Bible Study Seattle

“But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man.”
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Genesis 2:20-24

What does it mean they became one flesh? Did they fuse together? Did they lose their identities in each other? Did they lose free will?
Obviously not. Then what?

““Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Matthew 19:4-6

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” 1 Corinthians 6:15-17

Why didn’t Paul say whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in flesh? Because Christians are to become spirit in the first resurrection just as Jesus is.

“for we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:30-32

Jesus will marry the church. They will become one spirit. Does this mean Christians will fuse with Jesus? Will they lose free will? No.
Jesus elaborates about the church:

“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:11

The church is to become one with Jesus as he is one with the Father. Does that mean that Jesus is the same person as God? Or that the church will become the same person as Jesus? No! Jesus is one with God in will, not in person. Likewise, the church is one with Jesus in will, not in person.
Think about it. If we are to fuse with Jesus and lose our free will, are we not conjoined robots? Why would God have let Adam & Eve fall if they would just become fused with God to do his will? Wouldn’t they be like robots? Likewise, when we marry we don’t lose our free will, but when two marry they become one flesh temporarily which results in a baby. The baby is the one flesh from the two. The baby gets half its DNA from mom, and half from dad. Is that not two becoming one flesh literally? So it will be with the church. She will be intimate with Jesus, leading to children! Just as Mary conceived by intimacy with the Holy Spirit, so the church will conceive by intimacy with Jesus. This will reproduce flesh – all those whom God chose not to go to heaven. This is why Paul says it is a profound mystery, Christ and the Church. We do not know all the details, but we can see dimly by the patterns set forth in the scriptures by God!

“When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.” 1 Kings 2:1
“Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace. But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom. And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.” 1 Kings 2:5-9

Here we get a glimpse into judgment. During David’s life, he let two evil men, Joab and Shimei, live. So it is that God lets evil men live for their first life. But in the second God will enact judgment. So Solomon here represents Jesus reigning during his 1,000 year reign. Joab and Shimei figuratively die a second death for their wickedness.

Sin is anything that leads to death. Even an earthquake. Somebody caused that earthquake and God did not stop it. How else can Jesus say:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” John 29-30
Maybe we will find out who caused that earthquake in the Millennium. An angle or demon? Satan? No question will be too hard for Jesus in that Day:
“When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.” 2 Chronicles 9:1-2
No question was too hard! And none will be too hard for Jesus when he is reigning in even greater majesty than Solomon.

It is a little nonsensical for a Christian to say I’m sinning or I’m not sinning. Can we by our righteousness live forever? We can reduce sin and perhaps live a little longer, but ultimately death devours all, righteous and unrighteous alike. We are in a sinful milieu all around us. None has access to the trees of life, and Satan and demons are still prowling around to do us harm. All evil must be totally destroyed before we can have total peace. This will occur in the Eighth Day, the Grand Jubilee, the 50th thousand-year Day. That Day is still 861 years out!

The Gospel is Good News. REALLY good news. Yet people are unaware. Even Christians. The doctrine of demons has crept into the church.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1
The church has turned the Good News into the Bad News:
Believe in Jesus or burn in HELL!!
This is good news? Really? Sounds more like a threat.
No wonder the church has softened its stance and now says hell is merely separation from God. Consider:
“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” Mathew 23:33
Jesus said this, so we must warn others, no? Keep in mind who Jesus was talking to. If we had an audience with Stalin or Hitler, we might be justified, but to the average Joe on the street, we better be careful lest we look like Pharisees.
Jesus was warning the Pharisees. Most assume that they may have gone to hell when they died. No one goes to hell when they die. They sleep! They will all be resurrected.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake…” Daniel 12:2
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out.” John 5:28-29
How else can this happen:
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.” Zechariah 12:10
Those who actually pierced Jesus’ side will mourn for what they did. They must be alive to mourn. Those who refuse to repent will die a second time, never to rise again. This is Hell, or Gehenna in the Greek. They will not be in torture forever, but will be destroyed to the point of non-existence.
The Good News is everyone gets a second chance, no matter what! In those days many Christians will be ashamed for their inaccurate preaching about hell.

What will God do with abortions? What will become of all those babies? Did they live (however briefly) for nothing? What about this: The moms are resurrected in the Millennium, then they must bear the children all the way to birth. Is this possible? We’ll see. Some scriptures for thought:

“The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.” Isaiah 11:8
Infant’s will be present in the Millennium. Could some of these be the babies of pregnant moms?
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:7-8
God is not mocked, whoever aborts a baby will be required to bring it to life(?)
If these babies grow up, will that not be a beautiful thing? Women will face their babies as judgment, yet it will have a beautiful ending.
Isn’t this beautiful? Judgment that restores. Justice that saves. Isn’t this the way of Jesus? Yet those who will not repent will die a second time. There will even be sin after the resurrection:
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Revelation 22:14-15
God never forces repentance, but he will not tolerate evil forever; the wicked will be destroyed by the end of the Millennium.

Solomon wrote: “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Proverbs 13:24

The shepherds rod was used many ways, discipline among them. Careful discipline was necessary if a sheep wandered off. Clearly, whatever discipline was enforced with the rod was corrective and loving. The shepherd did not beat the sheep. The interesting thing is not just our concept of appropriate discipline with children, but Jesus says he is the shepherd. He tells us that his Father disciplines us.
” Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:9-11

Many are of the opinion that spanking is always child abuse. Consider this:

“Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri the Danite.) They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them.

Then the Lord said to Moses: “Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him. Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who curses their God will be held responsible; anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.” Leviticus 24:10-16

This is discipline in the severest sense; death. A parent can abuse a child without even laying a hand:

“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21

But how might Jesus and his bride (the church) discipline their children? Here’s an interesting way to discipline:

“But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the Lord had afflicted him.” 2 Chronicles 26:16-20

Here’s another possibility:

“Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”

Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” Numbers 22:21-34

These sorts of supernatural things will happen to the children of the resurrection to guide them. Satan mentions this also:

“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Matthew 4:6

Satan quotes from Psalm 91:11-12

The Eighth Day is very prominent in scripture. It naturally follows the Seventh Day. Genesis tells us about the first seven days of creation. These are epochs and not 24 hour periods. The proof is in the scripture itself. ‘Days’ come in both 1,000 year and 7,000 year varieties. Adam died the ‘day’ he ate the fruit, which was only fruit in a figurative sense. He died at 930 years (literally), which is within his 1,000 year ‘day’. Adam was created 6,141 years ago according to scripture. (Just add the numbers, which takes you to 536BC.) 6,139 is still within this 7,000 year ‘Day’ of God’s rest. He’s resting in that he isn’t actively creating. We’re told that at the end of Jesus’ 1,000 year reign (at the end of God’s 7,000 year ‘day’ of rest), Jesus will turn over the kingdom to God the Father.

“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” 1 Corinthians 15:24

Joseph’s story takes up 14 entire chapters of Genesis. Joseph’s life foreshadows an enormous amount of detail of Jesus’ life. Most people understand that Joseph being lowered into the pit was as when Jesus was crucified. But Joseph was ‘crucified’ at 17, while Jesus was crucified at 33.5. Joseph understood by dream that he was to be preeminent among his brothers; Jesus understood the same. It says he endured the cross because of the “joy set before him.” He understood that there was a massive award awaiting him for his obedience. Jesus was publicly baptized at the age of 30, whereas Joseph became Pharaoh’s right hand man at 30 (“Seated at the right hand of the Father”). After Joseph was ‘crucified’ (lowered into the pit to be left for dead), a long time elapsed before he became ruler. So also, a long time elapses after Jesus is crucified before he comes back a second time. Joseph began his rule undetected by his brothers. So also, Jesus begins his rule undetected by the Israelites. Some time elapses before Joseph publicly reveals himself to his brothers. Likewise, some time will elapse before Jesus reveals his presence and Kingship to the Isrealites. So it is in our day: the Israelites have been regathering in Jerusalem since 1878, but have trouble all around them. Just as Joseph’s brothers had trouble securing food during the famine of Joseph’s day. But here’s the speculation: Jesus was tested for 3.5 years after his baptism. Joseph was tested for 13 years following the pit. Was there more testing for Jesus after his resurrection? There is evidence both ways. Will there be more testing for us upon resurrection? Will we be tested in the spiritual realm after we have been tested on Earth? How does the Eighth day and Jubilee fit into this? The Millennium corresponds to the Sabbath (Seventh day). But the Sabbath year was not as complete as the Jubilee. Will immortality wait until the Jubilee? This author is unsure.

“And the day began to decline, and the twelve having come near, said to him, `Let away the multitude, that having gone to the villages and the fields round about, they may lodge and may find provision, because here we are in a desert place.’
And he said unto them, `Give ye them to eat;’ and they said, `We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;’
for they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, `Cause them to recline in companies, in each fifty;’
and they did so, and made all to recline;
and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;
and they did eat, and were all filled, and there was taken up what was over to them of broken pieces, twelve baskets.” Luke 9:12-17

Why did they sit in fifties? In the Exodus, Young’s Literal Translation says:
“and God turneth round the people the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, and by fifties have the sons of Israel gone up from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 13:18

Fifty has great meaning in the bible.

“and Moses chooseth men of ability out of all Israel, and maketh them chiefs over the people, heads of thousands, heads of hundreds, heads of fifties, and heads of tens.” Exodus 18:25

“Remember the word which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving rest to you, and He hath given to you this land; your wives, your infants, and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the Jordan, and ye — ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty ones of valour, and have helped them,” Joshua 1:13-14

Fifty is intimately tied to God’s rest. The fiftieth year is also the Jubilee year. It’s also the width of Noah’s ark:

“and this [is] that which thou dost with it: three hundred cubits [is] the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height.” Genesis 6:15

“And thou hast made loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain, at the end in the joining; and so thou makest in the edge of the outermost curtain, in the joining of the second. Fifty loops thou dost make in the one curtain, and fifty loops thou dost make in the edge of the curtain which [is] in the joining of the second, causing the loops to take hold one unto another; and thou hast made fifty hooks of gold, and hast joined the curtains one to another by the hooks, and the tabernacle hath been one.” Exodus 26:4-6

Fifty loops and hooks held the Tabernacle together.

“Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, When a man maketh a wonderful vow, by thy valuation the persons [are] Jehovah’s.
When thy valuation hath been of the male from a son of twenty years even unto a son of sixty years, then hath been thy valuation fifty shekels of silver by the shekel of the sanctuary.” Leviticus 27:2-3

Here a man is valued at fifty shekels.

“And if of the field of his possession a man sanctify to Jehovah, then hath thy valuation been according to its seed; a homer of barley-seed at fifty shekels of silver;” Leviticus 27:16

Here a homer of barley seed is worth fifty shekels. Barley represents the bride of Christ. See the book of Ruth. The marriage takes place during the barley harvest, which is the first harvest. Then comes the wheat harvest, then the grape harvest.

“Take up the sum of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers; from a son of thirty years and upward, even till a son of fifty years, every one going in to the host, to do work in the tent of meeting. `This [is] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies:” Numbers 4:2-4

Here the Kohathite Levites are those serving between thirty and fifty years of age. Jesus began his public ministry at thirty. Solomon’s Temple also prominently used the measurement of fifty cubits.

“While he was still speaking, someone came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” When Jesus heard this, he replied, “Do not fear. Only believe, and she will be saved.” When he came to the house, he did not allow anyone to enter with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother. They were all weeping and wailing for her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called out, “Child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and she got up at once. Then he directed them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astounded; but he ordered them to tell no one what had happened.” Luke 8:49-56

Why did he say sleeping? If her spirit was gone, she was plainly dead. Why didn’t He say she was in heaven? Or hell? Because she wasn’t. First death is always referred to as sleep in the bible. Hell is second death. For example:

“But you, my lord the king—the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders.” 1 Kings 1:20-21

“As waters fail from a lake,
and a river wastes away and dries up,
so mortals lie down and do not rise again;
until the heavens are no more, they will not awake
or be roused out of their sleep.
O that you would hide me in Sheol,
that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,
that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!” Job 14:11-13

“Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.” Psalm 13:3-4

“All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.” Psalm 22:27-31

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

Here is foretold the resurrection in the Millennium! Some to everlasting life, and some, like Pharaoh, who will not repent at any cost, will die a second time to everlasting contempt!