Posted by: biblestudyseattle | April 24, 2024

Serving the Lord

“Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.  So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”  The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.   Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” Exodus 32:25-29

At first blush, this appears to say that the Levites went and killed 3,000 random brothers and sisters. And they were rewarded for this?!? But this is not the case. Many times scripture is very spare leading us to some alarming conclusions. It should says that the Levites killed 3,000 leaders of the Golden Calf idolatry plot.

The point is that God rewards those who fight for him and against evil, even to the point of capitol punishment. The believers in God may be called to literally fight at the battle of Armageddon. “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.  On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them.  On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12:7-9

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | April 1, 2024

The Pearly Gates

Saint Peter stood at the pearly gates and asked why she should be let in…

This is the popular conception of Christianity. It is about believing in Jesus and floating away to the dreamy land of immortal people in white clothes floating around playing their harps for eternity.

But…. this is mostly wrong. It may involve people in white clothes and they might be able to float or fly but remember… “on earth as it is in heaven”. Heaven and earth are intimately linked. Heaven will eventually come down to merge with earth. And heaven isn’t all unicorns and rainbows. Satan is a frequent visitor: “One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them.” Job 1:6 Contrary to the perfect peace people assume in heaven, there has been war: “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.” Revelation 12:7

Heaven is a higher plane of existence than earth but it is like parent and child. Those people God deems worthy to go to heaven will. And they will not only minister in heaven but on earth as well. It is not like there will be some infinite chasm between heaven and earth. Even Jacob had this dream:

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.” Genesis 28:13-14

When we reach the next life we will commune with our family even if we are in heaven and they on earth. This is why Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days after he rose from the grave. He may have able to walk through walls, but he still appeared in his human body as they had known his. He said to Thomas:

“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:27

“

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | March 28, 2024

Jesus’ Return and Noah

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.   Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” Matthew 24:37-41

A commentary on this says: “It was not the flood, but the presence and work of Noah before
the flood which prefigured the Second Advent of Christ.” The scripture highlights the days before the flood but that doesn’t mean it excludes the days during the flood, for it also says ‘As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man’. That is, all the days of Noah.

It is true that most Christians even will be unaware when Jesus comes. That is because he will first come secretly. It is possible that verse 41 refers to a later event when Jesus’ presence becomes very obvious – the battle of Armageddon.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | March 5, 2024

A Difficult Passage – Romans 9, 10, 11

Romans chapters 9 to 11 must be taken as a whole. The first difficult scripture is Romans 9:17-18:

“For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.” Romans 9:16-17

Paul is merely quoting Exodus 9:16. Does God harden people to evil only to condemn them? Wouldn’t that be cruel and sadistic? Is God cruel? Satan certainly wants you to think so. But let’s read on.

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.” Romans 11:25-26

All Israel will be saved?!? What about justice? Is God unjust? Satan certainly wants you to think so.

But the clue is in the phrase ‘hardening in part’. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and Esau’s heart. But this is not eternal. Paul says, “For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15 God’s hardening relates only to the first life. They will be brought back to life for a second chance:

“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 God is not cruel or sadistic or unjust. That is Satan. God will give everyone a full chance to choose Life so that they have no excuse. This will be in our second life. Those that reject Life will be choosing Second Death and there is no remedy for them. This is why the priests were not to defile themselves for the dead:

“The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die, except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother, or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.  He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.” Leviticus 21:1-4

This passage is especially applicable to the Millennial reign of Christ and those that choose second death. We are not to mourn these. “No person devoted to destruction may be ransomed; they are to be put to death.” Leviticus 27:29 God hardens some people to cause others to seek him but will never harden anyone to the point of second death. That is our choice.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | February 29, 2024

An Easy Prediction

What will the world be like in 500 years? 1,000 years? One easy prediction is that the bible will still be around. People will still be reading it. It’s already survived 6,000+ years, so why not?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35

“The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8

How will our descendants view the bible? What will their understanding of prophecy be?

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | February 8, 2024

Do Not Judge?

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.  And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.  When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”  But Jesus turned and rebuked them.” Luke 9:51:55

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2

“Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath?  Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:23-24

“Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?  As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled on the way, or your adversary may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.” Luke 12:57-58

So are we to judge or not? It is evident from these passages that we are not to judge others in the eternal sense. Until the end of the Age a person can still repent and follow God. But in the mundane issues of life we are to judge. It would be foolish not to. Doesn’t an employer judge if a perspective employee is a good fit? Don’t we judge if a person would make a good spouse. Of course! 

But Christians sometimes fall into the trap of passing ultimate judgment on a person. This is because they believe this life is it. If a person doesn’t have faith then they are confined to the flames of eternal damnation. That is not correct. Everybody will get a second chance. Ultimate punishment is second death which can only occur in the second life!

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | February 7, 2024

The Sadducees Question

“The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: “Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.  Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.” Matthew 22:23-28

The Sadducees evidently overlook this law: “A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:39

At the resurrection all will be free from their marriages in the first life. They can remarry whom they choose. Those that choose second death will let their spouses choose a new spouse.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | January 29, 2024

Six Special Cities

There are many scriptures that were never going to be followed until the Millennial reign of Christ. The Levitical Cities is one example. 

“Then the Lord said to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee.  They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that anyone accused of murder may not die before they stand trial before the assembly. These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge.  These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites and for foreigners residing among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.

“‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.  Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.  Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death.  The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death. If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

“‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations.  The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.

“‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder.  The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.” Numbers 35:9-28

God wants to avoid revenge in the heat of the moment. He wants fair justice for all. 

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | January 8, 2024

2024

What does 2024 have in store? How is God moving? 

It seems the exposure of corruption is still increasing. ”So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.” Matthew 10:26

People often assume no one sees, but they forget that God sees everything and that he is in fact real.

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Posted by: biblestudyseattle | December 25, 2023

How many kids?

In the 21st century four or five kids is considered a large family in the west. But during the zenith of the reign of Christ people will have many more. 

“Sing, barren woman,
    you who never bore a child;
burst into song, shout for joy,
    you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
    than of her who has a husband,”
says the Lord.’ Isaiah 54;1

At current a women can only have 20 kids or so. How could she have many more?

“let their flesh be renewed like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth.” Job 33;25

If people reverse age so that they remain like a healthy 25 year old for centuries, then they can have many many children. And the pregnancies will likely be much easier than at current due to the curse being lifted.

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