Posts Tagged ‘Bible’

« Older Entries

Who Is Jesus Christ

July 9, 2025

AS A FORMER MEMBER of the Watchtower organization the identity of Jesus Christ is a central tenet. Their doctrine teaches: (1) Jesus Christ is not God), (2) Jesus Christ was God’s first creation, (3) Jesus Christ is Michael the Archangel. Are these beliefs Scriptural? The purpose of this article is to entertain these questions. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to accept God’s inspired word as their absolute authoritative source. This is what they assert and this is what they claim to believe. These questions will be examined through the lens of Scripture.

Who is Jesus Christ? Watchtower doctrine: (1) Christ is the first creation of God, (2) Jesus Christ is Michael the Archangel, (3) Jesus Christ is not God. In other words God the Father created Jesus Christ named him Michael the Archangel and called him “a god.” These are Watchtower tenets. God’s word teaches: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  Scripture will become our exclusive authoritative unimpeachable source void of Watchtower materials to test, affirm or refute the Organization identity doctrine of Jesus Christ.

God Identifies Jesus Christ

THE Person to ask about the identity of Jesus Christ is His Father. He inspired men to write Scripture. What is Scripture? God’s instructive message to humans. In other words God’s word is our roadmap to life. Our English version of the Bible is a translation from the Greek. To understand what the Greek language is literally communicating buy yourself a Greek English Interlinear and Greek-English Lexicon. There are many to choose from but be careful because of bias. Not all scholars are “honest scholars.” I would highly recommend your home library have a couple sources for comparison purposes. These tools are essential in helping the Bible student glean the true meanings of Greek words used. I will share an example of a Greek-English Lexicon as this article develops.

Hebrews 1:5 tells us: “For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU?” Hebrews 1:5b: “And again, I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE SHALL BE A SON TO ME”?  God continues at Hebrews 1:6, “And when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM.” Jesus Christ is the Person being spoken of. God explains why His Son is to be worshiped, “BUT of the Son He says, THY THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM” (Hebrews 1:8).

Verse 9: “THOU HAST LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, THY GOD, HATH ANOINTED THEE WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE THY COMPANIONS.

Greek Word Worship προσκυνέω – proskuneo used at Hebrews 1:6

Greek English Lexicon: Hebrews 1:6 … “worship: “(to prostrate oneself); to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence … b. of homage rendered to God and the ascended Christ, to heavenly beings, and to demons … absol. (our to worship)” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament, by Joseph H. Thayer, pg. 548).

Example Number 2:  “To worship, do obeisance, show respect, fall or prostrate before. Literally, to kiss toward someone, to throw a kiss in token of respect or homage … In the New Testament, generally, to do reverence or homage to someone, usually by kneeling or prostrating oneself before him. In the Septuagint it means to bow down, to prostrate oneself in reverence, homage (Gen. 19:1; 48:12). (II) Spoken of those who pay reverence and homage to deity, render divine honors, worship, adore, with the basic idea of prostration, which, however, is often dropped (cf. Sept.: Gen. 47:31; 1 Kings 1:47). (B) Of the Messiah with the dat. (Hebrews 1:6).” (The Completed WordStudy Dictionary New Testament pg. 1233 -34 by Spiros Zodhiates Th.D.)

The two examples above (1) Greek-English Lexicon by Dr. Thayer (2) Completed WordStudy Dictionary New Testament by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates; both are Greek scholars providing their scholarship definition assessment of the Greek word “worship” used at Hebrews 1:6.

Side Note: Hebrews 1:8,9 is a direct quote from Psalm 45:6,7 which reads: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee With the oil of joy above Thy fellows.” 

Hebrew text of Psalm 45:6 

כִּסְאֲךָ֣ (kis’aka): “Your throne”

אֱ֭לֹהִים (elohim): “God”

עֹולָ֣ם (olam): “forever”

וָעֶ֑ד (va’ed): “and ever”

שֵׁ֥בֶט (shevet): “a scepter”

מִ֝ישֹׁ֗ר (mishor): “of uprightness”

שֵׁ֣בֶט (shevet): “a scepter”

מַלְכוּתֶֽךָ (malkuteka): “of your kingdom”

Hebrew text of Psalm 45:7  

אָהַבְתָּ (ahavta): You have loved.

צֶּדֶק (tzedek): Righteousness.

וַתִּשְׂנָא (vatisna): And you have hated.

רֶשַׁע (resha): Wickedness.

עַל־כֵּן (al-ken): Therefore.

מְשָׁחֲךָ (meshakha): Has anointed you.

אֱלֹהִים (Elohim): God.

אֱלֹהֶיךָ (elohecha): Your God.

שֶׁמֶן (shemen): Oil.

שָׂשׂוֹן (sason): Joy.

מֵחֲבֵרֶיךָ (mechavrecha): Above your fellows.

Translation: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows. 

Context Context Context. It is imperative to read the entire context to glean the meaning of any individual text. What does the context reveal? YHWH aka Yahweh aka “I AM” aka Jehovah aka God the Father talking to His Son calling Him, God, “THY THRONE, O GOD.” He instructs His angels to worship God the Son.

Observation: Understanding Greek and Hebrew words (through Scholarly works) brings clarity to our English translations turning them into lucid translations (clear and easy to understand). For example, Hebrews 1:8,9 quoting Psalm 45:6,7. The Watchtower’s Bible “New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures” translates Hebrews 1:8, “God is your throne …,” and Psalm 45:6, “God is your throne …” The literal translation of both texts are, “Your throne God …”  Here we see God calling His Son, God. To avoid this identity of Christ the Watchtower added the word “is” to the text (not part of the inspired text), and rearranged God’s word sequence (replacing Your throne God with God is your throne) which changes the entire meaning of the passage. This is a deliberate attempt to hide the true identity of Jesus Christ. Their reason is purposeful … to mislead their members and push their Jesus Christ identity doctrine: Jesus Christ is Michael the archangel aka “a god” aka God’s first creation.

Greek text of Hebrews 1:9: “ἠγάπησας δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐμίσησας ἀνομίαν · διὰ τοῦτο ἔχρισέν σε ὁ θεός, ὁ θεός σου, ἔλαιον ἀγαλλιάσεως παρὰ τοὺς μετόχους σου”. 

Translation: “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.” 

To reiterate, Hebrews 1:8,9 is a quote from Psalm 45:6,7 both revealing God the Father addressing His Son, “THEREFORE GOD, THY GOD, HATH ANOINTED THEE WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE THY COMPANIONS.”  God the Father addressing His Son calling Him, God.  The angels were told to worship God the Son by the Father. 

Another Example of Word Manipulation:

The Apostle Paul identifies Christ at Colossions 1:16: “for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created by Him and for Him.” Verse 17: “And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  Here we see two categories (1) Creator, (2) created things. The Apostle Paul places Jesus Christ into category #1, Creator.

The modus operandi (mode of operating) of the Watchtower regarding Jesus Christ is to remove all Scriptural references of His Deity.  Colossians 1:16, 17 is just another example. The Watchtower Bible (NWT) in Colossians purposefully removes Jesus Christ as Creator / Deity through word manipulation.   Notice the brackets at verse 16 and 17: “because by means of him all [other] things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, no matter whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All [other] things have been created through him and for him. Also, he is before all [other] things and by means of him all [other] things were made to exist.”  The word (other) does not appear in this Greek text indicated by brackets.  Brackets alert the reader that the word is not part of the original text.  By adding this word to the text removes Jesus Christ as Creator to one of the things God created.   

The Watchtower Bible attempts to promulgate their Jesus Christ doctrine (a god, Michael the archangel, God’s first creation) by adding words to the text or through word manipulation.  According to  untampered Scripture Jesus Christ is the Creator of all things in heaven and on earth.  

Greek English Translation Colossians 1:16

16 ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα,εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι’ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸνἔκτισται,

English: For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him.

Greek English Translation Colossians 1:17 

17 καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν πρὸ πάντων καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν.

English: He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

Summary: 

Jesus Christ is God.  His Father called Him God and instructed His angels to worship Him.  The Watchtower has attempted to obscure the true identity of Christ through word manipulation and adding words to the original text.   Through the use of a Greek English Interlinear along with Greek and Hebrew scholarly works the Watchtower deception has been exposed.  Use a variety of Greek and Hebrew scholarly sources for comparison purposes.  Never rely on one source.

Jesus Christ Before The Beginning 

My articles are written for Watchtower members in hopes of opening up their minds and hearts to Scripture.  Unfortunately the Organization “brainwashing” techniques have convinced WT members that their Bible (NWT) is Scripture.  Members truly believe that they are reading the most reliable and accurate Bible in the world.  Therefore, their Scripture (NWT Bible) is absolute truth while all others (Bibles not written by the Watchtower) contradicting their NWT is from the devil. This is what they teach and this is what they believe. This is a major stumbling block for all Jehovah’s Witnesses and the power the Watchtower holds over them.  Only God can open their minds and hearts to see the truth.  I can do nothing.  I can only share God’s word and He does the rest.

Getting Back To Our Theme “Who Is Jesus Christ” 

John 1:1: 

Ἐν ἀρχῇ (en archē): “In the beginning” 

ἦν ὁ λόγος (ēn ho logos): “was the Word” 

καὶ (kai): “and” 

ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν (ēn pros ton theon): “was with God” 

καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (kai theos ēn ho logos): “and God was the Word” or “and the Word was God”

“The first important word to consider is the verb ‘was.’ This is in the imperfect tense. It is unfortunate that we do not have a true imperfect tense in English, and therefore it is difficult to translate the Greek imperfect. The Greek verb een, ‘was,’ holds the key to the understanding of John’s statement. This is what we call the durative imperfect of the verb eimi, ‘to be.’ And what does that tense convey to us here? It speaks of a time before the beginning of things. In other words, John tells us that this Logos, this Word, was in existence before the created world. Therefore we would be fully justified in translating this first clause, ‘Before there was a beginning, the Word had been.’

…

The Apostle John, then, is not interested primarily here in who created the world or who existed before the beginning, but since when has this Logos or Word existed? His subject is the eternity of the Word. The emphasis is not on the Word but on the time element, ‘in the beginning,’ and that is why it is placed at the beginning of the verse and of the whole Gospel. If this Logos, Jesus Christ, of whom he is about to speak, did not exist before there was a finite beginning, then the whole foundation falls. Whatever he says will be sheer nonsense. The verb een, in the durative imperfect, takes the Word far back of the created world, farther than can be imagined by our finite minds. In it there is the concept of eternity. Eternity is timelessness. But we as limited human beings can only think within the limited concepts of time and space. It is hard for us to imagine anything or anybody not bound by them. Yet God, who is free of these boundaries, has to use human language to make us understand His thoughts, as far as that is possible. But the very humanity of the language blurs the divinity of the thought behind it. With God there is neither past, nor present, nor future. God is timeless, yet whatever He says to us has to be put within the periphery of time. He has to give us a starting point, and that starting point He calls, ‘the beginning.’ But we must remember that God Himself is not limited by the beginning of which He makes mention. What John actually implies here is that, when there was no time, the Word was; when no human mind existed, the Word was.

‘Mother, who made God?’ ‘That’s a hard question, Jimmy. Why don’t you go out and play for awhile?’ answered the puzzled mother. But when Jimmy insisted on an answer, the mother was inspired to take off her ring and hand it to her little boy, saying to him, ‘Here, Jimmy, show me the beginning of it and the end of it.’ After careful examination Jimmy turned to his mother and said, ‘But mother, this has no beginning and no end.’ That actually is the meaning of the durative imperfect verb een, ‘was,’ in this first clause of John 1:1.

When John later speaks of John the Baptist and of the coming of the Word to the world in human form (verse 6), he uses an entirely different verb, egeneto, meaning ‘became’ or ‘came,’ which definitely refers to a particular time in an historic setting, for it is the second aorist of the verb ginomai. In other words, there was a time when neither John the Baptist nor Jesus the man were in existence. But there was never a time when Christ, as the Word, the Logos, was not. The verb een, then, found in verses 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, and 10, indicates continuous existence; while the verb egeneto, found in verses 3, 6, 10, and 14, refers to a limited existence. There is a wealth of knowledge in just understanding the distinction between these two verbs in this important passage of John 1:1-18.’” (WAS CHRIST GOD, by Spiro Zodhiates, Chapter 9, pgs. 39-42

FINAL THOUGHTS:

THE SUBJECT under discussion at John Chapter One was not about who created the world but rather when did the Logos/Word come into existence. The Logos/Word was already here before the beginning said John, but that was not what he was underscoring. The emphasis was placed on the time element (in the beginning). “In the Beginning was the Word.”

To help us understand the meaning behind this Greek word used by John (was) Greek Scholar, Spiros Zodhiates, enlightens us: “The verb een, in the durative imperfect, takes the Word far back of the created world, farther than can be imagined by our finite minds. In it there is the concept of eternity. Eternity is timelessness.” When did the Logos begin to exist? Verses 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, indicates continuous existence. In other words the Logos/Word had no beginning. The Logos/Word is Eternal.

The Watchtower dances around Scripture. They generally ignore the true meaning of Scripture when it contradicts their tenets and doctrine. John 1:1 is a prime example. To reiterate, the Logos/Word had no beginning. Jesus Christ the man had a beginning yes, but the Logos/Word had no beginning and therefore, is Eternal. The Word is God.  

 God the Son is not to be confused with God the Father or God the Holy Spirit. That topic will be for another time.

We have Scripturally proven (1) Jesus Christ the man had a beginning, (2) The Word / Logos had no beginning, (3) The Word / Logos is Eternal / God.

CLICK ON LINK BELOW:

WHO Is Michael The Archangel


Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Understanding Watchtower Salvation Doctrine

May 31, 2025

AS A FORMER MEMBER of the Watchtower organization we were taught many things. Salvation for example. Watchtower teachings purport two separate and distinct groups: (1) Anointed class (only 144,000 are born again going to heaven), (2) All others (those who will live on earth forever). The majority of Watchtower members fall into this second group. Both groups however must fall under the authority of Scripture. Unfortunately therein lies the problem. Jehovah’s Witnesses hold Watchtower doctrine above God’s word. They are not unlike the Mormons as they too hold their man-made Book of Mormon (Joseph Smith) over Scripture. Nevertheless, Scripture will be our only authority. First we will examine the Watchtower salvation doctrine.

Watchtower publication October 1, 1967, “Make haste to identify to the visible theocratic organization of God that represents his king, Jesus Christ. It is essential for life. Doing so, complete in accepting every aspect.”

Summary: Life is only given to those who identify with the Watchtower as God’s visible organization accepting all their teachings.

Watchtower February 15th, 1983 pg. 12: “To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.”

Summary: Salvation is predicated upon identifying the Watchtower as God’s organization and serving God as part of it.

Watchtower November 15th, 1981 pg. 212: “Come to Jehovah’s organization for salvation.”

Summary: Salvation is contingent upon coming to the Watchtower.

The Watchtower references reveal their salvation doctrine. First and foremost Scripture must be our only authority. Scripture must authenticate Watchtower material. That said no Scripture references are made. For example: Watchtower members must … come and identity the Organization as God’s instrument and … accept all of their teachings as a salvation prerequisite. The Watchtower did not show any biblical support to substantiate their salvation doctrine. I will now use Scripture to illuminate the Bible teaching on this topic.

God’s Love For Mankind

John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” 

Eternal life is given by God when you believe in His son Jesus Christ.

God’s Perfect Salvation Formula

Romans 10:9: “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Salvation encompasses confessing Jesus as Lord, and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

Note: This is a major problem for Jehovah’s Witnesses because they do not believe the body of Christ rose from the dead. They do not know what happened to His body.

God Saves Us

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

(1) God sets the Eternal Salvation guidelines (not man)!

    (2) God’s Grace allows Eternal Salvation (not man’s rules).

    (3) Believing Jesus Christ is Lord is an imperative for Eternal Salvation (not Watchtower teachings)!

    (4) Eternal Salvation is God’s free gift (no man-made rules to qualify)!

    (5) Eternal salvation can never be earned (no amount of religiosity will earn you salvation)! 

    Bible Salvation Vs Watchtower Salvation

    As I said at the beginning, “Jehovah’s Witnesses hold Watchtower doctrine above God’s word.” So does the Bible affirm or reject the Watchtower salvation doctrine? Based upon Scripture God’s free gift of salvation is given to anyone but only because of His grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. As demonstrated the Bible categorically contradicts the Watchtower salvation premise.

    My article intent was to shine light over this topic in hopes of giving Jehovah’s Witnesses a new path to follow or at the very least something to think about. God allows us to choose our path in life. He allowed me to join the Watchtower as He has allowed you (the reader) to walk yours. After years of walking the Watchtower trail and then discovering the path I chose was not what I had imagined (thinking it was God’s path), I came to a crossroad. We are free to change course at any time. It is my hope and prayer that this article shines light on your path.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    BEFORE THE BEGINNING

    April 28, 2025

    JOHN 1:1 TELLS US, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 further explains the events after the beginning, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

    My articles are primarily directed toward Jehovah’s Witnesses because AS A FORMER MEMBER, I know what they have been taught therefore know what they haven’t. John 1:1 is a perfect example. All Jehovah’s Witnesses fail to understand the subject matter of this Scripture. Let me explain.

    WHAT EXISTED BEFORE the beginning?

    “The first important word to consider is the verb ‘was.’ This is in the imperfect tense. It is unfortunate that we do not have a true imperfect tense in English, and therefore it is difficult to translate the Greek imperfect. The Greek verb een, ‘was,’ holds the key to the understanding of John’s statement. This is what we call the durative imperfect of the verb eimi, ‘to be.’ And what does that tense convey to us here? It speaks of a time before the beginning of things. In other words, John tells us that this Logos, this Word, was in existence before the created world. Therefore we would be fully justified in translating this first clause, ‘Before there was a beginning, the Word had been.’

    …

    The Apostle John, then, is not interested primarily here in who created the world or who existed before the beginning, but since when has this Logos or Word existed? His subject is the eternity of the Word. The emphasis is not on the Word but on the time element, ‘in the beginning,’ and that is why it is placed at the beginning of the verse and of the whole Gospel. If this Logos, Jesus Christ, of whom he is about to speak, did not exist before there was a finite beginning, then the whole foundation falls. Whatever he says will be sheer nonsense. The verb een, in the durative imperfect, takes the Word far back of the created world, farther than can be imagined by our finite minds. In it there is the concept of eternity. Eternity is timelessness. But we as limited human beings can only think within the limited concepts of time and space. It is hard for us to imagine anything or anybody not bound by them. Yet God, who is free of these boundaries, has to use human language to make us understand His thoughts, as far as that is possible. But the very humanity of the language blurs the divinity of the thought behind it. With God there is neither past, nor present, nor future. God is timeless, yet whatever He says to us has to be put within the periphery of time. He has to give us a starting point, and that starting point He calls, ‘the beginning.’ But we must remember that God Himself is not limited by the beginning of which He makes mention. What John actually implies here is that, when there was no time, the Word was; when no human mind existed, the Word was.

    …

    ‘Mother, who made God?’ ‘That’s a hard question, Jimmy. Why don’t you go out and play for awhile?’ answered the puzzled mother. But when Jimmy insisted on an answer, the mother was inspired to take off her ring and hand it to her little boy, saying to him, ‘Here, Jimmy, show me the beginning of it and the end of it.’ After careful examination Jimmy turned to his mother and said, ‘But mother, this has no beginning and no end.’ That actually is the meaning of the durative imperfect verb een, ‘was,’ in this first clause of John 1:1.

    When John later speaks of John the Baptist and of the coming of the Word to the world in human form (verse 6), he uses an entirely different verb, egeneto, meaning ‘became’ or ‘came,’ which definitely refers to a particular time in an historic setting, for it is the second aorist of the verb ginomai. In other words, there was a time when neither John the Baptist nor Jesus the man were in existence. But there was never a time when Christ, as the Word, the Logos, was not. The verb een, then, found in verses 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, and 10, indicates continuous existence; while the verb egeneto, found in verses 3, 6, 10, and 14, refers to a limited existence. There is a wealth of knowledge in just understanding the distinction between these two verbs in this important passage of John 1:1-18.'” (WAS CHRIST GOD, by Spiro Zodhiates, Chapter 9, pgs. 39-42)

    FINAL THOUGHTS:

    THE SUBJECT under discussion at John Chapter One was not about who created the world but rather when did the Logos/Word come into existence. The Logos/Word was already here before the beginning said John, but that was not what he was underscoring. The emphasis was placed on the time element (in the beginning). “In the Beginning was the Word.”

    To help us understand the meaning behind this Greek word used by John (was) Greek Scholar, Spiros Zodhiates, enlightens us: “The verb een, in the durative imperfect, takes the Word far back of the created world, farther than can be imagined by our finite minds. In it there is the concept of eternity. Eternity is timelessness.” When did the Logos begin to exist? Verses 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10, indicates continuous existence. In other words the Logos/Word had no beginning. The Logos/Word is Eternal.

    The Watchtower dances around Scripture. They are generally not interested in the true meaning of Scripture especially when it contradicts their kind of ideology. John 1:1 is a prime example. To reiterate, the Logos/Word had no beginning regardless of what the Watchtower teaches. When the Watchtower attempts to prove their ideology through textual manipulation (using another Scripture), never ever forget and always remember, God will never contract Himself. Jesus Christ the man had a beginning but the Logos/Word had none!

    After examining the meaning of the Greek word “was” in the context of John Chapter One we find that the Logos/Word had no beginning. In other words, not created (unlike Watchtower teachings). The Logos/Word is Eternal. This is something Jehovah’s Witnesses have not been taught.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    HERMENEUTICS: THE Art & Science of Biblical Interpretation

    April 17, 2025

    THREE Most Important Rules of Biblical Interpretation: Context, Context, Context!!!

    There are many ways to interpret Scripture and because Scripture is literature, it often includes figures of speech.

    Literal (understanding and interpreting things in their most basic, factual, and direct sense, without considering any figurative or metaphorical meaning).

    Metaphorical (using it to symbolize or stand for another thing).

    Allegorical (containing a moral or hidden meaning).

    Figurative (any figure of speech statement or phrase not intended to be taken literally).

    Symbolism (the idea that things can represent other things).

    Hermeneutics; THE Art & Science of Biblical Interpretation. Five principles to follow:

    (1) Historical

    (2) Cultural

    (3) Authors intent / purpose of the message.

    (4) Application   

    (5) Context, Context, Context!!!

    We read Scripture because we want to learn and grow closer to our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Men wrote the Bible books but God was the Author. God’s communication skills are stellar. He knows what to say and how to say it. There is always a purpose for His messages. We take His word at face value. The literal interpretation is always applied first. The others (metaphorical, allegorical, figurative, symbolism) would be applied if the literal application was not tenable.

    Example of Correct and Incorrect Hermeneutics

    AS A FORMER MEMBER of the Watchtower Organization I draw from many examples of incorrect hermeneutical interpretations and applications. One very serious one is found at Matthew 25:45, “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?” The Watchtower hermeneutical interpretation asserts that God appointed them to represent this “faithful slave” as His sole communication tool. They also purport to know the exact number of “faithful slaves,” 144,000. There is a small group of these “slaves” which govern all the rest. Is their interpretation and application of Matthew 24:45 correct?

    Gleaning the true meaning of Scripture requires an accurate assessment of what the context is communicating. Let me repeat that in another way, context, context, context. The “key” to understanding any isolated text is contingent upon knowing what the surrounding context is communicating. It is surrounded by a context for a reason.

    There are three problems with the Watchtower’s application: (1)The text and context fails to communicate a named organization, (2) The text and context reveals no specific number, (3) The Watchtower hides the true meaning of the text.

    APPLYING THE RULES OF HERMENEUTICS TO MATTHEW 24:45

    (1) Historical: First century.

    (2) Cultural: Jews.

    (3) Author’s Intent / Purpose of the message: The Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

    (4) Application: To All Servants of Jesus Christ.

    The Context Reveals The Purpose Of The Discourse, “The Sign of His Coming” Matthew 24:29-31 reads: “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. (vs.30) And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. (vs.31) And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

    No one knows the day or hour of His return but the context does reveal signs to observe (Matthew 24:32-25:46), “The fig tree” (Matthew 24:32-35), “The days of Noah” (Matthew 24:36-39), “The two” (Matthew 24:40-41), “The faithful head of the house” (Matthew 24-42-44), “The wise slave” (Matthew 24:45-51).

    The Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Matthew 24:45-51)

    [45]“This parable follows naturally from the previous teaching. Christ’s Second Coming will be like God’s coming in judgment in the days of Noah. A catastrophic separation will occur between the righteous and the wicked. It will come suddenly; no one knows the day or the hour, and therefore the appropriate response is to watch constantly. The ‘evil servant’ who expects his lord to delay his return (v. 48) and does not watch for him is cut off when the master returns, just as unbelievers will be cut off when Christ returns as a thief in the night to gather His own. The ‘faithful and wise servant,’ on the other hand, waits for his master with eager anticipation (vv/ 45, 46).” Exegetical Commentary on Matthew by Spiro Zodhiates, pgs 420, 421

    To understand the Greek meanings of words I use the authority of Greek Scholar Dr. Spiro Zodhiates. The numbers listed after the Greek words are identifying references found in any Greek-English Lexicon.

    “Jesus contrasted the ‘faithful’ (pistos [4103] and ‘prudent’ (phronimos [5429]slave here with the ‘bad‘ (kakos [2556] one in verse 48. The faithful (pistos) servant has the faith (pistos [4102] to believe that Jesus told the truth about God and about His own Person and work.

    We are told that the master delegated rule to this servant. He is … given charge [from kathistemi {2525} from kata [2596], according to; and histemi {2476}, to stand, establish] over [epi {1909}, upon] his household to the care [therapeias, the genitive of therapeia {2322}, compassionate care] of them by giving [from didomi {1325}, to give] them food at the right time [from kairos {2540}, proper season]. (v. 45; a.t.)

    Instead of ‘care’ (from therapeia), the the United Bible Society’s and Nestle’s texts read ‘domestic affairs’ (from oiketeia [3610] — a type of care appropriately qualified by the context). The faithful and prudent servant carefully attends to the domestic affairs of his household and thus is ready for the coming of his lord at any time. He not only meets schedules but, according to Luke 12:42, he gives proper portions of food (sitometrion [4620] for sitos [4621], wheat; and metron [3358], measure). This is not restricted to food alone but no doubt extends to all physical and spiritual needs of the household.

    [46] A further simile of the faithful and prudent servant of Jesus Christ is given in the term makarios (3107), blessed — the beatitude word that means to be indwelt by God and thereby fully satisfied. … ‘Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh [elthon, the aorist participle of erchomai {2064}; cf. Luke 12:43] shall find so doing.’ The aorist tense here underscores Christ’s appearance at any time.

    We believers who are truly blessed should serve the Lord with faith and prudence every waking moment of our lives so that when Christ does appear suddenly, we will be “caught” doing (from poieo [4160], ‘continually doing’) the right thing.

    [47] The master rewards the faithful and prudent servant with extensive sovereignty over his kingdom: Verily [amen {281}, truly] I say unto you, that over [epi {1909}, upon] all things of his possessions [huparchousin, the neuter plural dative present active participle of huparcho {5225}, to be, belong to], he will establish [from kathistemi {2521}] him. (a.t.)

    [48, 49] The adversative ‘but’ (de [1161]) introduces another servant who contrasts vividly with the ‘faithful and prudent one’ … The evil of the servant is twofold. The first is internal — a belief with a bad attitude: My lord is taking his time — procrastinating! This, of course, is false, and it brings to light this servant’s faithlessness against the faithfulness of the other servant. The second is external — two actions that issue from this bad attitude and belief: He beats his fellow servants and gets drunk with other drunkards, his new associates. The evil servant’s ‘unwise’ mind contrasts with the ‘prudent’ (phronimos) mind of the other servant.

    True believers in Christ do not have these beliefs, attitudes, or actions. They believe their Lord’s coming is imminent because that is what He taught, and He always spoke the truth. Interestingly, Jesus connected a denial of the imminence of His Second Coming with bad attitudes and actions. The evil servant’s use of chronizei (My lord delays [chronizei, the present tense of chronizo {5549} associated with the noun chronos {5550}, a space of time] his coming) carries a sarcastic tone. Its not a neutral but an attitudinal statement that implies his lord’s procrastination and an excuse to behave irresponsibly.

    [50] The master of the evil servant returns suddenly without warning: The lord of that servant shall come [from heko {2240}, to appear, arrive, become present] in a day when he does not look [from prosdokao {4328}, to expect] for him, and in an hour that he does not know [from ginosko {1097}, to experientially know]. (a.t.)

    It is evident that the hypocrite, described here as an example of those who confess Christ with their mouths but accuse Him of delay in their hearts, are unbelievers and behave accordingly. They do not really expect (prosdokao) Christ’s Second Coming at any time. The text does not say that such evil servants do not look at all for the master’s return; in fact, the wording, ‘in a day when [they] look not for him,’ implies that they were looking on other days. It was a good start with slow deterioration. At first they look every day; but then as time passes, they look intermittently, then finally not at all. The day they give up is the day they begin to beat their fellow servants.

    (51) The master will punish the evil servant at this unexpected return.” (Exegetical Commentary on Matthew by Spiro Zodhiates, pgs 420 – 425)

    Summary:

    (1) How To understand an isolated Scripture? Context, context, context! The context of Matthew 24:45 is revealed at Matthew 24:3, “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying ‘Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'”

    (2) Parables: The parables illustrate the peoples attitudes toward His coming and what will happen when He comes.

    (3) Blessings: Verse 45 is the parable of the servant. The careless servant will be severely judged as an unbeliever, in contrast to the good servant who will be rewarded by his Lord.

    (4) The Parable of Matthew 24:45 speaks and applies to all servants of Jesus Christ.

    FINAL THOUGHTS

    As demonstrated, the Watchtower’s hermeneutical interpretation of Matthew 24:45 referring to their Organization, exclusively, is an excellent example of incorrect hermeneutics. The only identifying marks God provides: “faithful and unfaithful.” The 144,000 number application also lacks context authority. There is absolutely no number given of faithful or unfaithful slaves. In other words, the Watchtower’s dogma (misleading false teachings) did not pass the hermeneutical test. The word nefarious comes to mind.

    The big takeaway for me is the contrast of attitudes between these two “slaves.” The “evil servant” expects his lord to delay his return as reflected by his attitude. The “faithful and wise servant,” on the other hand, waits for his master with eager anticipation. This is a sobering reminder to all Christians. We must look for His return with great eagerness and anticipation every single day! In so doing means eternal blessings from God the Son, Jesus Christ.

    I believe one of the most important things Christians should learn is hermeneutics. This will safeguard them from false teachers and cults.  

       

    Tags:, , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    “The Cochise Pendleton Hour” (Podcast) on The Six Screens.

    August 14, 2023

    Hello everyone. We are living in a different world today. Things are rapidly changing. The movie, “Sound of Freedom,” took a planet of courage to make, produce, and distribute. It has opened the eyes of millions; darkness exposed by the disinfectant light. We need many more people to stand up and expose the evilness that surrounds much of the world. Courage is needed. The acronym F.E.A.R. means two things: Fear Everything and Run, or Face Everything and Rise. I have decided to once again join Rick Fearon on the Six Screens with a new program called, “The Cochise Pendleton Hour.” I will be posting a new program on my site every two weeks. My first post was on 8-13-23, and you can access it and all my future podcasts on my PODCASTS (2023) page.

    Tags:, , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    PRETERISM PART “2”

    June 23, 2018

    Matthew Chapter 24, Past or Future?

    There are strikingly profound similarities between the eschatology of Jehovah’s Witnesses and that of Full Preterism.   Both groups claim: (1) Christ has already returned; (2) they know the year of His return; (3) they know the location of His return, and finally (4) they have evidence of His return.  

    The Watchtower teaches that Christ returned in 1914 while the Preterists teach that Christ returned in A.D. 70.  Both groups assert that the Second Coming of Christ was invisible; while He failed to physically return, His arrival was seen through the manifestation of an historical event (the outbreak of World War I in 1914 proving that the Gentile Times had ended for the Watchtower, and the desolation of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 for Preterists).  This kind of rhetoric reminds me of what Christ warned His disciples of: 

    “If therefore they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go forth, or, Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.”  Matthew 24:26. 

    The words of Christ need to be read by both groups.  Those who claim to know of His whereabouts, and or know when He was going to return, all speak with a lying tongue. As Christ continues the conversation concerning His return, His statement was crystal  clear: 

    “For just as the lightening comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27. 

    The words of Jesus Christ at Matthew 24: 26-27 forewarn the coming of men or women who will claim knowledge of His whereabouts or return.  Unfortunately, many will ignore this warning, and will believe the teachings of man over the words of God the Son.  

    Among the Body of Christ, we all have our own opinions regarding the subject of Pre, Mid, or Post Tribulation views.  However, Full Preterists (also called Covenant Eschatology or Transmillennialism) believe that the prophecies in Matthew 24 and Revelation were largely or completely fulfilled in the past, hence the latin word preter, which means “past.” 

    According to Full preterists, AD 70 saw the culmination of the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist, the Abomination of Desolation, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the restoration of all things; in other words, all biblical prophecy has seen fulfillment.  Ironically, former Full Preterists call Full Preterism heresy.  

    Although Partial Preterists are not as extreme in their beliefs, they do mirror the Full Preterist position that the books of Daniel, Matthew and Revelation (with the exception of the last 2 or 3 chapters) have all seen complete fulfillment by AD 70.  The belief system of Partial Preterists are not the focus of this article, but because they hold to the same Book of Matthew position, they too come under scrutiny.  However, that said, it is my understanding that their system of belief includes the denial of the rapture and the millennium, and their use of hermeneutics for Revelation are throughly inconsistent. Those topics will be covered in future articles.  

    My book “The Bible vs The Watchtower … YOU Decide …” was written using the authority of Scripture to refute Watchtower beliefs.  This article will be no different.  We will examine the Full and Partial Preterist claims that the Book of Matthew saw complete fulfillment by AD 70, i.e., Matthew Chapter 24 past or future?  However, this article will not be all inclusive.  My primary focus is the physical return of Jesus Christ.  

    Our opening verses: 

    “ And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.  And He answered and said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things?  Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.’  And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?’’ Matthew 24: 1-3

    As this is interpreted, the entire context must be kept in mind.  Jesus Christ is dealing with issues pertaining to Israel, exclusively, and not to the church.  The Olivet Discourse is the rejection of the Messiah and the disciplining of Israel (Matthew 23), and the questions of the disciples pertain only to Jewish concerns.

    The disciples knew nothing (at this point) about the church age.  In His answer, Jesus spoke of things that involved the Jewish people, such as the Sabbath (Matthew 24:20), those living in Judea (Matthew 24:16), the abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15), the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14), and the presence of false prophets (Matthew 24:11), which would be a problem for Israel (false teachers would be a problem for the church).  In light of this, we should not see the church age in the Olivet Discourse, even as some have in Matthew 24:4-8.  

    Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum Th.D., and the Second Advent of Christ

    “The second coming of Christ does have a major precondition that must be met before Christ will return to establish the Messianic Kingdom.  What this condition is can be deduced from five passages of Scripture.  The first passage is Leviticus 26:40-42 … Moses predicted how, because of disobedience to God’s revealed will, the Jews would be scattered all over the world.  According to the New Testament, this came as a direct result of the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus.  

    By verse 39, the world-wide dispersion is a fact.  Up to this point, Leviticus 26 has been fulfilled.  In verse 42, Moses states that God has every intention of giving Israel all the blessings and promises of the Abrahamic Covenant during the Messianic Kingdom.  It is first necessary for them to fulfill the condition of verse 40: … they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers.  

    Something to notice is that the word iniquity is in the singular and that it is specific.  There is one specific iniquity committed by the fathers and continued by them which Israel must confess before she can begin to enjoy all of the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant. 

    The second passage is Jeremiah 3:11-18.  In verses 14-18, Jeremiah describes the blessings which God has in store for Israel in the Messianic Kingdom.  It will be a time of tremendous blessing and restoration for the Jewish people when the kingdom is established by their Messiah.  However, all of these blessings are conditioned by verse 13 where they must acknowledge or confess one specific iniquity which they committed against Jehovah their God.  

    The third passage is in the Book of Zechariah.  Chapters 12-14 are a single unit of thought containing one prophecy God gave the prophet.  Chapter 13 speaks of the national cleansing of Israel from their sin.  Chapter 14 describes the second coming of the Messiah (vv. 1-15) and the establishment of the kingdom (vv. 16-21).  However, the cleansing of Israel followed by the second coming of Christ and the Messianic Kingdom are all conditioned on Zechariah 12:10. 

    “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.” Zechariah 12:10

    Before Israel will receive the cleansing of her sin, and before Christ will return to establish His kingdom, Israel must first look unto the One whom they have pierced and must plead for His return.  Once they do this, then, and only then, will they receive their cleansing and begin to enjoy the blessings of the Messianic Age.  

    The fourth passage is in Hosea five.  The One who is doing the speaking throughout the chapter is God Himself, and God is still speaking in verse 15: 

    “I will go and return to My place, Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face: in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

    There are certain presuppositions behind the understanding of this verse.  Before anyone can return to a place, he must first leave it.  In this passage God states that He is going to return to His place.  God’s place in heaven.  Before God can return to heaven, He must first leave it.  God left heaven at the incarnation when He became a man, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.  Then, because of one specific offense committed against Him, He returned to heaven at the ascension from the Mount of Olives.  This verse further states that He will not come back to the earth until the offense that caused Him to return to heaven is acknowledged or confessed.  

    The national Jewish offense committed against the person of Jesus is not, as so many people think, in killing Him.  The actual killing of Christ was done by Gentile, not Jewish, hands.  He was condemned and sentenced by a Gentile judge.  He was crucified by Gentile soldiers.  All this is ultimately irrelevant, for regardless of Jewish acceptance or Jewish rejection, Jesus would have had to die anyway to become the sacrifice for sin.  The national offense of Israel was in the rejection of His messiahship.  According to this verse, only when this offense is acknowledged or confessed will Christ come back to the earth.  

    The fifth passage is in Matthew 23 which contains Christ’s denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees, the Jewish leadership of that day, for leading the nation in the rejection of His messiahship.  He was still speaking to them in verses 37-39:  “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.  Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!  For I say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!”  Matthew 23: 37-39.

    Speaking to the Jewish leadership, Christ reiterated His original desire to gather them if they would only accept Him (v. 37).  Because of their rejection of His messiahship, in place of being gathered they are going to be scattered.  Their house, the Jewish Temple, will be left desolate and will be destroyed with nothing remaining (v. 38).  He then declares that they will not see Him again until they say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord (v. 39).  This is a quotation of a messianic Psalm, Psalm 118:26.  

    Jesus will not come back to earth until the Jews and the Jewish leaders ask Him to come back.  Just as the Jewish leaders led the nation to the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus, they must some day lead the nation to the acceptance of the Messiahship of Jesus.  This, then, is the twofold basis of the second coming of Christ: Israel must confess her national sin and then plead for Messiah to return, to mourn for Him as one mourns for an only son.  Until these two things happen, there will be no second coming.’” Israelogy: The Missing Link In Systematic Theology, by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Th.M., Ph.D., pp. 781-784.

    By the use of Scripture, Dr. Fruchtenbaum’s expertise in Hebrew / Old Testament prophecy reveals the reason Christ has yet to appear.  Without regurgitating Dr. Fruchtenbaum’s insights, it’s no wonder we have yet to see lightning flashing from the east to the west as Christ predicted — the conditions to His return have not yet occurred.  But wait, there is more. 

    Scripture teaches us that God’s word never returns to Him empty.  If then, as Full Preterits dogmatically assert, Christ returned in AD 70, when in human history did the Prophetic Scriptures Dr. Fruchtenbaum enumerate materialize?  When exactly did the passages of Scripture below come to fruition? 

    “For I say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!”  Matthew 23:39.

    “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born.” Zechariah 12:10.

    “BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.  Even so, Amen.” Rev. 1:7.

    “and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with great power and glory.” Matthew 24:30.   

    To bring us into the 21st Century for a moment, His physical appearance alone would create a journalistic frenzy.  It would be all over the newspapers and television networks across the world.  Why can I say this?  Because of how the New Testament Greek words describe His Second Coming, and what those words literally mean.  

    Although I am not qualified to interpret the Greek words themselves, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., a Greek scholar, absolutely is.  According to Dr. Zodhiates, the words used to describe the Second Coming of Christ are as follows: 

    “The word translated ‘coming’ is parousia, which basically means ‘presence’ or arrival.  In Hellenistic Greek it was used to designate the visit of a ruler.  The word parousia is used in Matthew 24:3, 27, 37, 39; I Cor. 15:23; 16:17; II Cor. 7:6,7; 10:10; Phil. 1:26; 2:12; I Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23; II Thess. 2:1, 8, 9; James 5:7,8; II Pet. 1:16; 3:4, 12; I John 2:28.  

    The specific meaning of parousia is made clear in I Thess. 4;15 where it is defined as the time when the Lord shall come out of heaven (I Thess. 1:10). At that time the dead who are believers will rise first, and those who are believers and are alive will be changed and be caught up in the air by Jesus Christ.  

    Apokalupsis is another Greek word speaking of the return of Christ. There is yet a third word used which is related to the Second Coming of the Lord and that is epiphaneia which means, ‘a manifestation.’ In Ancient Greek, it was used especially of the appearing of the gods and also the manifestation of divine power and providence in extraordinary events.  In the N.T. it is used of the appearing of the manifestation of Jesus Christ on earth (II Thess. 2:8; I Tim. 6:14; II Tim. 1:10; 4:1,8; Tit. 2:13.  These are the only references in the N.T. of the word epiphaneia. The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible – by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. 

    The Greek words describing the return of Christ paint a picture of illuminating clarity.   In other words, the whole world will see His physical return.  His arrival will be like the flashing of lightning from east to west: “For just as the lightening comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:27.

    But wait, there is more, still.   

    Dr. Walter Martin was the author of “The Kingdom of the Cults.”  In his book, under the heading “The Physical Return of Christ,” refuting the Watchtower interpretation of the Greek word parousia, paragraph 3 reads: 

    “these arguments are another example of the half-truths used by Jehovah’s Witnesses to lead people astray.  To begin with, Thayer, who is esteemed reliable in the field of scholarship, clearly states on page 490 of his Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament that parousia, especially in the New Testament, refers to the second coming of Christ in visible form to raise the dead, hold the last judgment, and set up the kingdom of God. … The physical return of Christ is the ‘blessed hope’ of Christendom (Titus 2:13), and the language used to portray its visible certainty is most explicit.  In Titus 2:13 the Greek word epiphaneia (‘appearing’) is more correctly translated ‘manifestation’ or ‘visible’ from phanero, ‘to make manifest, or visible, or known.’” (pp. 152-153)

    Walter Martin then says, “The language is self-explanatory.  When the Lord returns with His saints, “every eye shall see Him” (Matthew 24:30, cf. Revelation 1:7). 

    This brings me to the next passage of Scripture, which is important because it is the go-to text of Full and Partial Preterists when pushing their position: “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Matthew 24:34.

    Dr. Zodhiates analyzes this Scripture as follows:  

    “The signs mentioned in Matthew 24:4-14 can be misconstrued because they are general in character.  But the signs given in verses 15-28 are specific and discernible.  Then in verse 29 the sun, the moon, and the stars will be involved, signs that immediately follow the seven-year period of the Great Tribulation.  These signs point clearly to Christ’s appearance on earth.  In the same way, the fig tree, when ‘its twigs get tender and its leaves come out’, points to summer’s approach.

    Jesus said that if we are alert when we ‘shall see all these things’ take place, we will then ‘know’ (from gingko [1097], to experientially know) that the coming of the Lord is ‘near’ (eggus [1451], at the very doors.  The adjective eggus is relative and should be contrasted to heko (2240), to be here, to arrive (2 Pet. 3:10).  ‘These things’ refers to the sensational heavenly disturbances referred to in verse 29.  Through these visible events, the Lord will knock at the doors of people’s hearts.

    Jesus concluded His teaching with these words, ‘Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.’ When the sun and moon are darkened and stars fall from the skies, Jesus advised us to realize that the end is near.  These events will take place in rapid succession.  

    In general, Jesus taught that the generation that ‘see[s] all these things’ (v. 33) will not pass away without witnessing the completion of all the events prophesied. ‘All these things’ were typically fulfilled in the forty years from A.D. 30 to 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed.  Jerusalem’s destruction was a sign for believers to prepare for the rapture of His church and parousia.  Typical fulfillment of prophecy enhances imminence – the nearness of the Lord’s return.  

    Imminence in these verses refers to Christ’s coming in judgment after the Tribulation period and is aimed squarely at unbelievers; as Paul says, ‘Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief’ (1 Thess. 5:4).’” Exegetical Commentary on Matthew, by Spiros Zodhiates, pp. 411-412.

    In light of the analysis by Dr. Zodhiates and his expert knowledge of New Testament Greek, illuminating the literal meanings of the words describing Christ’s physical return, Preterists are unable to scripturally reconcile their claim that the Matthew 24:34 “generation” of A.D. 70 ran concurrently with the arrival of Christ.  On the other hand, Dr. Zodhiates’ “typical fulfillment” analysis is contextually sustainable. 

    There is but one last passage of Scripture I’d like to focus on because it, too, involves this event.  It is found at Matthew 24:21: “for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.” 

    “The words ‘great’ and tribulation,’ occurring without definite articles, should be taken generically, introducing us to a special kind of tribulation.  ‘Such” translates a form of the relative pronoun hoios (3634), such a one.  The contrast that follows is between this and every other tribulation.  This will be the severest.  

    ‘To this time’ translates heos (2193), until this time. The last phrase, ‘no, nor ever shall be,’ begins with the negative oude (3761), ‘but not.’  This is a contrasting compound conjunction of the two negatives ou (3756) and me (3361) combined as an intensive combination, meaning absolutely not, never at any time.  The intensive negative means that this tribulation will be absolutely unprecedented.  Exegetical Commentary on Matthew, by Spiros Zodhiates, p. 401.

    Here Dr. Zodhiates also helps us to understand the literal meanings of the Greek words describing the Great Tribulation.  The phrase “no, nor ever shall be” helps us understand that this event of horror will be unparalleled to anything in human history.  The carnage will be so vast that if not stopped no flesh would survive.

    “Full preterism is a small but tenacious movement within some fundamentalist circles.  But the concerned Christian should not allow its size to fool him: it is also a theologically dangerous movement.” Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr., Th.D.

    “Full preterism is not just another eschatology. It affects other aspects of systematic theology as well. Theology is systematic. That is, it draws upon the whole of the Bible. Rather than utilizing individual texts in isolation from one another, it attempts to relate various portions to one another, to coalesce the varied teachings into some type of harmonious or coherent whole.” Christian Theology (Erickson, Millard J., Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990) p.21.

    “Despite the failures of both our forefathers and contemporary Christians, the truth of God about last things still stands. One day Christ will return to sum up all things. The dead will rise, Christ will sit as judge, and every human will be examined and consigned to his or her eternal home either in heaven or in hell. These tenets are the stuff of true Biblical eschatology.” The Day and Hour: Christianity’s Perennial Fascination with Predicting the End of the World (Atlanta, GA: American Vision, Inc., 2000) Gumerlock, Francis X.

    Summary

    My goal in writing this piece was simple — to discuss and analyze whether Matthew Chapter 24 agrees, or disagrees, with Full and Partial Preterists that Christ returned invisibly in A.D. 70.  

    Full Preterism attempts to force a square peg into a round hole.  It could also be said that it places the cart before the horse, because before we experience the physical arrival of Christ, certain prophecy must be fulfilled.  

    Dr. Fruchtenbaum presented 5 passages of Scripture (4 Old Testament and 1 New Testament) demonstrating what must take place prior to the return of Jesus Christ (Leviticus 26:40-42; Jeremiah 3:11-18; Zechariah  Chapters 12-14; Hosea 5; Matthew 23: 37-39), but none of these events have been fulfilled. 

    Dr. Zodhiates presented the literal meanings of Greek New Testament words used to describe the physical return of Jesus Christ.  When Christ does return, His appearance will be so spectacularly revealing that not a soul on earth will miss it.  His Matthew Exegetical Commentary also interpreted Greek New Testament words describing the Great Tribulation, which demonstrate that this event will be so severe and catastrophic, it will be absolutely unprecedented in the history of mankind. No future battle or carnage of destruction will parallel this horrific event.  So if it had already occurred, everyone would certainly know it. 

    Conclusion

    In lieu of all the unfulfilled prophecies which must take place prior to His return, our insight into the literal meanings and their applications of Greek words used describing His arrival, placed alongside the cataclysmic Great Tribulation’s unparalleled human carnage to any past, present or future war in human history, Preterists are faced with a conundrum.  How can they possibly reconcile their claim that Christ already returned and the Great Tribulation already occurred? 

    Although Preterists are faced with a problem with their interpretation of Scripture, the Bible is crystal clear.  There is no ambiguity.  There is no escaping the logical conclusion of which Dr. Zodhiates refers (A.D. 70 was only a “typical fulfillment” of Matthew 24).  To insist that Christ returned in A.D. 70, invisibly, is as credible as the Watchtower’s claim that Christ returned invisibly in 1914.  Therefore, and as demonstrated above, the Bible categorically repudiates Full and Partial Preterism eschatology on their Matthew 24 position. 

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    Athiestism v. Jesus Follower

    April 12, 2017

    Hello, Cochise here.

    Many ex JW’s leave the Watchtower; become Atheist.  Stimulating Debate: Two Doctors discuss the issue of Atheism vs. Following Jesus … on opposing sides.

    Enjoy … This is a lengthy  discussion.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    Salvation

    January 2, 2016

    How Do You Get It and Can You Lose It?

    Our salvation presupposes truly genuine repentance. Therefore, we should never speak of salvation as our sole decision, but rather as God’s acceptance of a truly repentant sinner. This article will biblically demonstrate God’s formula for salvation, man’s occupation working for God’s gift, and whether His gift can be lost.

    Let us begin by reading what the Watchtower has to say on the issue of salvation.

    March 2015 WT

    Do you believe that “these words are faithful and true”? Then, learn more about Jesus Christ, and exercise faith in him. If you do, you will gain Jehovah’s approval. Not only will you experience his rich blessing now but you will gain the hope of life eternal in the earthly Paradise, where “death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”

    17 The hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. “The wages sin pays is death,” says Romans 6:23. The same verse adds: “But the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” In Chapter 3 of this book, we discussed the blessings of the coming earthly Paradise. (Revelation 21:3, 4) All those future blessings, including life everlasting in perfect health, are made possible because Jesus died for us. To receive those blessings, we need to show that we appreciate the gift of the ransom.

    19 How, then, can you demonstrate that you appreciate God’s gift of the ransom? To begin with, get to know the Great Giver, Jehovah. (John 17:3) A study of the Bible with the aid of this publication will help you to do that. As you come to know Jehovah, your love for him will deepen. In turn, that love will make you want to please him.

    20 Exercise faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. Regarding Jesus, it is said: “The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life.” (John 3:36) How can we exercise faith in Jesus? Such faith is not shown by words alone. “Faith without works is dead,” says James 2:26. Yes, true faith is proved by “works,” that is, by our actions. One way to show that we have faith in Jesus is by doing our best to imitate him not just in what we say but also in what we do.—John 13:15.

    In a nutshell, the Watchtower purports that works are necessary to receive God’s blessings, and that their magazine is required reading for true understanding of Scripture. In essence, the Watchtower implies that the Originator of language does not possess the skill to adequately communicate His message, and that our Infinite God needs His finite creation (the Watchtower) to interpret. That said, we find an interesting parallel of this in the book of Genesis. There, Eve was approached by an interpreter of God’s Word. She believed the interpreter and spread the false information to Adam, leading to the original sin. The lesson learned: Listen and obey God’s Word above all else.

    Watchtower dogma teaches that works are needed to experience blessings from God, and also also teach that salvation is not guaranteed. When I was a member of the Watchtower, I was taught that I had to work, wait, and hope. Yes, hope that I was saved. There was no guarantee.

    How Is Salvation Received

    “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16

    God is crystal clear. He promises us that anyone believing in His Son will not perish and will have eternal life. He does not specify any other requirement or condition (e.g., reading the Watchtower is not a prerequisite).

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-10

    God said His gift of salvation is not of ourselves. What does that really mean … “not of ourselves”? The Author of Scripture makes it abundantly clear that He means “not as a result of works.” That is, any effort, job, performance, task, exertion, or activity on our part. Our Lord extends His gift of salvation to mankind because He loves us. The gift is free but came at great cost. His grace alone saves us through our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Nowhere in Scripture does God teach that giving His gift is contingent upon works, labor, meeting attendance, going door-to-door, reading the Watchtower magazine, or any of the man-made rules outlined by the Watchtower.

    God is not fickle (bouncing from one side to another on a whim). He is not arbitrary or capricious (given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior). His formula for our salvation has already been communicated in Scripture: “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9) In other words and as I have already said, reading the Watchtower magazine is not part of God’s formula for salvation. God does not need an interpreter. His Word is crystal clear. The Bible provides His formula for Salvation, with all the instructions included.

    Salvation Described

    The salvation that comes through Christ may be described in three tenses: past, present, and future. When people believe in Christ, they are saved: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved …” Acts 16:31 … We are also in the process of being saved from the power of sin: “For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:3 … Finally, we shall be saved from the very presence of sin: “And this do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Romans 13:11

    As I said before, our LORD is not fickle, arbitrary or capricious. Our salvation is not contingent upon what we give God. Our eternal salvation was His gift to us before we were even born. I just love the words of Paul below:

    “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 35, 38, 39

    I highlighted the words “nor any other created thing,” because they refer to any man-made thing, such as the Watchtower. Their created theology of lies, deception, craftiness, cunning and pretense remind me of the character in the Garden of Eden. This guardian of Adam and Eve (the devil) lied and contradicted his Creator (you know the story). The Watchtower is nothing more than the offspring of the devil.

    Scripture quoted by the Watchtower with the intent to contradict, mislead or misrepresent what the Bible is actually communicating is a much rehearsed and skilled practice. The devil has taught them well. The Bible, however, contradicts Watchtower “truths” regarding His formula for salvation:

    “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-10.

    “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” John 4:24

    Can Salvation Be Lost?

    Nowhere in God’s inspired Word do we find any hint that our salvation, once received, is in jeopardy of being lost or taken away. Some do not believe this by pointing to the example of Judas Iscariot. He, being one of the chosen, is proof positive (so they say) that salvation is not eternally secure. Let us look into this line of thinking.

    Jesus in John 17:12 said:

    “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Thy name which Thou has given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

    The Scripture to be “fulfilled” was the following:

    “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.” Psalm 41:9

    Scholar Sprios Zodhiates affirms the position that Judas’ salvation was never lost because he was never saved in the first place (Never Truly Regenerated; Never Truly Born Again): “The son of perdition was always lost. He was never saved.” (The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible pg. 1593, by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates)

    Once someone has repented and is accepted by God (truly regenerated; born again), nothing in heaven or on earth (ourselves included) could separate us from our love for Jesus Christ.

    “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 35, 38, 39

    Conclusion

    Scripture teaches us that God’s plan to save the mankind is twofold: (1) His Love & Grace (2) our faith placed in His Son, Jesus Christ. There are no other qualifications. Man’s participation in God’s salvation formula is restricted to his or her individual acceptance of God The Son. In other words, works are never a prerequisite for salvation; works cannot save us; they are only a by-product. Works become a by-product as evidence of our newly-regenerated heart, not the other way around.

    As for losing salvation, this is not found anywhere in Scripture. If God accepts someone who He is not able to keep to the very end, then Christ has failed and that is impossible.  Scripture teaches us that God’s gift of salvation is eternally secure:

    “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know you have eternal life.” 1John 3:13

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    God’s Kingdom

    October 12, 2015

    The Stone That Crushes All Man-Made Kingdoms!

    Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that God’s Kingdom began ruling invisibly, in heaven and in the year 1914. Scripture, however, contradicts the Watchtower’s position on every point. The intent of this article is to bring biblical clarity by shining God’s Word over this topic. It will demonstrate when God’s Kingdom will begin to rule and from where, by analyzing the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and how it affects us today.

    Scripture foretells that God’s Kingdom will overthrow all man-made governments. It even tells us who will call the shots — the Stone:

    (44) “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. (45) Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy.” Daniel 2:44, 45

    Here God is speaking to Nebuchadnezzar, an idol worshipper, through this image in a dream, and He is telling Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. He was a world ruler and was concerned about where it was all going to end.

    The stone which was cut out of the mountain informs us that it crushes all the governments (represented in Daniel as precious metals). The identity of this Stone will be forthcoming, but first, let us identify the metals that Daniel refers to:

    GOLD = Kingdom of Babylon
    SILVER = Kingdom of Media-Persia
    BRASS = Kingdom of Graeco-Macedonia
    IRON = Kingdom of Rome
    At Daniel 2:41-43, we find the continued image of the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, that of the feet and toes:

    (41) “And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. (42) And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. (43) And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.”

    The Bible communicates a succession of World Powers which began with Babylon as the head of Gold and with Rome as the last world power represented by Iron. While each kingdom was eventually overthrown, Rome was never conquered or defeated by any world power. This begs the question: Who represents the feet and 10 toes of the image?

    Scripture continues to describe subsequent but divided kingdoms which appear after the Roman Empire of Iron. These kingdoms will not only be divided, but have the toughness of iron and be partly of pottery. Some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. The iron mixed with common clay will combine in the seed of men but they will not adhere to one another, such as iron does not combine with pottery.

    We are living in the period of the latter days, and that is still a question today: What is this world coming to? And who is the “Stone” that is going to overthrow all man-made governments?

    The Stone Identified

    “Jesus said to them, ‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, (Psalm 118:22) THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES?” Matthew 21:42

    Jesus Christ is that Stone mentioned in Daniel 2:44 … He is the Stone that the chief priests and Pharisees rejected. If we fall on that Stone, that is, rest in Him by faith, come just as you are without one plea but that His blood was shed for you … you are broken, you come as a sinner, with nothing to offer. But He is a wonderful Stone to rest upon.

    Matthew 21:44 goes on to tell us what happens if we reject the Stone: “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

    The Stone is one of many figures of speech in Scripture which speak of Christ in His office as both Savior and Judge. He is the Rock of salvation (Deut. 32:15), and He is the Rock of Judgment (Deut. 32:4). These verses in Daniel speak of the time when He is coming to the earth as Judge to put down earth’s rebellion against God. The reference here is to the second coming of Christ to the earth, which is depicted for us in detail in Revelation 19:11-21.

    “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” Zechariah 14:4

    “God’s form of government is going to be one of the most strict forms of government that the world has ever seen. The Lord Jesus Christ is going to be a dictator, and if you are not willing to bow to Him, I don’t think you would even want to be in HIs Kingdom when He establishes it here upon the earth.” Daniel Commentary Series, by J. Vernon McGee, pg. 46.

    The Ten Toes

    No great world power ever followed Rome. The Roman Empire was the last, and it will be in existence in the latter days. The Roman Empire fell apart from within; it was destroyed by an enemy. Rome is living in the great nations of Europe today — Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, and Spain are all part of the old Roman Empire.

    You see, the Roman Empire fell apart like Humpty-Dumpty. Many men have tried to put it back together again (Hitler, Mussolini, Napoleon), but they did not succeed. So far, the man who will accomplish it has not yet appeared. Yes, it will be the Anitichrist, who comes out of Europe.

    “What will be the final end of this last kingdom, the kingdom of iron mixed with clay? The clay, I believe, represents the masses, the different nations of the ten toes. The iron speaks of the fact that Rome lives on in this final form of the old empire.

    The Antichrist, or the Man of Sin (he has about thirty-five aliases in Scripture), is the one who will bring back the Roman Empire. He will be a world dictator – he will rule the world just as Nebuchadnezzar did at the beginning {see Revelation 13}.” Daniel Commentary Series, by J. Vernon McGee, pgs. 47, 48.

    At the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (after the seven year Great Tribulation period – Daniel 9:27), Our King, arrives (Daniel 2:44). He will put down all rebellion against Him. “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt shatter them like earthenware.” Psalm 2:9

    “This passage presents the Messiah in a different manner from that of Isa. 42.3. Here Christ has an attitude of strength toward the proud and rebellious, but He has a gentle attitude toward the penitent and the humble.” The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible New American Standard, by Scholar Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, pg. 716.

    “And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.” Zechariah 14:4

    Why God’s Kingdom Is a Literal Government

    “The basis for the belief in the Messianic Age is based on two things. The first is the numerous prophecies of the Old Testament which speak of the coming of the Messiah who will reign on David’s throne and rule over a peaceful kingdom. There is a great amount of material in the Old Testament on the Messianic Kingdom and the belief in a Messianic Kingdom rests on the basis of a literal interpretation of this massive material. The only real contribution that Revelation makes to the knowledge of the kingdom is to disclose just how long the Messianic Kingdom will last, namely one thousand years, for which the term ‘Millennium’ is used. This is the one key truth concerning the kingdom that was not revealed in the Old Testament.

    The second basis for the belief in a coming kingdom rests on the four unconditional, unfulfilled covenants God made with Israel. These covenants are unconditional and so rely solely on God for their fulfillment and not on Israel. They are also unfulfilled and, since God is One who keeps His promises, they must be fulfilled in the future. They can only be fulfilled within the framework of a Messianic Age or a Millennial Kingdom … The first of these is the Abrahamic Covenant which promised an eternal seed developing into a nation that will possess the Promised Land with some definite borders. While that nation, the Jews, continues to exist, never in Jewish history have they possessed all of the Promised Land. For this promise to be fulfilled, there must be a future kingdom. Furthermore, the possession of the land was not merely a promise to Abraham’s seed, but to Abraham personally when God said, ‘To thee will I give it and to thy seed forever.’ For God to fulfill His promise to Abraham (as well as to Isaac and Jacob), there must be a future kingdom. The second covenant is the Palestinian Covenant which spoke of a worldwide regathering of the Jews and repossession of the land following their dispersion. While the dispersion has already occurred and is in effect today, the regathering and repossession of the land still awaits fulfillment in the future. This too requires a future kingdom. The Davidic Covenant is the third covenant which promised four eternal things: an eternal house (dynasty), an eternal throne, an eternal kingdom, and an eternal person. The dynasty became eternal because it culminated in a Person who is Himself eternal: Jesus the Messiah. For that reason, the throne and kingdom will be eternal as well. Jesus has never yet sat upon the Throne of David ruling over a kingdom of Israel. The re-establishment of the Davidic throne and Christ’s rule over the kingdom still awaits a future fulfillment. It requires a future kingdom. The last of these covenants is the New Covenant which spoke of the national regeneration and salvation of Israel encompassing each individual Jewish member of that nation. This, too, awaits its final fulfillment and requires a future kingdom.” Israelology The Missing Link In Systematic Theology, by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum Th.M., Ph.D.pgs. 792-793

    In Revelation chapter 20:1-15, Dr. Spiros Zodhiates makes this observation: “In this chapter, we find Jesus Christ coming back to rule and reign on earth for a thousand years. The length of time is specific and definite and cannot be mistaken otherwise. There are a number of O.T references which describe this particular time of the millennium (II Sam. 7:14-17; Ps. 24:1-10; 72:1-20; Isa. 2:1-4; 11:5-10; 35:1-10; Dan. 2:44). Here we have the judgment for the dead who are now in the afterlife (v. 12). The believers have already been raised, and now the unbelievers are raised so that each group may receive its punishment.” The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, New American Standard Bible, Greek Scholar Spiros Zodhiates pg. 1695

    Conclusion:

    As we have discussed, God’s Word has clearly contradicted the Watchtower’s fantasy view of the location of God’s Kingdom and the year of establishment. It has also brought the geographical area of His return into focus.

    After the seven year Great Tribulation period, Jesus Christ the King of God’s Kingdom becomes visible and appears; to destroy the Antichrist, all man-made governments, and all people who oppose Him.

    After the seven year Great Tribulation period, Jesus Christ visibly reigns on earth for 1,000 years.

    After the seven year Great Tribulation period, the covenant promises God made to Israel will be fulfilled.

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    NEW JERUSALEM

    January 17, 2015

    The Eternal Home of The Church

    “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3

    This article will not be an exhaustive piece, but it will give you an overall picture of our future heavenly residence. Unlike my previous articles which compared Watchtower doctrine to Scripture, here I will focus exclusively on the text and will not discuss the Watchtower’s view. With help from Dr. J. Vernon McGee, B.D. Th.M. Th.D, the words of Christ and Scripture concerning our future heavenly residence will be brought into focus. I chose Dr. McGee as my source because of his credentials, but also for his entertaining manner of delivery and unique teaching skills. This entire article is virtually word-for-word out of Dr. McGee’s book, “Man’s Fascination With The Future On Prophecy.” The page number(s) will be noted after each quotation, and I have replaced the Scripture quotations with the New American Standard version, rather than the King James version:

    “The fourteenth chapter of John was given by our Lord in the Upper Room, and He introduces something that is entirely new. The first part of the chapter was given to a man to cushion the shock of failure that was to come into his life. Also it was to comfort and put down the fears of this little band of apostles across whose pathway the shadow of the Cross had fallen. Sin was knocking at the door in the Upper Room, demanding it’s pound of flesh. These men were frightened men, and our Lord was speaking to their hearts. He begins by saying, Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1)

    He is putting, as essential, faith in Himself along with faith in God – which, of course, is the thing that makes a Christian today. I was in a hospital visiting a Christian friend, and after I had prayed with him, the man who was in a bed across the room called to me, ‘Preacher, will you pray for me?’ I went over and talked to him and asked, ‘Are you a Christian?’ ‘Well, yes, I believe in God.’ ‘That does not make you a Christian,’ I said, ‘it simply means that you are not an atheist.’ Then I gave him this verse. ‘Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.’ Our Lord begins with His men on that plane, and He continues.

    In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

    …

    What is the Father’s house? When you go out tonight, look up into the vaulted sky above you, and you will see the Father’s house. That is His house. Our Lord said, ‘In My Father’s house are many moni, many abiding places, many place to live.’ …

    Then He says, I go to prepare a place for you.

    This place is different from any other in His universe – ‘I go to prepare a special place for you.’ It is a prepared place for prepared people. The One who was the carpenter of Nazareth down here about two thousand years ago is at this moment preparing a place up yonder for those who are His own. Have you ever wondered about that place He is preparing? Do you wonder what it is like? We are going there some day, and we shall live there eternally.

    Then He makes the statement,

    And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:3

    As far as I know, this is the first time in the Word of God where it mentions that He is going to take someone off the earth out into space. You will not find that in the Old Testament at all. God did not promise anyone in the Old Testament that He would take him off this earth to a place called heaven. The hope of the Old Testament saints was that there might be a heaven down here on this earth, and that is what I understand the expression, the Kingdom of Heaven, to mean – the reign of the heavens over the earth, the day when this earth becomes a heaven. That is the hope of the Old Testament.” (Pgs 235-238)

    “ … The glorious hope of the church is the coming of our Lord Jesus to take us into space to that home He has prepared.

    Now, where is that place? What kind of place is it? I turn to the only chapter I know of in the Word of God where there is a description of it, the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation.

    As we look at this chapter, I shall not try to make a comprehensive study, but rather I shall make a few suggestions that may intrigue you into probing deeper into this fascinating subject. I believe that if Christians were more interested in the place to which they are going, they would be more concerned about the way in which they are living down here.

    If you have read Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, which is actually the experience of Bunyan himself, you will notice that when he got up out of the Slough of Despond and started out, the hope that he had from the beginning was this: ‘I am a pilgrim, and I am on the way to the Celestial City.’ And when he would fall down, he would always get up, brush himself off and say, ‘I am a pilgrim on the way to the Celestial City.’ And when he was incarcerated in Doubting Castle, the key that unlocked the doors and set him free was this promise. When he had mountains to climb, when the way was difficult and discouraging and it seemed as though he would not make it, he got his mind and his heart fixed on that Celestial City.

    I believe there are many believers today who have lost sight of this city. They have become discouraged along the way. I say to you, friend, that this world is only a camping place for the night. We all are here temporarily – we are merely pilgrims down here on this earth. We are on the way to the Celestial City. We are on the way to the New Jerusalem. The thing that would encourage the hearts of many today would be to know a little about this place to which we are going.

    And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. Revelation 21:1

    John here tells us that God is going to trade in this old earth and the old heaven on a new model. He is going to get a new earth – not get rid of earth entirely but merely get a new one. He calls attention to only one great change in His new earth: there will be no more sea. That which covers three-fourths of the earth’s surface today will be entirely removed. What a tremendous population can then be put on the earth! Someone asked the other day, when I made the suggestion of the population explosion that will probably take place during the Millennium, ‘Where in the world will they go, when we don’t even have room today?’ May I say to you that there will be three-fourths more surface on earth, plus the fact that the curse of sin will be removed from the earth so that it will produce as it never has before. You will be able to find a parking space in that day; there will be plenty of parking spaces! That appeals to me, because we need more parking space in Southern California, and if we could use the Pacific Ocean, we would have the problem solved!” (Pgs 239-240)

    Greek scholar Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D in his book, “The Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible” (pg 1696), further explains Revelation 21:1: “Here we have the description of a new heaven and a new earth. The word ‘new’ in Greek is rendered by the word kainos (2537) which means ‘qualitatively new’ and not simply another earth and another heaven. Since our resurrection bodies will be changed, so will the environment in which these new bodies will live.”

    “But these are things that concern the earth, and we are not an earthly people. We are to leave this earth. The things that interests us is what John sees in the next verse:

    And I saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, make ready as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:2

    Now, this is the first time the New Jerusalem comes into view. The question is asked, ‘Is it in existence before this?’ I do not know, but I rather think that at the Rapture the church will be brought to this place. I believe this city is to be our permanent home. I think that during the Millennium it will be a matter of commuting back and forth from the earth to the New Jerusalem. Yet the New Jerusalem does not come into view until this point because now eternity opens up and reveals the eternal home of the church.

    Notice that the city is a holy city. The inhabitants have been made holy in Christ and in no other way. He is there. That makes it a holy city.

    The new Jerusalem is in contrast to the old Jerusalem down here on the earth, and it is coming down from God out of heaven.

    Now there are men today – better men than I – who believe that the New Jerusalem comes to the earth. I never have been able to see that, I cannot move it that far. I think it comes out into space, and it comes, apparently, within sight of the earth.

    The loveliest thing that God could say about it is that it is prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. … Thus God uses the figure of a bride to characterize this city. It is a thing of exquisite beauty.

    And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them. Revelation 21:3

    The New Jerusalem is the temple for the universe of God. This will be the place, apparently, where Israel and the gentile nations of the earth will come to worship. They will come to worship and then return to their homes on the earth.” (Pgs 240-241)

    and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

    “The second thing that makes the New Jerusalem a wonderful city is ‘there shall be no more death.’ No death. That makes it different from any city I have heard of down here. There will be no cemeteries, there will be no undertakers. … No more death. Would you like to go to a place like that? … What a wonderful place this will be!

    And then it says, ‘neither sorrow, nor crying, nether shall there be any more pain.’ All the hospitals will be closed, doctors and nurses will be out of a job, ‘for the former things are passed away.’ Then we come to something that is quite wonderful:

    And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Revelation 21:5

    I love that. Would you like to start all over again? I want to make a confession. I never have been the preacher that I have wanted to be. I never have preached the sermon that I longed to preach. I honestly never have been the man that I have wanted to be. I have not attained, really, my ambition. I have not reached my goal in life. I never have been the husband that I have wanted to be, and I never have been the father that I have wanted to be. As I come to this place in life and look back, I have regrets. I would like to go back and do things differently. And God is going to let me! He says to my heart, ‘In that city, McGee, I make all things new.’” (Pgs 242-243)

    And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and hight mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. Revelation 21:10, 11

    “The jasper stone is evidently similar to our diamond. The city from the outside looks like a diamond. I like to think of its being the wedding ring of the church. It will be like a diamond flashing out through God’s vast universe. I believe it will be the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen because the twelve foundations, which would be the outer surface, are all precious stones through which the light passes. Varied hues and tints from a galaxy of rainbow colors:

    Jasper – perhaps the blue diamond
    Sapphire – opaque with a greenish or yellowish color
    Chalcedony – perhaps green
    Emerald – green
    Sardonyx – white and yellow
    Sardius – red
    Chrysolite – golden lustre
    Beryl – sea green, aqua
    Topaz – greenish yellow
    Chrysoprase – golden green
    Jacinth – violet
    Amethyst – purple or rose red

    The presence of the primary colors suggests that every shade and tint is reflected from this city. A rainbow that appears after a summer shower gives only a faint hint of the breathtaking beauty of the city of light. I believe it will be the most thrilling sight in the world to see this city. Nothing in all God’s universe will compare to it.” (Pgs 244-245) [Revelation 21:19-20 identify the stones.]

    And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. Revelation 21:16

    “It is fifteen hundred miles long, fifteen hundred miles wide, and fifteen hundred miles high. Some men have concluded that it will be a cube; others see it as a pyramid. It is difficult to conceive of either a cube or pyramid project out in space. Cubes and pyramids are appropriate for earthly buildings. I cannot believe that, since God has made everything in space globe-shaped, He would make this square. I do not say this in a dogmatic fashion, for there are many fine Bible students who disagree with me, but I believe that the New Jerusalem is a sphere and these measurements that Scripture gives are the dimensions on the inside of the sphere, a cube within a crystal-clear sphere. I took this problem in solid geometry to a man in the field of theoretical engineering. He worked it out for me and came up with a sphere that is slightly larger than our moon. The diameter of the moon is about 2,160 miles, and that of the New Jerusalem sphere is about 2,600 miles. We live on the outside of the planet called earth, but if my theory is correct, our eternal home will be within the planet called the New Jerusalem.” (Pg 244)

    And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. Revelation 21:23

    “The New Jerusalem will be independent of the sun and moon for light and life. What a contrast to the earth which is utterly dependent upon the sun and the moon. The sun and moon may even be dependent upon the Celestial City for power to transmit light, since the One who is the source of light and life will dwell within the city. Neither will light be furnished by the New Jerusalem Light and Power Company. The One who is light will be there, and the effulgence of His glory will be manifested in the New Jerusalem unhindered.” (Pg 245)

    “The New Jerusalem will be the center of the universe. All activity and glory revolve about this city. The nation of Israel and the gentile nations of the earth will walk in the light of it and bring to it their glory and honor. They will not live in the city but will come, as the priests of old came to the holy place in the tabernacle and temple, for the purpose of worship. There will be no need to bring a blood sacrifice, for the Lamb is there in person.

    And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty, and the Lamb, are its temple. Revelation 21:22

    This city has no temple because it is a temple – God is there and Christ is there. It is the holy place, if you please, because Christ is present. That is the thing that makes it such a wonderful place. The Lord Jesus said,

    for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:2-3

    We are to be with Him throughout eternity. That, after all, will make it heaven – Christ will be there.

    Many folk ask, ‘Will I know my loved ones in heaven?’ We shall certainly know our loved ones in heaven. As Dr. G. Campbell Morgan said years ago when someone asked that question of him, ‘I do not expect to be a bigger fool there than I am here, and I know them here.’ Yes, we shall know our loved ones in heaven.” (Pg 246)

    “I hope you will want to go to this city. Someone may ask, ‘Well, how do you get there?’ That brings us back to where we started.

    When our Lord was talking to His men in the Upper Room, He said, ‘And you know the way where I am going’ (John 14:4). Sitting there was one of His disciples, a man who had a question mark for a brain, Thomas. This man had doubts. He raised questions about everything and he always saw a dark side of things. He really was not a very pleasant fellow to have around, and I do not know why our Lord called him. In fact, I have never figured out why He called any of them – who would want Simon Peter, Thomas, Andrew, James, or John? All of them were problem children, every one of them. But I am glad He called them because if He will use them there is still hope for me and there is hope for you. This man Thomas is a doubter. He says, ‘Wait a minute, Lord. You say that we know where You are going and we know the way. We don’t!’

    Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way. John 14:5

    I am glad he was there. He raised my question – he save me from having to ask it.

    Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. John 14:6

    My friend, Jesus is the way to the Celestial City. He has gone before us, and He is preparing an eternal home for all of us who have become children of God through faith in His name.” (Pgs 247-248)

    Conclusion:

    Our Lord Jesus Christ went away to prepare our eternal home in heaven. The Author of Scripture describes this heavenly abode in beautiful detail. The Apostle Paul reminds us all that death is only the beginning and our heavenly home is much preferred over our earthly residence … “we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

    Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

    « Older Entries