longest and the most difficult of all the Minor Prophets. Message of Zechariah: This book is also divided into four sections. 1. There is a call for repentance (1:1-6). 2. There is a series of [nine] night visions about the future of the people of God and His Kingdom. 3. There is a question about fasting raised (7:1-3), and the point is that fasting is useless without obedience (7:4-7). The Lord's expectations of the people are stated (7:8-8:23). 4. The people of God are reassured about the future. The heathen nations will fall (9:1-7), and the Messiah will appear (9:8-11:17). Salvation will be established in spiritual Israel, the church (12:1-14:21). -- MALACHI: Malachi was the last writing prophet to serve God under the Law of Moses. The material within the book parallels the situation described in Nehemiah 13. Nehemiah had served as governor during the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and a few years following. He had returned to Persia to serve the king and in chapter 13 he has returned to serve as governor a second time. The sins dealt with in Malachi are those found in Nehemiah 13 and thus Malachi may be dated about 433 BC. Background: The priests were lax and wicked, offerings were being neglected, divorce was common, and justice was being perverted. Malachi's intense love for God and the people of God moved him to speak with great urgency in the streets and market places. Malachi uses a "question-answer" method of preaching. Malachi challenged the apathy and disloyalty of the people. Poverty and hard times had come. The people were questioning the love of God because of their difficulties and the prophet placed the blame where it really belonged. It was the sin of the people--not the lack of divine love--which was at the root of the problems (cf. Isa. 59:1-2). Outline of Malachi: The book opens with an affirmation of the love of God for his people (1:1-5) and shows how that love has been spurned (1:6-2:9). A specific rebuke of the people of Malachi's day for their widespread profanation of marriage is given (2:10-16). Finally, the prophet looks forward to the coming of the Messiah.

http://hiwaay.net/~wgann/walk/malachi.htm The Book of Haggai - The book has the same title in Hebrew as it has in English and Greek translation - The name Haggai seems to be an adjective derived from the Hebrew word for "feast"; therefore his name means "festive" - He proclaimed the Word of God over a five month period in 520 B.C. - In his book and in Ezra he is referred to as "Prophet" he is also called the "Angel of the LORD" that is, the messenger of Yahweh (Haggai 1:13) - It is possible to date Haggai's prophesies very exactly: The first day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius I (Haggai 1:1), which would be August 29, 520 B.C.

There are two references to Haggai in the Bible outside of his own book: Ezra 5:1 and 6:14. Haggai's name is often linked with Zechariah (there may even be an allusion to him in Zechariah 8:9), since Zechariah was prophesying about the same time in Judah and Jerusalem. He proclaimed the word of God over a five month period in 520 BC. How he came to be in Jerusalem, whether he was an exile or if he had already been there, is unknown. In his book and in Ezra he is referred to as "prophet. He is also called the "Angel of the LORD" -- that is, the messenger of Yahweh, in Haggai 1:13. It is possible to date Haggai's prophesies very exactly: 1. The first day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius I (1:1), which would be August 29, 520 BC. 2. The twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of the second year of Darius I, when they resumed work on the second temple (1:15a), which would be September 21, 520 BC. 3. The twenty-first day of the seventh month of the second year of Darius I, which would be October 21, 520 BC. 4. The twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the second year of Darius I (2:19-20), which would be December 18, 520 BC. -- By 520 BC some of the Jews had been back in Jerusalem for several years. Cyrus had conquered Babylon in 538 BC. He then issued a decree that all of Babylon's captives could return to their homes. Ezra 1-6 describes the first group of Jews to make that trip home. They came at great sacrifice, but also with high hopes; however, when they reached Jerusalem around 536 BC, there was nothing but ruins, poverty, and opposition from the Samaritans and the local population. Consequently, nothing was done about rebuilding the temple between 536 and 520 BC, when Haggai came on the scene. For more information, look at Ezra 5:13-16, where the people had been ordered to rebuild the temple, had even started, but then failed to finish. Read Ezra 1-6 for background. -- III. An Outline of Haggai: I. Yahweh's call to rebuild the temple 1:1-15. II. Yahweh's promise to restore the glory 2:1-9. III. Yahweh's blessings on a defiled people 2:10-19. IV. Yahweh makes Zerubbabel his signet ring 2:20-23.

http://www.theology.edu/biblesurvey/haggai.htm Haggai: Building the Temple of God - The Book of Haggai consists of two small chapters near the end of the Old Testament of the Bible - *Despite being small [minor] in size, *it contains material that is of significant relevance to all ages - One of the primary messages from this book is that God must be put first in the life of a believer - As well as that, it is shown that God is quite specific in His requirements and does not allow re-interpretation of them - Instead the encouraging warning is given to "consider your ways"

At the time of the first return from exile, the people immediately started the work of rebuilding the temple. Unfortunately, by the time the foundation was laid, the neighboring nations were frustrating the construction efforts, and then during the reign of Artaxerxes they were able to convince the Persian king to call a complete stop to the efforts. The opposition of their neighbors at the time halted the progress, and since then no more work had been done. Apart from the physical impediment to construction, this would also have had an effect on attitudes of the constructors. It would have been very difficult for them, being enthusiastic with the best of intentions, but being frustrated by the heathen about them. Presumably, after this setback, the people saw that the seventy years of desolations was not fulfilled and they were content to wait. The real problem was that they waited longer than necessary before attempting to rebuild again. They had originally become disillusioned because they had been unable to do the work of God in rebuilding the temple. This disillusionment prevented them from beginning construction when the time was right. There appears to be a common theme through scripture that enthusiasm needs to be sustained. On many occasions people have had to wait before their commitment is tested. It is often necessary to have a lasting enthusiasm that is strong enough to overcome delays and difficulties. One example of this is Abraham. He was offered the promises reasonably early in his life, but it wasn't until much later that he was given the son through which the promises would be carried out. Another example is in King David. After the initial anointing and then the defeat of Goliath, it was a long, hard struggle before he finally gained control of the throne of Israel. During the time he was being pursued by Saul, it would have been very tempting for him to give up the ways of God. Consider also the life of Joshua. In his youth he was given the dreams showing his future importance, but it was a long time after that before he saw success. In the meantime he had to endure slavery, imprisonment and the threat of death. In the garden of Gethsemane, Peter was ready to cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, but shortly later he denied even any association with Jesus. The excitement of the original situation had provoked him to fight for Jesus regardless of the cost, but over the subsequent hours his temperament changed. By the morning he was no longer a fighter, but instead chose denial. Regardless of whether Peter was right in his actions or not, It shows that there is a tendency for enthusiasm to degrade with time. ... Consider Your Ways: The Hebrew phrase that is translated "consider" in Haggai is quite rare in the scripture. It is "suwm (soom) lebab (lay-bawb')", which means "to set/make" your "heart / determination / thinking" but with emphasis is if a command under fear. Apart from Haggai, the closest usage of this phrase is in Deuteronomy where Moses, at the end of his life, urges the people of Israel to consider the words of the law. ... The length of time between the two writings indicates that the quotation of the same phrase is more than just a linguistic coincidence. It is as though Haggai is referring back to this passage to remind the people where they came from and the hope they could have. Those words in Deuteronomy were meant for the Israelites when they first came into the land [from captivity in Egypt]. ... The warning under Joshua the son of Nun was just as applicable under Joshua the son of Josedech. (the high priest during the return). Similarly, the life of Joshua the son of God was a message to "consider your ways." Note: Joshua the Son of God is the man we know as Jesus. Jesus is the English translation of the Greek translation of his original Hebrew name. The Hebrew name is usually directly translated as Joshua, as in the Son of Nun. Just as people have ignored the warnings from the Joshua of old, so it is possible to ignore the message of Jesus. ... While the peoples' hearts had not been perfect, within three weeks of the original prophecy they had obeyed the voice of God and considered their ways. In response to this, God added to their strength to assure them of success.

http://www.2pi.info/bible/studies/Haggai1/view.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Haggai 1 - Haggai a Prophet in Israel after the return from Babylon begins to Prophecy regarding the completion of the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem - - Haggai 1:1-5 In the second year of Darius the King, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month (August 29, 520 B.C.), came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Governor of Judah [appointed by Persia], and to *Joshua (lit. Jesus) the son of Josedech, the High Priest, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts, saying, *This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built. Then came the Word of the LORD by Haggai the Prophet, saying, *Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled [roofed - completed] houses, and this House [Temple] lie [a false representation of God] waste? *Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Haggai 1:6-15 Ye have sown [planted] much, and bring [harvest] in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. *Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the House [Temple]; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of Mine House [Temple] that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. *Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the High Priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, *and the people did fear before the LORD. Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, *I am with you, saith the LORD. And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Governor of Judah, and the *Spirit of Joshua (Jesus) the son of Josedech, the High Priest, *and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month (September 21, 520 B.C.), in the second year of Darius the king. - Note: "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the House [Temple]; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD." Is another of the many references to New Testament Christianity by the Prophet Haggai and the other Prophets both the major Prophets and the minor Prophets but especially the minor Prophets. The Mountain is a New Testament allusion to government (self-will)and wood is a reference to people. God is saying to the New Testament Christian to go evangelize those that are 'self-willed' to bring them to Church and to build His New testament Temple with wood (people) and in that in His Temple an eternal Temple built without human hands (Daniel 2:4) God will be glorified.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Haggai 2 - Haggai instructs the people to be strong and to have confidence in the faithfulness of God and that through God's strength the People of God will achieve and fulfill the plans of God -- 'Haggai 1:2-5 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month (October 21, 520 B.C.), came the Word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the High Priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this House [Temple] in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? *Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the High Priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: *for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: *According to the Word [promises] that I Covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.'

The Bible's book of Haggai concludes: Haggai 2:6-23 For thus saith the LORD of Hosts; *Yet once, it is a little while [Book of Revelation], and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all Nations, and the desire of all Nations [to serve God and support Israel or not to serve God and go against Israel] shall come [manifest]: and I will fill this [eternal] House [Temple] with Glory, saith the LORD of Hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of Hosts. *The glory of this latter [eternal] House shall be greater than of the former [Solomon's], saith the LORD of Hosts: and *in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of Hosts. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month (December 18, 520 B,C.), in the second year of Darius, came the Word of the LORD by Haggai the Prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts; Ask now the Priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, *No. Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be *unclean. Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this Nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer [without the life blood covering] there is unclean. And now, I pray you, *consider from this day and upward, from *before [work started] a stone was laid upon a stone in the Temple of the LORD: Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat [olive press] for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty. I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD. *Consider now from this day (December 18, 520 B.C.) and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S Temple was laid [536 B.C. 16 years earlier by the decree of King Cyrus], consider it. Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day (December 18, 520 B.C.) will I bless you. And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms [earthly and heavenly], and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. In that {resurrection} day, saith the LORD of Hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel (lit. one conceived and born in Babylon), my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet (ring) [Son, authority, approval]: for I have chosen thee [out of Babylon], saith the LORD of Hosts.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== ZECHARIAH ===== The Book of Zechariah - The historical background of Zechariah's prophecy is the same as that of Haggai, both seers [Prophets - 'seer' is a reference to ancient Israel when God led them out of Egypt and into the Promise Land the people could "see" God in their midst i.e. the pillar of fire by day; after the people rejected God's presence and wanted a King (Saul) the ministry switched from 'seer' to 'prophet' (1 Samuel 9:9)] ministering during the same period and having similar missions - Zechariah's ministry was to encourage the Jewish remnant by the promise of present success and future glory - His theme then was: In view of the future glories of the times of the Messiah, the Nation should serve God faithfully through their present distress - Zechariah's prophecies were concerned more with the coming of the Messiah to build a spiritual temple than with the building of Zerubbabel's Temple, which was only a type of the future spiritual temple - The book begins with an admonition and then continues with a series of nine visions symbolic of hope

THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH: Zechariah's prophecies were concerned more with the coming of the Messiah to build a spiritual temple than with the building of Zerubbabel's Temple, which was only a type of the future spiritual temple. The Apostle Peter has given us a splendid view of the inspiration and the ministry of the Old Testament prophets: Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into (I Peter 1:10-12). -- THEME: The historical background of Zechariah's prophecy is the same as that of Haggai, both seers ministering during the same period and having similar missions. Zechariah's ministry was to encourage the Jewish remnant by the promise of present success and future glory. His theme then was: In view of the future glories of the times of the Messiah, the nation should serve God faithfully through their present distress. -- AUTHOR: Zechariah was probably born in Babylon. He was Haggai's colleague and began prophesying a short time after him. -- CONTENTS: 1. Symbolic: Visions of Hope (Chapters 1-6). The book begins with an admonition and then continues with a series of nine visions symbolic of hope. The visions are: 1. The horses. 2. The four horns and carpenters. 3. The measuring line. 4. *Joshua (lit. Jesus), the High Priest. 5. The golden candlestick and the olive trees. 6. The flying roll. 7. *The ephah [the 'End Time' return of the (demonic) spiritual realm back to Babylon]. 8. The four chariots. 9. The symbolic crowning of Joshua (Jesus), the High Priest. *This was a symbolic merger of the two [previously unmergable] offices of King and (High) Priest in the coming of the Messiah [Jesus Christ, including the third office of Prophet - Jesus Christ being the King, the High Priest (Melchizedek) and the Prophet of God] ...

http://www.slideshare.net/chreezmd/the-book-of-zechariah Wikipedia.org: Book of Zechariah - The Book of Zechariah is a book of the Hebrew Bible attributed to the prophet Zechariah

Historical Context: Zechariah's ministry took place during the reign of Darius the Great (Zechariah 1:1), and was contemporary with Haggai in a post-exilic world after the fall of Jerusalem in 586/7 BC. Ezekiel and Jeremiah wrote prior to the fall of Jerusalem, while continuing to prophesy in the earlier exile period. Scholars believe Ezekiel, with his blending of ceremony and vision, heavily influenced the visionary works of Zechariah 1-8. Zechariah is specific about dating his writing (520-518 BC). During the Exile many Jews were taken to Babylon, where the prophets told them to make their homes (Jeremiah 29), suggesting they would spend a long period of time there. Eventually freedom did come to many Israelites, when Cyrus the Great overtook the Babylonians in 539 BC. In 538 BC, the famous Edict of Cyrus was released, and the first return took place under Shebazzar. After the death of Cyrus in 530 BC, Darius consolidated power and took office in 522 BC. His system divided the different colonies of the empire into easily manageable districts overseen by governors. Zerubbabel comes into the story, appointed by Darius as governor over the district of Yehud (Judah). Under the reign of Darius, Zechariah also emerged, centering around the rebuilding of the temple. Unlike the Babylonians, the Persian Empire went to great lengths to keep "cordial relations" between vassal and lord. The rebuilding of the temple was encouraged by the leaders of the empire in hopes that it would strengthen the authorities in local contexts. This policy was good politics on the part of the Persians, and the Jews viewed it as a blessing from God. -- The Prophet: Zechariah (Hebrew prophet) His name means "God has remembered." Not much is known about Zechariah's life other than what may be inferred from the book. It has been speculated that his ancestor Iddo was the head of a priestly family who returned with Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 12:4), and that Zechariah may himself have been a priest as well as a prophet. This is supported by Zechariah's interest in the Temple and the priesthood, and from Iddo's preaching in the Books of Chronicles. -- Composition: The return from exile [and End Time Events] is the theological premise of prophet's visions in chapters 1-6. Chapters 7-8 address the quality of life God wants his renewed people to enjoy, containing many encouraging promises to them. Chapters 9-14 comprise two "oracles" of the future.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Zecharia List of some of the Messianic prophecies fufilled by Jesus - The Old Testament testifies about the Messiah - NKJV, Psalm 40:7 Then I said, "Behold I come. In the scroll of the book it is written of Me" - KJV, Psalm 40:7 "Then said I [Messiah], Lo, I come: in the volume [whole] of the Book [Holy Bible] it is written of Me" - {Note: This website is trying to put together O.T. Prophecy using the faulty NKJV bible version and it really doesn't work but they have some interesting concepts though it's difficult and even impossible at times to interpret their concepts because of their use of adverse NKJV quotes.}

Wounded By His Friends: Anyone can inflict severe physical wounds. But only your friends and family can inflict the most severe emotional wounds. When [King] David sinned [through pride] by ordering a census God gave him three choices for his punishment. They were seven years of famine, three months fleeing from his enemies or three days pestilence. He chose his friend, God. ... I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the Lord for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man. 2 Samuel 24:14 God had the same choice. He could give His blood for mankind through His own efforts. He did not need the contribution of an evil deed to pay the price for sin. He could sweat blood and He could lay down His own life. It was the blood that was taken into the altar as an atonement, not the dead animal. But the forces of evil were going to take the opportunity to murder Him. And He must submit. He probably had the choice of falling into the hands of Satan, the Gentiles, His enemies or His friends. He chose to be wounded by His friends. [NKJV (a faulty translation), Zechariah 13:6 "And one will say to Him, what are these *wounds between Your arms? Then He will say "those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends" -- KJV, Zechariah 13:6 "And one shall say unto Him, What are these *wounds [pierced nail holes] in thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." This is why the behavior of the tribes were listed as blessings even though it cost Him His life. Only the children of His friend Abraham could be entrusted with this task. So the test of Abraham takes on another symbolic meaning. Abraham was allowed to experience the agony of God who had to give up His only Son to death. He was also the one to hold the knife to kill his son. The seed of Abraham also had to experience the agony of Abraham. They were the ones who would kill the favorite Son of their friend, God! What agony! It was also symbolic of what the atonement did. He would die for His friends because of His friends. Our sins killed Him, therefore we must hold the knife, not Satan or those who reject His atoning death. He would die at the hands of the priests and sinners among His own chosen people. Therefore, although Israel sinned, God chose them over anyone else to kill Him. It was also His will that the Jews would be separated from the Christians so that He could maintain an accurate knowledge of His covenant for the people at the end of time. Therefore, it is only fair that God should bring them back from this cloud of infamy. So, Paul says that they will be grafted back in. Isaiah says that their dignity would be restored and they will be a light to the Gentiles.

http://www.teachinghearts.org/dre17hdan09b.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 1-2 - The Prophet Zechariah begins his Ministry the month before the last month of the Prophetic and encouragement Ministry of the Prophet Haggai -- 'Zechariah 1:1-6 In the eighth month (October, 520 B.C.), in the second year of Darius, came the Word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet, saying, The LORD [God] hath been sore displeased with your fathers. Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts; *Turn ye unto Me [don't follow people, don't serve people - follow and serve God], saith the LORD of Hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of Hosts. *Be ye not as your fathers [who look for man's approval], unto whom the former Prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts; Turn ye now from your evil [humanistic] ways, and from your evil [self-centered] doings: but they did not hear, nor hearken unto Me, saith the LORD. Your fathers, where are they? and the Prophets, do they live forever? *But My Words [Holy Bible] and My Statutes [Promises and Commandments], which I Commanded My servants the Prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of Hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath He [God has] dealt with us.'

Zechariah 1:7-13 Deliver thyself [come out of 'Mystery Babylon' (Revelation 17:5)], O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. For thus saith [Jesus] the LORD of hosts; After the glory [cross and resurrection] hath He [Father] sent Me [Jesus] unto the Nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you [Israel] toucheth the apple [shine] of His eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of Hosts hath sent Me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: *for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD. *And many [Gentile] Nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day [the Christian Church era], and shall be My people [Christians]: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of Hosts hath sent Me unto thee [Israel]. And *the LORD shall *inherit Judah [the area of Jerusalem] His {Firstborn} portion in the Holy Land [Israel], and shall choose Jerusalem again. *Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for He is raised up [resurrection] out of His Holy [physical body] habitation. - Note: Zechariah and the other Minor Prophets have a Ministry of directly prophesying of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Nation of Israel had been rebuilt and established and then the next event on the Divine prophetic calendar and agenda was to manifest the Messiah [Jesus Christ] in Israel, to redeem [cross] and save (heal) [resurrection] mankind for all eternity and to then bring about and establish the predominantly Gentile Christian Church on earth all of which was either successfully fulfilled at the time of Jesus Christ or is now ongoing in His Christian Church even to this present day.

Zechariah's Eight Visions for [the Glory and Honor of] Israel - {The 9th vision (Word from the Lord) was "The symbolic crowning of Joshua, the High Priest. This was a symbolic merger of the two [three] offices of King and High Priest [and Prophet the 'Branch' (Nazarene -Netzer the green living, alive, anointed branch capable of growth, bearing fruit and of self-reproduction)] in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ} - Zechariah 6:11-15 Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the High Priest; And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH [living, Christ]; and He shall grow up out of His place [Heaven], and *He shall build the [eternal] Temple of the LORD: Even He shall build the Temple of the LORD; and He shall bear [have] the Glory, and shall sit and rule upon His Throne [King]; and He shall be a *Priest upon His Throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both [office of King and office of Priest]. And [for a prophecy remembrance] the crowns [just made by Zechariah] shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, *for a memorial [remembrance] in the Temple of the LORD [intended to be there until the Messiah comes - Jesus was instead crowned with thorns by Herod's troops (Matthew 27:29)]. And they [Gentiles] that are far off shall come and build in the [eternal] Temple of the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of Hosts hath sent Me unto you. *And this [crowning the Messiah in Jerusalem] shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God. - {Note: This will still come to pass, not at the 1st coming of Jesus but at the 2nd coming of Jesus.}

What Does This Mean to Us? - The rest of the book of Zechariah contains more promises of forgiveness for Israel, blessings of restoration of the land and people from exile, and judgment on the nations who come against God's eternal plans and promises. Of the people of Israel, God called them to "administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other" (Zech. 7:9-10). Of the land of Israel, God cries out: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem I will save My people from the countries of the east and the west. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be My people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God" (Zech. 8:2,3,8). Of the people of the nations, God says, "In those days, ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the edge of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you'" (Zech. 8:23). Of the choice the nations must make: "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding people reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves On that day, I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem" (Zech. 12:2-3,9). Of the Jewish people, He says: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son On that day, a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity" (Zech. 12:10; 13:1). Of the Messiah, "On that day, His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. Then, the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zech. 14:4,16)."In that day." This book is a most prophetic book, which says much about Israel in a future day when the Jewish people will return from exile and restore the land to its former glory. Messiah will come and establish Himself in Jerusalem where He will rule and reign in justice over the whole world from Jerusalem. This is that day, and we can be excited that we can be a part of prophecy, not only witnessing God's plan unfolding, but participating in prophecy through the projects and programs of Bridges for Peace and other Christian Zionist organizations. As we say at Bridges for Peace, "Don't just read about Bible prophecy when you can be a part of it." Get involved. Pray. Give. And, participate. Psalm 102:13 says it all: "The time to favor Zion [Israel] is now!"

http://ldolphin.org/zechwagner/ ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 3 - Zechariah Prophecies of the coming Messiah [Jesus Christ] the coming BRANCH of Righteousness providing the opportunity of eternal life to all mankind -- 'Zechariah 3:1 And He [Angel of the Lord, Jesus Christ] shewed me Joshua the High Priest standing before the Angel of the LORD [in judgment], and Satan standing at his right hand to resist [accuse] him [of sins].'

Satan and his accusations [though some are true] against God's people are rebuked and silenced [by the cross and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ] in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ: Zechariah 3:2-10 *And the LORD said unto Satan, *The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this [the remnant of Israel] a [dry] brand plucked [saved] out of the fire? *Now {in the vision} Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel [Jesus Christ]. And He [Jesus Christ] answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him [Joshua the High Priest]. And unto him He said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee [on His cross], and [in the resurrection] I will clothe thee with change of raiment [a new body]. And I [Zechariah - very excitedly] said, Let them set a fair mitre [hat of authority] upon his head. So they set a fair mitre [High Priest's head cover] upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the Angel of the LORD stood by. And the Angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the LORD of Hosts; *If thou wilt walk in My ways, and if thou wilt keep My charge, then thou shalt also judge My House [Temple], and shalt also keep My courts [open spaces of the Temple], and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by. Hear now, O Joshua the [Levitical] High Priest, thou, and thy fellows (brethren) that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at [high in the community]: for, behold, I will bring forth My Servant the BRANCH [Anointed living Messiah]. For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes (complete vision, spiritual and physical - Revelation 5:6): behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, *and *I [Jesus Christ] will remove the iniquity [sins] of that land *in one day [on the cross of Jesus Christ]. In that [Christ - restoration] day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree (1 Kings 4:25) [in true restoration that was only prophesied by Solomon's Kingdom].

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 4-7 - Zechariah Prophecies of the completeness of God's eternal work in mankind in the building His eternal Temple from the small beginnings of laying a foundation in each person to the glorious end result of the completed eternal Temple of the Lord -- 'Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small [projects - laying the foundation stones of the Temple] things? for they [workers, helping to build the Temple] shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet [building and measuring tools] in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven [Holy Spirit]; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.'

Zechariah 7:4-10 Then came the Word of the LORD of Hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land [the Promise Land], and to the Priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years [in Babylon], did ye at all fast unto Me [God], even to Me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? Should ye not hear the Words which the LORD hath cried by the former Prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain? And the Word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, *Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts, saying, *Execute [do] *true *judgment, and *shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. - Note: These are the foundations the 'small things' of the eternal Temple of the Lord and being seemingly small things in the eyes of man they become rejected by men even rejected by the men of God but without these 'small' foundations a person cannot become a part of the completed eternal Temple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 8-9 - Zechariah continues to emphasize the necessity of godly character and godly conduct in God's people -- 'Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates: And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.'

Zechariah 9:9-17 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: *behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having Salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Matthew 21:5). And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and He shall speak peace unto the heathen [Gentiles]: and His dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth. *As for thee [Jews] also, by the blood of thy [New] covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of [Hades, hell] the pit wherein is no water. Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double [blessings] unto thee; When I have bent [armed] Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece [the then future Kingdom of Greece the 5th Kingdom of the world - Revelation 17:10], and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. And the LORD shall be seen over them, and His arrow {Maccabees revolt} shall go forth as the lightning: and the LORD GOD shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar. And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign [signal flag] upon His land [Israel]. For how great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! corn [grains of wheat] shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. - Note: The promise of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ and of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem fulfilled by Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:5).

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 10-11 - Zechariah continues to prophesy regarding the selfishness and unfaithfulness of mankind even among the shepherds, the guardians of the people of God -- 'Zechariah 10:1-3 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity [emptiness] and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no [true] Shepherd. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds [Pastors], and I punished the goats [selfish]: for the LORD of Hosts hath visited His flock the House of Judah [Praise - the Christian Church], and hath made them as His goodly [dependably] horse (Revelation 19:19) in the battle.'

The unfaithful, self-serving shepherds of the flock of God are opening the way and helping to create a bigger opportunity for the coming Antichrist to come into the flock and devastate the flock of God: Zechariah 11:3-17 There is a voice of the howling [complaining against] of the shepherds [Pastors]; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled. Thus saith the LORD My God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; Whose possessors (the hidden powerful society, manipulating the Pastors) slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: *and they [Pastors] that sell them [their flock] say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver [into judgment] the men every one into his neighbor's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. *And I will feed the [neglected and persecuted] flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves [walking sticks]; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock. Three [false] shepherds also I cut off in one month [Antichrist (Satan) false Messiah King, False Prophet, Mystery Babylon false Holy Spirit]; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred Me. Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my [Old] Covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day [when the New Covenant (Testament) was enacted]: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon Me knew that it was the *Word of the LORD. And I said unto them, *If ye [Temple Pastors - false shepherds] think good, give Me [Jesus] My price [honor]; and if not, forbear [reject Jesus]. So they [rejecting Jesus] weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the House [Temple] of the LORD. Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. *And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd [Antichrist]. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd [Antichrist] in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he [Antichrist] shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws [wolves in sheep's clothing] in pieces. *Woe to the idol [lazy] shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm [right arm, righteousness] shall be clean dried up, and his right eye [spiritual righteousness] shall be utterly darkened.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 12-13 - Zechariah prophecies that God is the creator of the universe and is Who gives life to each individual person -- 'Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and *formeth [gives life] the spirit of man within him.'

The Jewish remnant of Israel seeks forgiveness from Jesus and asks for Jesus Christ to return to them: Zechariah 13:1-9 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem [the eternal life blood of Jesus Christ] for sin and for uncleanness. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land. And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the Name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman [farmer]; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. *And one shall say unto Him [Jesus Christ], What are these wounds [nail holes] in thine hands? Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the House of my friends. Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd [Jesus Christ], and against the Man [Jesus the Son of Man] that is My fellow [companion], saith the LORD of Hosts: smite the Shepherd [on the cross], and the sheep shall be scattered (Mark 14:27): and I will turn [lit. leave off] mine hand [from] upon the little ones. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land [throughout the entire earth], saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and [physically] die; but the third shall be [physically] left therein [on earth]. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: *they [the remnant of Israel] shall call on My Name, and I will hear them [and return in the 2nd coming]: *I will say, It is My people [the Jews]: and they shall say, The LORD is My God. - Note: This is the remnant of Israel the Jews who by their prayers, request and bring back the Messiah, Jesus Christ causing His return to the earth to be among His brethren the Jews. - Also Note: At the moment there are few if any Jewish prayers for the return of Jesus Christ however after their betrayal by the Antichrist the Jewish remnant that will have fled for safety is going to pray to Jesus Christ asking for His forgiveness and requesting that He return and Jesus Christ will hear their prayers and answer their prayers and He will return!

Bible Versions Controversy (Zechariah 13:6) Explained - Highly Recommended (Mp3)

Can you trust the new versions? before you say yes, you need to hear this message. learn where they came from [Antichrist agenda], who is behind them [practically everyone, NWO], and HEAR ACTUAL AUDIO FROM CHUCK SWENDOL, DR. D.A. WAITE AND OTHERS.. Learn what you need to know before you use that new [NKJV, NIV, Message, etc.] bible version.

http://www.kingdomfromabove.com/audio.html ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Zechariah 14 - Zechariah continues to prophesy of End Time events and of the important 2nd Coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ -- 'Zechariah 14:5 And ye [House of Israel] shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD [Jesus Christ] my God shall come [2nd Coming], and all the [Christian] Saints with Thee [Jesus Christ].' - Note: This verse is probably in conjunction with the N.T. verses of Matthew 24:15-22.

The Bible's book of Zechariah concludes: Zechariah 14:16-21 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left [Saints] of all the Nations which came against [into] Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to Worship the King [Jesus Christ], the LORD of Hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles [tented, clothed in God's righteousness]. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to Worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, even upon them shall be no rain [blessing]. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all Nations that come not up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. In that [Holy] day [era, 1,000 year Kingdom reign] shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S House shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of Hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite [everyone will be family] in the House [Temple] of the LORD of Hosts.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; ===== MALACHI ===== Book of Malachi - As the final Book of the Old Testament closes, the pronouncement of God's just and the promise of His restoration through the coming Messiah is ringing in the ears of the Israelites - Four hundred years of [Scriptural] silence ensues [the 400 years are very active years, i.e. the Kingdoms of Persia, Greece and Rome], ending with a similar message from God's next prophet, John the Baptist, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2) - Malachi 3:1-6 is a prophecy concerning John the Baptist - He was the Messenger of the Lord sent to prepare the way (Matthew 11:10) for the Messiah, Jesus Christ

Purpose of Writing: The Book of Malachi is an oracle: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi (1:1). This was God's warning through Malachi to tell the people to turn back to God. As the final book of the Old Testament closes, the pronouncement of God's just and the promise of His restoration through the coming Messiah is ringing in the ears of the Israelites. Four hundred years of silence ensues, ending with a similar message from God's next prophet, John the Baptist, proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2). Key Verses: Malachi 1:6, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the Lord Almighty. "It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name." Malachi 3:6-7, "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty." Brief Summary: Malachi wrote the words of the Lord to God's chosen people who had gone astray, especially the priests who had turned from the Lord. Priests were not treating the sacrifices they were to make to God seriously. Animals with blemishes were being sacrificed even though the law demanded animals without defect (Deuteronomy 15:21). The men of Judah were dealing with the wives of their youth treacherously and wondering why God would not accept their sacrifices. Also, people were not tithing as they should have been (Leviticus 27:30, 32). But in spite of the people's sin and turning away from God, Malachi reiterates God's love for His people (Malachi 1:1-5) and His promises of a coming Messenger (Malachi 2:17-3:5). Foreshadowings: Malachi 3:1-6 is a prophecy concerning John the Baptist. He was the Messenger of the Lord sent to prepare the way (Matthew 11:10) for the Messiah, Jesus Christ. John preached repentance and baptized in the name of the Lord, thus preparing the way for Jesus' first advent. But the Messenger who comes "suddenly to the Temple" is Christ Himself in His second advent when He comes in power and might (Matthew 24). At that time, He will "purify the sons of Levi" (v. 3), meaning that those who exemplified the Mosaic Law would themselves need purification from sin through the blood of the Savior. Only then will they be able to offer "an offering in righteousness" because it will be the righteousness of Christ imputed to them through faith (2 Corinthians 5:21).

http://www.gotquestions.org/book-of-malachi.html Book of Malachi Prophecy Foretells Jesus - At the end of the first chapter God makes a statement that, "His name would be great among the gentiles and great among the heathen as well" (Malachi 1:11) - There is no other name so great that is known, which has come forth from Jerusalem [Nazareth], and inspires awe among the peoples of the world - This is exactly what God was speaking of in Malachi - Take note that He is also speaking of Himself in this chapter - This is just a small prophecy in regards to length, but it is important none the less - The Bible is littered with such seemingly small prophecies - They do not really jump out at you and catch your attention until you really start to look - These small prophecies are important because they add to the whole picture to validate the claims of Jesus, and the basis of our faith in Him

There are many prophecies in the Old Testament which foretell the coming of Jesus as Messiah. However, at the time that the prophecy was written, it would not be fully understood until it came to pass. That is why men today, who believe, can read the ancient prophecies, and after knowing of Jesus, they understand them. The same can be said of the parables which Jesus himself told to the people that, "They might hear, yet not comprehend." This was another fulfillment of prophecy. However, it is in the book of Malachi, where we see the prophecy, though it is only one verse in length; it is a clear reference to Jesus. The book of Malachi is a very tough book to read, but only because it is such a condemnation of Israel's religious leaders and practices of which God is not happy at all with. At the end of the first chapter God makes a statement that, "His name would be great among the gentiles and great among the heathen as well." ... This is just a small prophecy in regards to length, but it is important none the less. The Bible is littered with such seemingly small prophecies. They do not really jump out at you and catch your attention until you really start to look. These small prophecies are important because they add to the whole picture to validate the claims of Jesus, and the basis of our faith in him. I am aware that there are those that simply will not believe and they will make their own interpretation. They will do this because in their hearts they do not want to believe that it is true. Nevertheless, truth is truth and no matter how you interpret it, it will remain, and they only serve to deceive themselves.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380505/book_of_malachi_prophecy_foretells.html?cat=34 ;#; - - - - - - ;#; Malachi 1-2 - The Prophet Malachi begins to Prophesy about 400 B.C. - Malachi will also prophesy regarding the then coming Messiah [Jesus Christ] and will also prophesy of the forerunner the coming John the Baptist's ministry previous to the ministry of Jesus Christ - The prophesies of Malachi will 'seal' the Old Testament Scriptures concluding the Old Testament Bible but not concluding prophesy in Israel as many will continue to prophesy and write texts primarily as local encouragement and not the office of inherency and global encouragement of the Holy Scriptures that comprise the Jewish and Christian Bible -- 'Malachi 1:1-5 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you [Israel], saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's [physical, blood] brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved [godly] Jacob, And I hated [worldly] Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom [Esau's descendants] saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They [Esau's descendants] shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation forever. And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border [all] of Israel.'

The Prophet Malachi prophesies of the continuing problem of an uncooperative Priesthood. A Priesthood that is doing much more to further the corruption of mankind than it is doing in proclaiming the Blessedness, Holiness and Truth of God: Malachi 2:1-9 And now, O ye Priests, this Commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto My Name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. And ye shall know that I have sent this Commandment unto you, that My Covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. The Law of Truth [image of God] was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: *he walked with me in peace and equity, *and did turn many away from iniquity. *For the Priest's lips should keep [holy] knowledge, and they [people] should seek the law at his mouth: for he [Priest] is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of Hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial [biased, incomplete] in the law [representation of God]. ... Malachi 2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Malachi 3-4 - The Prophet Malachi declares to us The Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Righteousness -- 'Malachi 3:1-3 Behold, I (God) will send My messenger [John the Baptist (Matthew 11:10)], and he shall prepare the way before Me (God): and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He [Messiah-Christ] shall come, saith the LORD of Hosts. *But who may abide The Day of His Coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He [Christ] is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD *an offering in righteousness.'

The Bible's book of Malachi concludes: Malachi 4:1-6 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear My Name *shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing (Salvation) in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of Hosts. Remember ye the Law of Moses My servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb [Mt. Sinai] for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah [lit. 'my God is Jehovah'] the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. - Note: The first Book of the Old Testament the Book of Genesis concludes in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26), the last Book of the Old Testament concludes with the possibility of a curse (Malachi 4:6). The first Book of the New Testament the Gospel of Matthew concludes with God's promise that He is always with His people (Matthew 28:20) and the Bible's last book the Book of Revelation concludes with God and mankind united into all eternity in the Grace of God the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 22:21). Cleary the Old Testament of God for mankind has been completed and replaced for mankind by the New Testament of God in Jesus Christ.

;#; - - - - - - ;#; Source: David Anson Brown "The blog Bible Study" 2009-2010 [[http://www.basicchristian.org/blog_biblestudy.html|BasicChristian.org]] --- //[[davidansonbrown@hotmail.com|David Anson Brown]] posted 2016/02/08//