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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hades - Sheol





In Matthew 27:45-53, we read;
45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink.
49The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.
52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Some of the tombs were shattered and laid open by the earthquake, and while they continued unclosed, many bodies of holy men were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, went into the holy city (Jerusalem) and appeared to many - Who had probably known them before: God hereby signifying, that Christ had conquered death, and would raise all His saints in due season.
It is a genuine record of the event that happened when our Lord was crucified on the cross; the graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written in the Gospel Matthew.
The Old Testament teaches life after death, and that all people went to a place of conscious existence called “Sheol.” The wicked were there (Psalm 9:17; 31:17; 49:14; Isaiah 5:14), and so were the righteous (Genesis 37:35; Job 14:13; Psalm 6:5; 16:10; 88:3; Isaiah 38:10).
The New Testament equivalent of Sheol is Hades. Prior to Christ’s resurrection, Luke 16:19-31 shows Hades to be divided into two realms: a place of comfort where Lazarus was and a place of torment where the rich man was. The word hell in verse 23 is not “Gehenna” (place of eternal torment) but “Hades” (place of the dead). Lazarus’s place of comfort is elsewhere called Paradise (Luke 23:43). Between these two districts of Hades is “a great gulf fixed” (Luke 16:26).
Jesus is described as having descended into Hades after His death (Acts 2:27, 31; cf. Ephesians 4:9). At the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it seems that the believers in Hades (i.e., the occupants of Paradise) were moved to another location. Now, Paradise is above rather than below (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).
Today, when a believer dies, he is “present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-9). When an unbeliever dies, he follows the Old Testament unbelievers to Hades. At the final judgment, Hades will be emptied before the Great White Throne, where its occupants will be judged prior to entering the lake of fire (Revelation 20:13-15).

Can I See My Mom in Heaven?


I believe you will benefit from this reading when you have someone to see in Heaven. I do. I want to see my Lord Jesus more than anyone else. And I want to see my mom and dad, grandparents, my sisters and brother who died in their early ages.

Question: "Will we be able to see and know our friends and family members in Heaven?"

Answer:
Many believers say that the first thing they want to do when they arrive in heaven is see all their friends and loved ones who have passed on before them. In eternity, there will be plenty of time to see, know, and spend time with our friends and family members. However, that will not be our primary focus in heaven. We will be far more occupied with worshipping God and enjoying the wonders of heaven. Our reunions with loved ones are more likely to be filled with recounting the grace and glory of God in our lives, His wondrous love, and His mighty works. We will rejoice all the more because we can praise and worship the Lord in the company of other believers, especially those we loved on earth.

What does the Bible say about whether we will be able to recognize people in the afterlife? King Saul recognized Samuel when the witch of Endor summoned Samuel from the realm of the dead (1 Samuel 28:8-17). When David’s infant son died, David declared, “I will go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). David assumed that he would be able to recognize his son in heaven, despite the fact that he died as a baby. In Luke 16:19-31, Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man were all recognizable after death. At the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah were recognizable (Matthew 17:3-4). In these examples, the Bible does seem to indicate that we will be recognizable after death.

The Bible declares that when we arrive in heaven, we will “be like him [Jesus]; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Just as our earthly bodies were of the first man Adam, so will our resurrection bodies be just like Christ’s (1 Corinthians 15:47). “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:49, 53). Many people recognized Jesus after His resurrection (John 20:16, 20; 21:12; 1 Corinthians 15:4-7). If Jesus was recognizable in His glorified body, we also will be recognizable in our glorified bodies. Being able to see our loved ones is a glorious aspect of heaven, but heaven is far more about God, and far less about us. What a pleasure it will be to be reunited with our

Korean Translation:

질문: 천국에서 내 친구들이나 가족을 보고 알 수 있을까?

대답:
많은 사람들은 말하길 천국에 갔을 때 제일 먼저 하고 싶은 일이 자신보다 먼저 죽어서 천국에 간 가족들이나 사랑하는 사람들을 만나는 것이라고 합니다. 그런데 정말 이렇게 천국에서 제일 먼저 하게 될 일 일까요? 물론 천국에서 나의 친구들과 가족들을 만나고 알고 함께 시간을 보낼 수 있을 것이라고 믿습니다. 아마 영원히 그럴 수 있을 것이라 생각합니다. 그러나 이것이 천국에서 일어날 가장 중요한 일은 아닐 것입니다. 우리는 천국에 가면 내가 사랑했던 사람들을 즉시 만나는 일을 걱정하기 보다는 아마 우리는 하나님을 예배하고 천국의 경이로움을 즐기는 데 온통 정신이 없을 것입니다. 이렇게 생각해보면 어떨까요? 내가 사랑하는 사람과 같이 하는 것도 멋지겠지만 그들과 함께 하나님을 예배할 수 있다는 것은 더 멋지겠지요?

그럼 성경은 우리가 사랑하는 가족들을 천국에서 보고 알아 볼 수 있는지에 대해 무엇을 말하고 있습니까? 사울왕은 엔돌의 여인이 사무엘을 다시 불렀을 때 사무엘을 알아 볼 수 있었습니다 (사무엘상 28:8-17). 다윗이 밧세바와 범한 죄로 인해 다윗의 아들이 죽었을 때, 다윗은 깊은 슬픔의 시간을 보내고 나서 말하길, “지금은 죽었으니 어찌 금식하랴 내가 다시 돌아오게 할 수 있느냐 나는 저에게로 가려니와 저는 내게로 돌아오지 아니하리라” (사무엘하 12:23). 다윗은 여기서 아들이 비록 아기로 죽었으나 천국에서 알아 볼 수 있을 것이라 가정하고 말했습니다. 성경은 말하길 우리가 천국에 도착했을 때 우리는 하나님과 같은 모습을 지닐 것을 아는 것은 그의 계신 그대로 볼 것이기 때문이라고 합니다. 고린도전서 15:42-44에서는 인간의 부활된 몸을 묘사하길, “죽은 자의 부활도 이와 같으니 썩을 것으로 심고 썩지 아니할 것으로 다시 살며 욕된 것으로 심고 영광스러운 것으로 다시 살며 약한 것으로 심고 강한 것으로 다시 살며 육의 몸으로 심고 신령한 몸으로 다시 사나니 육의 몸이 있은즉 또 신령한 몸이 있느니라.”

우리는 이 땅에서 첫 사람 아담의 몸을 지녔지만 (고린도전서 15:47a) 부활할 때는 그리스도의 몸을 지닐 것입니다 (고린도전서 15:47b). “우리가 흙에 속한 자의 형상을 입은 것같이 또한 하늘에 속한 자의 형상을 입으리라. 이 썩을 것이 불가불 썩지 아니할 것을 입겠고 이 죽을 것이 죽지 아니함을 입으리로다” (고린도전서 15:49, 53). 많은 사람들이 예수님이 부활하신 이후에도 예수님을 알아 보았습니다 (요한복음 20:16, 20; 21:12; 고린도전서 15:4-7). 그러므로 예수님이 그의 부활한 몸으로 사람들에게 인식되었다면 우리의 부활할 몸도 예수님과 동일할 것이라 보는 것입니다. 우리가 사랑했던 사람들을 만나는 것도 좋지만 그보다 천국은 하나님에 대한 것이지 우리가 원하는 것들에 대한 것이 아니라는 것을 알아야 겠습니다. 영원토록 우리가 사랑했던 사람들과 함께 연합하여 하나님을 예배한다는 것이 얼마나 기쁜 일이까요!!

Abercrombie or Gap in Heaven?

                                                                  Image from Google

Since Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden before the Fall (Genesis 3), and since the New Earth will be a restored paradise Earth, some speculate that in eternity, we will be naked as well. While there would be nothing wrong with glorified believers in Heaven being naked, that does not seem to be the case. Angelic beings and those who have been redeemed are always described as wearing some kind of garments. In Daniel’s vision, the angel (whether it was an angelic being or a preincarnate appearance of Christ) was dressed in linen with a belt of fine gold around his waist. Similarly, the angel guarding Jesus’ tomb was described as wearing garments: “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).

In heaven, we will not be naked as Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Their nakedness was symbolic of their innocence and sinlessness. When we get to heaven, having never been in a sinless state, we will be covered by the clothing that was provided by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross ("I counsel you o to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and p white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed
Revelation 3:18). Since we will not have physical bodies such as we have here, we will not have physical clothing. Rather, our clothing will be part of our perfected nature. In Revelation 4:4, the 24 elders around the throne of God wear white clothing and golden crowns. Revelation 3:5 tells us that those who belong to Christ will be dressed in white; "He who overcomes i shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not j blot out his name from the k Book of Life; but l I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” Therefore in Heaven, we will be clothed in His righteousness and perfection.

Retrieved and modified from http://www.gotquestions.org/naked-heaven.html 05/31/12

New Heaven and New Earth - Part III




I am eagerly looking forward to the New Heaven and New Earth promised in God’s Word. It would be better than the home and town where I currently reside, way better than the Alpine villages in Switzerland where I stayed for couple of months in late 1970’s, which I thought the Paradise on earth.
Revelation 21:21
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
Hebrews 11:10, 16
10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH: foretold in Revelation 21 will be created following the Great White Throne judgment (Rev 20) where we find the present earth and heaven (atmosphere) passes away from before the presence of God on His throne. We are told that the new heaven (atmosphere/firmament/1st heaven) and Earth are created and possess different qualities than this present Earth with its atmosphere. For example, the new Earth has no sea...speculation would lead one to believe that while water will be present, it will not be found in the mass quantities we find in oceans now. Likely, as with the preflood era Earth, the majority of water will be confined to "fountains of the great deep" (underground) or in the theorized water vapor canopy (windows of heaven). With the preflood era Earth, a mist went up from the ground to water the face of the earth rather than cycles of rainfall. Certainly, should the surface area of the new Earth remain the same and the ocean basin area be fertile dry land, there will be much more to inhabit.

NEW JERUSALEM: is the Heavenly City made by God himself which is yet to come. Foretold and described in great detail in Revelation 21 & 22, the dimensions of the city measure approximately 1500 miles in width, length and height. Though many assume that this must mean a squarish shape to the city, a pyramidal shape also fits the dimensions and makes more sense with relation to a city. The description of the city which includes, streets of transparent pure gold, gates of pearl and foundations of 12 different precious stones are beyond our imagination.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Will There Be A Marriage In Heaven?




In Matthew 22, the Sadducees, in an attempt to discredit Jesus, came to Him with a question regarding marriage and the resurrection. Jesus answered them with these words: “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven” (verse 30). Jesus teaches here that marriage is a relationship to be enjoyed in this life, but it will not carry forward into the next life. While we do not lose our identity in heaven (Luke 16:23), we will not hold the same relationships that we do on earth. Our existence will be quite different from what we are used to here. The fact that there is no marriage in heaven implies at least two other things:

(1) There will be no procreation in heaven; the number of the redeemed is set, and, with no death, there will be no need to propagate the race.

(2) There will be no physical copulation between male and female to produce posterity in heaven. The appetites and desires of this world will give way to higher and infinitely more gratifying delights in the world to come.

In the Old Testament, Jehovah God was depicted as the Husband who chose the Nation Israel to be His wife in Jeremiah 3:14, “Return, faithless people," declares the LORD, "for I am your Husband. I will choose you--one from a town and two from a clan--and bring you to Zion.
For centuries, the temple and its sacrifices were at the heart of worship, but once Christ came and offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice, the temple system and its sacrifices were no longer needed (John 4:22-23). They were “copies of the heavenly things,” and the earthly temple was only “a copy of the true one” in heaven (Hebrews 9:23-24).

In the same way, the marriage relationship is a picture of our relationship with Christ (Ephesians 5:31-32). Once we are united with Christ, the illustration will no longer be needed. We will have the reality, which is far better than any earthly representation. This is why Jesus is called the Bridegroom, the Church is called His Bride, and our celebration in heaven is called the Wedding (John 3:29; Matthew 22:1-14).

The Bride and Bridegroom are symbolic names for Jesus Christ (Bridegroom) and The Body of Believers known as The Church (Bride of Christ). The names symbolize the relationship Christ has with His believers, as in Genesis with the marriage covenant, where two become one. Christ is said to be the Head of the Church as the Husband is the head of the Wife. He loves and sacrificed himself for the Church (Believers) as the husband should for his wife. Likewise, the Church should be in submission to Christ as the wife is to her husband (Ephesians 5). Once the Church is ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, a celebration of the Bride and Bridegroom coming together to remain inseparable for all eternity (Revelation 19:7-9).

Restaurant Menu in Heaven




You may ask whether you will eat food in heaven or not because you experience here on earth eating is necessary to stay alive. But it is also so very enjoyable! Because eating is enjoyable, we can conclude that what is enjoyable on earth will naturally be present in Heaven. Although the Bible does not give us a detailed answer to the question of eating food in heaven, a few observations from the Scriptures are in order.

It is interesting to note that when the Lord Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples shortly before His crucifixion, He referred to eating and drinking in the kingdom. “Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God’ ” (Mark 14:25). The earthly Millennial Kingdom is certainly in view here, and in that Kingdom all who are His followers will have already received their resurrection bodies. It would appear from this statement that we, in our glorified bodies, will eat and drink in the Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth and in the New Heaven and New Earth.

At the Last Supper scene recorded in Luke 22, Jesus refers to eating and drinking in His Kingdom, 28You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Human experience shows that people seldom eat at their table together with someone who they don’t have intimate fellowship with.

When John the Apostle was given a vision of the New Jerusalem he was shown “a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse…” (Revelation 22:1-3). The text does not say whether we will actually eat the fruit of the tree of life, but that is certainly possible.

If we will be eating in heaven, we don’t know for sure what the heavenly menu may contain, although it has been suggested that perhaps our diet will be like that of Adam and Eve in paradise before the fall. “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food” (Genesis 1:29).

My understanding is that in Heaven, we eat the fruit of the Tree of Life because the Lord said, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God ” (Revelation 2:7).


All of first Adam’s children were prohibited from eating the fruit of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden after losing battle against Satan.  But Jesus, the Second Adam overcame and regained the Paradise for us and gave us the right to eat from the Tree of Life. Access to theTree of Life for all of us has been made possible from the Tree of Curse,which is the Cross of Christ. Hallelujah!

Whatever we may eat in Heaven, we don’t eat to stay alive because we have an eternal life already, but we eat to enjoy and thank the eternal life that was given by eating the Bread of Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Even the leaves of the tree of life can heal all the nations! Amen.

Sound of Music in Heaven


"The Sound of Music was the original Broadway production, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, opened on November 16, 1959; the show has enjoyed numerous productions and revivals since then. It was adapted as a 1965 film musical starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which won five Academy Awards. It was one of my favorite movies in my youth days together with "Ben Hur" , "Exodus" and "Ten Commandments" etc.


Today you will hear the "Sounds of Heaven" recorded in the Bible;
Sounds of Worship

God created humanity with the unique ability to worship using songs and singing (Eph. 5:19). Scripture has numerous instances of worshipping God on Earth using music. Trumpets are mentioned (Psa. 150:3; 1 Chr. 16:6, 42) along with flutes (Psa. 150:4; 1 Sam. 10:5) and harps (Psa. 33:2). Some psalms of the bible are sung with musical instruments (Psa. 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 8:1, 9:1, and 12:1). Church services of today have singing and music. If you think it makes sense for there to be singing and music in Heaven, you're right.

Heavenly sounds

In addition to amazing sights in Heaven, we'll hear amazing sounds. We'll be able to hear sounds we can't hear on Earth in ways we can't imagine. Heaven is full of praise for God. The apostle Paul heard "inexpressible things" (2 Cor. 12:3-4) he was not permitted to talk about. Fortunately others were allowed to.

Scripture says Heaven has musical instruments. The 24 elders who sat around the throne of God had harps (Rev. 5:8). Those victorious over the beast had harps given to them by God (Rev. 15:2). Do these harps sound anything like the ones on Earth? We do know the apostle John heard a sound from Heaven that sounded like rushing water, thunder and harpists playing their harps (Rev. 14:2).

Trumpets are another instrument mentioned in Heaven. On one occasion seven of them are used to signal judgment (Rev. 8:6-9:21; 11:15). Another trumpet is used to signal the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:52; 1 The. 4:16-17).

Angels

The Bible gives details on the sounds of angels. Job 38:7 mentions angels shouting for joy. Luke 2:13-14 KJV talks about angels saying

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

The Bible also mentions countless angels sing. (Rev. 5:11-12)

The book of Isaiah mentions high-level angels called Seraphs. During Isaiah's commission, the Seraphs say

Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. (Isa. 6:2-3 KJV)

The doors and thresholds of the temple shook when they said that (Isa. 6:4).

The Bible also mentions other high-level angels called Cherubim. The Cherubim around God's throne say something similar to the Seraphs,

Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come (Rev. 4:8 KJV)

The wings of the Cherubim sound like the waves crashing against the shore or the sound of a mighty army (Ezek. 1:24). Cherubim also made rumbling sounds when their wings touched each other (Ezek. 3:12-3:13). The sound of the wings is quite loud (Ezek. 10:5).

God

As for God, the Bible mentions thunder and rumbling from His throne (Rev. 4:5). Thunder is a sign of God's power and authority. God thundered with thunder so loud it frightened and confused the Philistines when they were about to attack Israel (1 Sam. 7:10). This allowed the Israelites to defeat them.

The voice of God is majestic and powerful (Psa. 29:4). It is also described as shaking the wilderness (Psa. 7-9). Jesus’ voice is like a trumpet when He called to John (Rev. 1:10).

The wonderful music of the angels and Heaven's inhabitants will all be for the glory of God.


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Thou Art My Son



To me, Psalm 2 is one of the most important parts of the Bible in terms of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son.
Psalm 2; Let’s read through it with prayerful heart, so God the Holy Spirit enables us to understand clearly about this truth.
1Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
3“Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”
4The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6“I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
7I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my Son
today I have become your Father.
8Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
10Therefore, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11Serve the Lord with fear
and rejoice with trembling.
12Kiss the Son, lest he be angry
and you be destroyed in your way,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Pay a special attention to Psalm 2:7;
I (=the Messiah, pre-incarnate Jesus) will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
The word ילדתי  yalidti, "I have begotten," is here taken in the sense of manifesting, exhibiting, or declaring; and to this sense of it St. Paul (Romans 1:3, Romans 1:4) evidently alludes when speaking of "Jesus Christ, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, του ὁρισθεντος Υἱου Θεου εν δυναμει, κατα Πνευμα αγιωσυνης, εξ αναστασεως νεκρων; and declared (exhibited or determined) to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness,  by his resurrection from the dead"
This can be well interpreted; “This very rejected Person, I(God the Father)), this day, by raising Him(the Son) from the dead, and placing Him at my right hand, giving to Him all power in heaven and earth, declare to be my Son, the Beloved One in Whom I am well pleased. Therefore hear Him, believe on Him, and obey Him; for there is no redemption but through His blood; no salvation but in His name; no resurrection unto eternal life but through his resurrection, ascension, and powerful intercession at My Right Hand. He is My Son.
The name "sons of God," is applied in the Scriptures to saints, and may have been given to the angels. But the argument here is that the name, "My Son" has never been given to any one of them particularly and by eminence. In a large general sense, they are the sons of God, or the children of God, but the name is given to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, in a special sense, implying a unique relation to him, and a special dominion over all things.
Hebrews 1:5-12 reads;
5For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son;
today I have become your Father?
Or again,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son”?
6And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
7In speaking of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
his servants flames of fire.”
8But about the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.
9You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
10He also says,
“In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.

11They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment.
12You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end.”
13To which of the angels did God ever say,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet”?
14Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, a voice was heard from Heaven, As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.(Matthew 3:16-17)
Apostle Paul quoted from Psalm 2 when he and Barnabas went to synagogue in Antioch, Pisidia and preached to them;
And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.


The disciples heard a voice from Heaven on the Mount of Transfiguration, “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" (Matthew 17:5 )
Jesus’ calling Himself to be the Son of God became the ground for the Jews to kill Him, “For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” (John 5:18)
Most important thing for you and me is, “The Son of God is our Lord Jesus whom I and you call “Everlasting Father”(Isaiah 9:6 reads; For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.). Just as God the Father begat His Son Jesus, our Lord Jesus bore you and me with His blood and water shed for us on the cross! Amen and amen.



Friday, May 25, 2012

Scripural Testimony vs. Scientific Technology

An 1849 Currier & Ives lithograph shows the tumult surrounding Jesus' crucifixion. Geologists say the historical event may have taken place April 3 in the year 33, based on an analysis of seismic records.

One of my children forwarded this interesting article to me.

By Jennifer Viegas
Discovery News

Geologists say Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33.
The latest investigation, reported in International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion:
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open.
To analyze earthquake activity in the region, geologist Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geosciences studied three cores from the beach of the Ein Gedi Spa adjacent to the Dead Sea.
Varves, which are annual layers of deposition in the sediments, reveal that at least two major earthquakes affected the core: a widespread earthquake in 31 B.C. and a seismic event that happened sometime between the years 26 and 36.
The latter period occurred during “the years when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea and when the earthquake of the Gospel of Matthew is historically constrained,” Williams said.
"The day and date of the crucifixion (Good Friday) are known with a fair degree of precision," he said. But the year has been in question.
In terms of textual clues to the date of the crucifixion, Williams quoted a Nature paper authored by Colin Humphreys and Graeme Waddington. Williams summarized their work as follows:
  • All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV, 44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from A.D. 26 to 36.
  • All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
  • All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).
  • The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan, right before the start of the Passover meal.
  • John’s gospel differs from the synoptic, apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan.
When data about the Jewish calendar and astronomical calculations are factored in, a handful of possible dates result, with Friday, April 3, 33, being the best match, according to the researchers.

Retrieved and shortened from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47555983/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/quake-reveals-day-jesus-crucifixion-researchers-believe/#.T772i7DOwsJ 05/25/12

Mount Ararat vs. Mount Everest



Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat (the highest peak in Turkey, and the entire Armenian plateau with an elevation of 5,137 m/16,854 ft) and Lesser Ararat (with an elevation of 3,896 m/12,782 ft).

Mount Ararat in Judeo-Christian tradition is associated with the "Mountains of Ararat" where, according to the book of Genesis, Noah's ark came to rest. Genesis 8:4; “and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.”

Genesis 7:17-24

17 For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth. 18 The waters rose and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. 19 They rose greatly on the earth, and all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered. 20 The waters rose and covered the mountains to a depth of more than twenty feet. 21 Every living thing that moved on the earth perished—birds, livestock, wild animals, all the creatures that swarm over the earth, and all mankind. 22 Everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died. 23 Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark. 24 The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days.

I once had a personal question in mind, “Were Himalaya Mountains covered?” Because Mount Everest is the highest point (29,020 ft) on earth and it’s higher than Mount Ararat by 12,166 ft. It was ‘yes’ because God’s Word records, “all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered.”  If God’s Word says so, that’s a final answer to me and to you.