Bible Study Seattle

“Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.  Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”  He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.  Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.  Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive.  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.”  Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!  Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.”. Luke 24:13-27

Indeed Jesus will interpret all things from Moses and the prophets about himself within three days (3,000 years) also at his second coming.

“for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”. Isaiah 11:9

“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

There are some scriptural difficulties with the Millennium. Some scriptures state things that happen in the beginning that have not happened if the Millennium has already started. The solution is that there are two Millenniums. The Millennial Sabbath and the Millennial Jubilee. The battle of Armegeddon will likely take place during the transition into the Millennial Jubilee about 500+ years into the Millennial Sabbath. There are some distinct differences between the Sabbath year and the Jubilee year. While the Sabbath was a rest and elimination of debts, the Jubilee expanded that to include restoration of all family and property. The Day of Atonement is likely the day when Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives and destroy the enemies of God in a dramatic and devastating way. That Day is the start of the Jubilee, just past half way through the Sabbath. Then it may take the full thousand years from that point to abolish death itself.

Why is it that Catholic preists don’t marry?  According to a Catholic website:

Theologically, it may be pointed out that priests serve in the place of Christ and therefore, their ministry specially configures them to Christ. As is clear from Scripture, Christ was not married (except in a mystical sense, to the Church). By remaining celibate and devoting themselves to the service of the Church, priests more closely model, configure themselves to, and consecrate themselves to Christ.

As Christ himself makes clear, none of us will be married in heaven (Mt 22:23–30). By remaining unmarried in this life, priests are more closely configured to the final, eschatological state that will be all of ours.

Paul makes it very clear that remaining single allows one’s attention to be undivided in serving the Lord (1 Cor 7:32–35). He recommends celibacy to all (1 Cor 7:7) but especially to ministers, who as soldiers of Christ he urges to abstain from “civilian affairs” (2 Tm 2:3–4).

For starters, Jesus did not say there would be no marriage in heaven. He himself will be married to the church! He meant that most people would not be married. Paul recommended singleness, but he knew that was not a biblical commandment.  Jesus never recommended that his followers be single.  And why was Jesus single?  Because his bride had not yet been selected by his Father!  Jesus definitely wants to get married.  That’s why he died on the cross.  It’s only through his marriage to the church that he can redeem mankind!  They will be born again through his bride the church.

Notice that the Israelite for runners of the church were married.  The priests were to marry and have children.  Priests could only come from other priests.  Would those priests be less effective with a family!  By no means!  In fact they had more life experience to enable them to relate to more situations.  Ministers of the church should be the same.  Notice what Paul says:

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.  They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.  For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”  1 Timothy 4:1-4

“Then two women who were harlots came to the king and stood before him.  The one woman said, “Oh, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth to a child while she was in the house.  It happened on the third day after I gave birth, that this woman also gave birth to a child, and we were together. There was no stranger with us in the house, only the two of us in the house.  This woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on it.  So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead son in my bosom. When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, behold, he was dead; but when I looked at him carefully in the morning, behold, he was not my son, whom I had borne.”  Then the other woman said, “No! For the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.” But the first woman said, “No! For the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.” Thus they spoke before the king.

Then the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son who is living, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! For your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’”  The king said, “Get me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.  The king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other.”  Then the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son and said, “Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him.” But the other said, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him!”  Then the king said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him. She is his mother.”  When all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had handed down, they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.”  1 King 3:16-28

No doubt this passage is for an example of how the Lord will judge in that Day (The Millennial reign).  Will Israel have judges that will hear cases in Jerusalem?  Is that who the 144,000 Israelite saints of Revelation 7 are?  Of course the preference is to settle disputes privately before coming to a formal case:

“And why do you not even on your own initiative judge what is right?  For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.  I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”  Luke 12:57-59

We can imagine justice being delivered by God speaking directly to people as in the story of Job.  But I think that will be the exception as it is today.  God rarely speaks directly to people.  Instead, the judgment Day will more likely have God directing Jesus, who will direct his bride, who will direct the Israelite saints on earth, who will counsel and judge the people in their ways.

God was a husband to Israel:

“For your husband is your Maker,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
Who is called the God of all the earth.”  Isaiah 54:5

But he rejected her to chase a new husband:

“Contend with your mother, contend,
For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband;
And let her put away her harlotry from her face”  Hosea 2:2

“If then, you act with hostility against Me and are unwilling to obey Me, I will increase the plague on you seven times according to your sins.”  Leviticus 26:21

“I say then, they [Israel] did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their [Israel’s] transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.”  Romans 11:11

God sought a bride out of the Gentiles to make natural Israel jealous.  Israel’s marriage was ended when Jesus died.  But he rose from the dead!  Thus he will come back to remarry Israel after he has taken a bride from the Gentiles.  Hosea’s marriage illustrates this:

“Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”  So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley.  Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a man; so I will also be toward you.”  For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or household idols.  Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.”  Hosea 3

The ultimate expression of this reconstituted marriage is in Revelation:

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.”  Revelation 21:2-3

Today I was sad about some serious relationship challenges, but then my son asked me to read him a book.  It was the Charlie Brown Christmas book.  Just like the TV Special.  What a wonderful message!  I’m partial to the line about Christmas being just a racket run by an Eastern syndicate.  What a blessing!

Many Christians struggle with the question, “Am I really saved?”  Have I really demonstrated sufficient faith?  And what about the works question?  Many struggle because of doubts about the unforgivable sin:

“And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.”  Luke 12:10

What if I’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit?!?

Yet think on some of the Heros of the bible.  King David was an adulterer and a murderer, yet he will be resurrected to a position of supreme honor as the Prince of Israel, with a huge parcel of land set aside for he and his household specifically mentioned in Ezekiel 45.  Evidently, murder and adultery isn’t blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  Think about St. Paul.  He was also a murderer, yet he is one of the greatest Christians of all time.  Yet we fear that because of our timid faith we’ve blasphemed the Holy Spirit?

We fear because we don’t want to be abandoned.  Yet think of Jesus.  Not only was he abandoned by all friends and family, he was abandoned by God himself!!  It doesn’t get any worse than that.  And he didn’t do anything wrong!  Yet God only abandoned him for three days.  God will rescue us from the grave as well.  Think of Job.  He was severely tested by Satan himself, yet he knew that his redeemer lives.

Since we fear abandonment, and because we’re fuzzy on what exactly constitutes blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, we worry.  But God is not vague in his requirements.  When the test does come, it will be very, very clear what the rules are.  Consider Adam & Eve.  They were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That was it.  Very specific.  No guesswork.  It will be the same for us in our second life.  Jesus’ sacrifice guarantees our resurrection.  After that, the test of faith that leads to eternal life will be very clear and simple.

“Oh that I had one to hear me!
Behold, here is my signature;
Let the Almighty answer me!
And the indictment which my adversary has written,
Surely I would carry it on my shoulder,
I would bind it to myself like a crown.
“I would declare to Him the number of my steps;
Like a prince I would approach Him.”  Job 31:35-37

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said,

“Who is this that darkens counsel
By words without knowledge?
“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
“On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?”  Job 38:1-7

God didn’t tell Job why he suffered.  He added that no man has a right to question what God does.  But will Job never find out?  He didn’t find out then, but he will find out when he is resurrected.  He knew that,
“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.
“Even after my skin is destroyed,
Yet from my flesh I shall see God;” Job 19:25-26

Job also said, “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!”. Job 19:23

Job will awake to find his wish come true!  And he will learn about all the millions of people who have taken courage from his example.  But he may get an even more detailed explanation.  “Now when the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions.  So she came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke with him about all that was in her heart.  Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was hidden from the king which he did not explain to her.”  1 Kings 10:1-3

Job’s hardest questions will be answered by Jesus, so he will realize that he did not suffer in vain.

“John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  Luke 3:16

The first baptism in the bible was with water: “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.  Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”  1 Peter 3:18-22

The water destroyed the ungodly, but lifted the righteous to safety.  Then the Exodus:

“But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the sons of Israel to go forward.  As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land. As for Me, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen.  Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen.”

The angel of God, who had been going before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them.  So it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light at night. Thus the one did not come near the other all night.

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord swept the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land, so the waters were divided.  The sons of Israel went through the midst of the sea on the dry land, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.  Then the Egyptians took up the pursuit, and all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots and his horsemen went in after them into the midst of the sea.  At the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army of the Egyptians^]through the pillar of fire and cloud and brought the army of the Egyptians into confusion.  He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, and He made them drive with difficulty; so the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from Israel, for the Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back over the Egyptians, over their chariots and their horsemen.”  So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal state at daybreak, while the Egyptians were fleeing right into it; then the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.  The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even Pharaoh’s entire army that had gone into the sea after them; not even one of them remained.  But the sons of Israel walked on dry land through the midst of the sea, and the waters were like a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. When Israel saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in His servant Moses.”  Exodus 14:13-31

Again, the water destroyed the ungodly but protected the righteous.  Next John mentions the Holy Spirit.  The famous corporate version of this was at Pentecost, when Jews from every language were gathered at Jerusalem:

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”  Acts 2:1-4

Peter then states the even larger fulfillment yet to come:

“‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams;
Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,
I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit
And they shall prophesy.”  Joel 2:28-29

Imagine a Pentecost experience for all mankind!  Lastly, John mentions baptism by fire.  Fire either purifies or destroys.  It will purify the faithful, but destroy the wicked.

“I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth,
Blood, fire and columns of smoke.
 “The sun will be turned into darkness
And the moon into blood
Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
 “And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Will be delivered;
For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
There will be those who escape,
As the Lord has said,
Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.”  Joel 2:30-32

“Blow a trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the day of the Lord is coming;
Surely it is near,
A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains,
So there is a great and mighty people;
There has never been anything like it,
Nor will there be again after it
To the years of many generations.
A fire consumes before them
And behind them a flame burns.
The land is like the garden of Eden before them
But a desolate wilderness behind them,
And nothing at all escapes them.
Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like war horses, so they run.
With a noise as of chariots
They leap on the tops of the mountains,
Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble,
Like a mighty people arranged for battle.
Before them the people are in anguish;
All faces turn pale.
They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like soldiers;
And they each march in line,
Nor do they deviate from their paths.
They do not crowd each other,
They march everyone in his path;
When they burst through the defenses,
They do not break ranks.
They rush on the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into the houses,
They enter through the windows like a thief.
Before them the earth quakes,
The heavens tremble,
The sun and the moon grow dark
And the stars lose their brightness.
The Lord utters His voice before His army;
Surely His camp is very great,
For strong is he who carries out His word.
The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome,
And who can endure it?
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“Return to Me with all your heart,
And with fasting, weeping and mourning;
And rend your heart and not your garments.”
Now return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness
And relenting of evil.
Who knows whether He will not turn and relent
And leave a blessing behind Him,
Even a grain offering and a drink offering
For the Lord your God?
Blow a trumpet in Zion,
Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly,
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,
Assemble the elders,
Gather the children and the nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom come out of his room
And the bride out of her bridal chamber.
Let the priests, the Lord’s ministers,
Weep between the porch and the altar,
And let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
And do not make Your inheritance a reproach,
A byword among the nations.
Why should they among the peoples say,
‘Where is their God?’”  Joel 2:1-17

This heavenly army of Jesus will be a force to be reckoned with!  The army can march straight through walls!  This army will baptize with fire:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.  He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.  From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.  And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.”

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.  And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.”  Revelation 19:11-21

There is a naturally occurring fire in northern Iraq near Kirkuk that has been burning for 4000 years.  Some think it is the fire that Nebuchadnezzar threw Shadrach, Mechach, and Abed-nego into.  It was also an early major oil supply, first drilled in 1927.  Such fires as this and the garbage fires of the Kidron valley are images of the second death.  Evidently, there will be much fire at the battle of Armegeddon.  That’s why, “John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  Luke 3:16