(23) ANGELS

An Angel is a heavenly messenger who either delivers a message to humans, carries out God's will, praises God, or guards God's throne. The appearance of angels vary. Only Cherubim & Seraphim are represented with wings, -(Eze.1:4-28, 10:3-22) & (Isa.6:2-6). These are visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel, not a physical encounter. Angels appear in visions, dreams and sometimes as a man. Angels were not created as sexual beings. When we get our eternal body, we will not be sexual beings. We will all be like the angels, sons of God -(Gal.3:28). A born-again christian, male or female, is now neither male or female spiritually. We are all one in Christ. At the Rapture, we will be changed physically also, and will be neither Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female, physically and spiritually . We believe that each christian has a guardian angel, though the Bible doesn't say so specifically. (Matt.18:10)- Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven./ (Heb.1:14)- Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation./ This seems also to apply to a person before he becomes a christian, for the Lord knows in advance who will become saved. Sometimes an angel appearing as a man in the OT was the preincarnate Christ, who was Jehovah. I say this, for one reason, that Jehovah allowed Moses to see his back parts. -(Ex.33:23)- I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen./ (John 1:18)- No man has seen God (The Father) at any time./ Back to Jehovah appearing as a man: (Gen.18:1-2)- The Lord appeared to Abraham. The Lord with two angels appeared as three men./ (Gen.18:22)- The two angels as men went to Sodom, but the Lord (Jehovah) as a man stayed with Abraham. Oftentimes in the OT the action of God is direct and somtimes through an angel. An angel is a messenger, or an agent of God. We know that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But, it seems that everything comes from the Father, through the Son, through the Holy Spirit; and then to, or through, an angel, or a person. The Holy Spirit fills or enables the person to make it possible for the man or woman to say, or do, God's bidding. (1 Cor.6:2-3)- Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world (During our millenial reign with Jesus) and know ye not that we shall judge angels./ (Luke 20:34-36)- The children of this world marry and are given in marriage: but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry or are given in marriage. Neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection./ Angels are personal beings, not abstract good and evil. They constitute a company, not a race developed from one original pair. Angels have superhuman intelligence, but are not omnicient. -(Matt.24:36) (Jude 6)- The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day./ (Jude 9)- Michael is the archangel. (Chief angel) (Lucifer, was chief of the fallen angels). He is the great dragon in (Rev.12:9-10)- The great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and satan,which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (He was originally cast out before Adam & Eve, but now he no longer reports to God, and the accuser of the brethern is cast down.) Con

(22) SATAN

Satan is the supreme evil spirit. He is referred to as Devil in the New Testament, Abaddon in Hebrew, Apollyon in Greek. The name means destroyer. He is Devil -(Matt.4:1), (Rev.9:11)- He is the angel of the Bottomless Pit, Prince of this world, Prince of darkness -(John 9:31), a roaring Lion & Adversary -(1 Pet.5:8), Beelzebub -(Matt.12:24), accuser -(Rev.12:10), dragon -(Rev.12:7), Lucifer -(Isa.14:12), Serpent -(Rev.20:2), Satan -(Job.2:6) and the God of this world -(2 Cor.4:4). (Eze.28:12-19)- You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God.--- You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, 'til iniquity was found in you. --- You became filled with violence within, and you sinned: therefore I cast you out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you. You were lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground. You have become a horror, and shall be no more forever. In (Luke 10:18) Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. Since God cast Satan to the ground and he tempted Adam & Eve in the garden of Eden, he was cast down to the ground at an earlier time. (Gen.1:2)- The earth was without form and void and darkness was on the face of the deep. Then, God began to 'recreat' the earth, instead of creating it for the first time. Besides that, God creats things good, not in a corrupted form. Therefore, The earth was created good , in the beginning-(Gen.1:1). (See Blog # 11, The Gap Theory - Creation). From (Eze,28:12-19) we know that Satan was created in a perfect form, but I believe that when Satan was cast out of heaven, he brought the earth to corruption and destruction. The earth was probably occupied with God's creation. God has not given us any details about that, but Satan's nature hasn't changed as he is bringing the earth to destruction again. Satan is spirit and God is Spirit. We must be careful not to be deceived by Satan because he appears as an angel of light. (1 John 4:1)- Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world./ (Phil.2:12b)- Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling./ (2 Tim.2:15)- Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. If we follow a false religious leader, whether it be a preacher or priest, it's our own fault for not comparing with God's Word to prove its truthfullness. And, as Jesus said, "if the blind follow the blind, they'll fall in the ditch together" -(Matt.15:14). How can a christian know if he is really 'SAVED', or maybe just a religious person that will be left behind at the Rapture of the Saints. Unbelievers will sometimes try to be good enough to get to heaven. With a truly Born-Again christian, God's Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. If you doubt your salvation, it may be for good reason. A person that gets Saved is a changed person, a new creation. He is not ashamed of Jesus around friends. He wants his friends to get saved too. There is no such thing as a closet christian, with the exception of those in a country that imprisons and kills christians, but even then they will witness, but must of necessity be very careful. (Rom.1:16)- I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation./ Satan is a liar and the father of lies; he will lead us into a Feel-Good religion and to hell, if we let him. Satan does not have free reign to overcome christians. He is under God's control. God allowed Job to be tempted & tested, but God told Satan not to take Job's life. Then, God put an end to Job's test. We are tested also at times to prove our faith. But then, adversity makes us a stronger and more dedicated christian. (1 Cor.10:13)- There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it. Satan has been allowed to come back into heaven to report to God -(Job.1:7). Satan will be finally and completely cast out of heaven permanently during the Tribulation -(Rev.12:7-9)- There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. A third of the angels followed Satan and was cast to earth with Satan. (Rev.12:3)- His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to earth. A star represents an angel -(Rev,1:20). Jesus puts Satan in the bottomless pit at His 2nd coming, but he will be released again for a short time at the end of Jesus' 1,000 yr reign on earth. Satan will bring the nations together to battle -(Rev.20:1-10). Fire comes down from heaven to devour his followers and Satan goes into the Lake of Fire to be tormented day and night forever. Now, the Great White Throne judgement. Unbelievers will join Satan in the Lake of Fire.(Rev.20:15)- If anyones name was not found written in the 'Book of Life', he was thrown into the Lake of Fire. Con

(21) IS THERE FIRE IN HELL ?

(Matt.9:47-48)- If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. Where their worm (Torment) dieth not, and the fire is not quenched./ (Matt.13:41-42)- The Son of man (Jesus) shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth./ Luke 16:1 begins a Parable with 'There was a certain rich man'. LUKE 16:19 begins another Parable with ' There was a certain rich man'. This is the Parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Some consider this a true story, but people who die have no intermediate body. A person's spirit leaves his body at death. The spirit of a saved person then is absent from the body and present with the Lord, in Paradise. -(2 Cor.5:8). The spirit of an unsaved person, at death, is reserved in Hell until the Great White Throne judgement at the end of Jesus' millenial reign. After kneeling before Jesus for judgement he will be cast into the Lake of Fire. (Rev.20:13-14)- The sea gave up the dead, death and hell gave up the dead and they were judged according to their works. Death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. / In the Hebrew Bible (Our Old Testament) The word 'Sheol' is used 65 times. Sheol means 'place of the dead'. Sheol was translated into English 31 times as Grave, 31 times as Hell and 3 times as Pit. So, hell, pit and grave are the same place. The spirit of old Testament Saints could not go to heaven like our spirit can, because their sins had not yet been paid for by Jesus' death on the cross. So, the spirits of the saved and unsaved dead were in hell (The Grave). But, the spirits of the Saints were also in Hell, but separated and in 'Paradise'. When a person dies, there is no time, as far as they're concerned. Regardless of how long a person's spirit has been in Paradise waiting for the resurrection, it's as if he just closed his eyes and then immediately opened his eyes to see, all of us who are saved, there together with Jesus,and we are all rising to meet Jesus in the air at the Rapture. (Luke 23:42-43)- Jesus told the thief on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise". (John 20:17)- At Jesus' resurrection, Mary Magdalene was the first to see him. When she recognized Jesus, Jesus told her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father". Jesus had been to Paradise, but He had not yet been to heaven. (Eph.4:8-10)- When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth ? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things./ There are some who believe that Jesus went to Hell to suffer in the flames, but not so. On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished.-(John 19:30) (Acts 20:28)- Jesus purchased the Church with his blood. It didn't take any more. Christians who die, also, don't go to the flames before they can go to heaven, because Jesus paid for our sins and we are counted as sinless because of Jesus. (Rom.4:8)- Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin./ There is no reference to any place like 'Purgatory' in the Bible. Jesus' mother Mary is not a mediator like Jesus. (1 Tim. 2:5)- There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus./ (John 16:23)- And in that day you shall ask me (Jesus) nothing. Verily verily, I say unto you, whasoever you shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you./ Jesus and the thief died on the cross and then both descended into Paradise. Jesus then took the captives in Paradise to heaven. But first He resurrected and talked to Mary. He told Mary (John 20:17), "Go and tell my disciples, I ascend to my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God"./ Jesus then immediately took Paradise to the presence of the Father in heaven. If, he meant he would ascend 40 days later, he could have told them himself for he would see them in the locked room that very evening, after walking with two disciples to Emmaus. When interpreting scriptures, we must keep in mind that scripture interprets scripture. Without taking any verses out of context, we must take all scriptures that are pertinent and fit them together for a proper understanding without contradiction. The Lake of Fire must be in the center of the earth. The first person to go into the Lake of Fire will be the Antichrist, at Jesus' 2nd coming at the end of the 7 yr Tribulation. Then, at the end of Jesus' millenial reign on earth, at the White Throne Judgement, all of those living in the flesh and the rest of the dead resurrected; also some saved that die during the millenium. Jesus will divide them right an left. The saved get their eternal body. Now, it's time for Jesus to take us all, in our eternal bodies, to heaven; leaving all the lost, in their bodies of flesh on the earth. (More about our eternal body in Post (11) THE GAP THEORY - CREATION) (2 Pet.3:10)- But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up./ As the earth burns, the lost are in this Lake of Fire. Their bodies will burn completely, then the fire recedes back into the earth taking the spirits of the lost to their eternal separation and torment. When Jesus finishes remodeling the earth into a Garden like Eden, we will descend back to earth in the New Jerusalem. -(Rev.21:10-27) In the New Jerusalem we will have our mansions and streets of transparent gold. We can walk out the gates into an earthly paradise. There will be no oceans of salt water. (Mal.4:3)- And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. Con

(20) ISRAEL, GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE

Tevya, in the movie 'Fiddler On The Roof' asked God, "Couldn't you choose someone else sometime". God has punished His Chosen people many times in many harsh ways through history. What Tevya said is understandable, but God Chastises those whom He loves -(Heb.12:7-8) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chastens not. But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then you are bastards, and not sons./ The Arabs are descendents of Abraham, by the Egytian handmaid of Sara. Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sara. (Gen.21:12b)- God said to Abraham, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called".(Gal.3:16)- Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ./ Islam teaches tht the Jews changed the Bible to read Isaac, and it was supposed to read Ishmael. This, of course is not true. The Bible traces the descendents of Isaac all the way to Jesus. The Covenant of Circumcision God made with Abraham -(Gen.17:8-14)(See Blog #18). Isaac was the child promised and the Covenant to receive the Promised Land would be to his descendents. To this day the Covenant holds true, although interrupted until the church age is over. Moses led them to the Promised Land, but Joshua led them into it. There was a 40 year delay as they wandered in the wilderness because they didn't trust God to help them take it from the ungodly inhabitants. As they later took the Promised land, God assigned an area for each Tribe. Only the tribe of Dan was not taken, because of their idolatry. God wouldn't help them defeat the Philistines. The tribe of Dan migrated to northern Israel where they entered the small town of Laish and slaughtered all 600 inhabitants, took the town and renamed it Dan. The 144,000 sealed witnesses (Rev. 7) did not include 12,000 from the tribe of Dan.(See Post #17, TWO WITNESSES) Instead, to make up the 12 tribes, both of the 1/2 tribes of Joseph were counted. Soloman was the 3rd King of Israel. God gave him wisdom, but he became very unwise to have 700 wives & 300 concubines (mistresses). They came bringing their idols with them. God divided the kingdom because of this, but waited until Solomon was dead for his father David's sake. There were many of God's prophets warning Israel of punishment unless they repented, but instead they followed False prophets. (False prophets attract the biggest following today also, as they lead people astray.) God finally punished the northern tribes (Israel) by bringing in Assyria to defeat them (721 BC). Many were dispersed while foriegners were brought in. They became 1/2 breeds (Samaritans) and were despised by the southern kingdom, Judah. Prophets continued to warn Judah, but God finally used Babylon to punish them and carry captives to Babylon. The southern tribes (Judah, Simeon and a small portion of Benjamin) were now called Jews. This didn't apply to the dispersed northern tribes. For 490 years the Israelites didn't let the land rest every 7th year as God commanded, so they were in captivity for 70 years to allow the land to get the rest that had been denied. The Jews rebuilt the Temple and Jerusalem. The Temple and Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman General Titus in 70 AD. According to Daniel's '70 weeks of yrs' prophecy -(Dan.9:20-27), it would be 483 yrs from the end of the Babylonian captivity until the Messiah (Jesus) would die on the cross. This brought in the Church age and put the last 7 years of Daniel's prophecy on hold until the church is raptured out. The Tribulation period is during this last 7 years. Then, the focus will be back on the Jews and the Holy City (Jerusalem). There will be Jews and Gentiles saved under the preaching of the 144,000 witnesses and then raptured at the end of this period. The first 3 1/2 years will be a time of peace as the Antichrist reigns. (1 Thess.5:3)- Peace and safety, then sudden destruction./ Destruction begins with the Antichrist demanding to be worshipped as God and ends with the 'Battle Of Armageddon'. During WW 2, there 18 million Jews and 1/3 were killed in the Holocaust (6 million). During armageddon there will be about 12 million Jews (today's population) and 2/3 of them will be killed (8 million). Theses Jews didn't become christians, but they also didn't accept the 'Mark of the Beast' (666). 4 million Jews, in their fleshly body will survive Armageddon and live on into Jesus millenial reign on earth. We, in our eternal bodies will help Jesus reign over the earth as it is being repopulated. These Jews and their descendents will obey Jesus or be punished. The saved and the lost will be separated when Satan is turned loose for a short time at the end of Jesus 1,000 yr reign. After the White Throne judgement, we will go back to heaven leaving the lost to have their bodies consumed in the lake of fire on earth, as Jesus remodels the earth. The spirits of the lost go back into the fire in the earth and Jesus remodels the earth into a garden of Eden for us when we come back down to earth in the 'New Jerusalem'. The meek shall inherit the earth. -(Matt.5:5) Con

(19) TRANSLATED / RESURRECTED

TRANSLATE: To change from one place, state or form to another. To convey to heaven without death. To change from one language to another./ RESURRECT: To raise from the dead to life./ (Heb.11:5)-By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death./ He was translated. (2 Kings 2:11)- Suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two (Elijah & Elisha) of them and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven./ (Deut.34:1-7)- It is not generally believed, but I believe that Moses was translated so that he did not die physically. (Dict.: Died- To cease existing) He did cease existing in his physical body. God buried him. (Buried- Dict.: Conceal, Hide). Since Moses appeared with Elijah at the Transfiguration and both of them had their eternal bodies (There is no intermediate body), and Moses could not have died and been resurrected because Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection, not Moses. So, Moses was translated and did not die. There were several people that had died and brought back to life by Jesus and the apostles, but they were restored to their same physical body and would die again. (Col.1:18)- Jesus is the firstborn from the dead./ (This is when Jesus became God's only begotten Son. Spiritually He always was, but now physically too.) When we become christians, we are translated into the kingdom of His dear Son, spiritually. We are then sons of God spiritually and at our resurrection we will be sons of God physically too. Those who are living at the resurrection will be translated so that they don't see death. When Jesus died on the cross (Matt.27:50-53), there was an earthquake and the graves were opened and many saints arose, but came out oftheir graves after Jesus resurrection, went into the city and appeared to many./ Since they arose before Jesus did, they had their bodies of flesh and would die again. We who die and then are raised at the Rapture will be raised in our eternal body and so won't need to be translated. (1 Cor,15:42)- We are sown in corruption and raised in incorruption. There will be a resurrection of the martyrs at the end of the 7 years Tribulation, and if there are saved that weren't martyred, they will be translated. There will be a remnant who are saved out of the Tribulation, in their bodies of flesh to repopulate the earth; when we help Jesus to reign. -(Zech. 14:3-21), (Isiah 11:4-13). During Jesus millenial reign, people will live longer. Some will obey the Lord because they love Him, others because of fear of the consequences. At the White Throne Judgement the dead will be raised from Hell. The living and resurrected will be separated right and left. The saved will get their eternal bodies. The lost will be left on earth while Jesus takes the saved, with us, to heaven. Jesus will remodel the earth, first making it a 'Lake of Fire'. -(2 Pet.3:10) This will be the end of people being resurrected and translated. No more people. WHADDA YA THINK ? Con

(18) CIRCUMCISION

(GEN.17:1-14)- (Excerpts) When Abram was 99 yrs old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be perfect (upright, sincere). I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham and thou shalt be a father of many nations. I shall establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee for an everlasting covenant. I will give thee and thy seed all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession.This is my covenant. Every man child among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the covenant. He that is 8 days old shall be circumcised. The uncircumcised man child shall be cut off from his people./ Abraham was circumcised and Isaac was circumcised the 8th day. Abraham's son by the Egyption maid, Ishmael, the eventual father of the Arabs who adopted Islam, was circumcised at 13 yrs old. I understand that today they circumcise boys at 13 yrs old. Others circumcise for Hygiene to prevent disease. This was the establishment of the Old Testament (Old Covenant). The Law was introduced later to guide God's people in righteous living until the Messiah came. When the Church began in (ACTS 2), the Covenant of Circumcision of the flesh was suspended. Now God's people are not identified by the 'Circumcision of the flesh', but by the 'Circumcision made without hands', the 'Circumcision of Christ'. the 1st is a Type & the 2nd is the Antitype. The 1st was prophetic and the 2nd the fullfilment of that prophecy. Under the 1st, God's laws were written on stone; under the 2nd God's laws are written on the heart. (COL.2:11-13)- In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherin also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses./ Circumcision of the flesh is symbolic of cutting off sins of the flesh. (OT believers emphasized the ceremony, but failed to apply the spiritual meaning) We actually put off the sins of the flesh. (Forgiveness) And, we put off the body (sinful nature) of the sins of the flesh. Notice the 'colon' after 'circumcision of Christ:' in (COL.2:11). What follows the colon, explains what was before the colon. 'Buried with him in baptism' (Water Baptism) is the symbol of the circumcision of Christ and this is when Jesus spiritually cuts off our sinful nature from our spirit.(ROM.6:4-8)- We are buried with him by baptism unto death (Water Baptism) and we are raised up to walk in newness of life. If we have been planted in a likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. He that is symbolically buried with jesus in this manner will also be in the likeness of his resurrection. We are symbollically dead with Jesus. He that is dead is freed from sin. (ACTS 2:38)- We are baptized for the forgiveness of sin. (When we are symbolically cleansed, then Jesus does the real cleansing./ We still have our sinful nature, but with the Holy Spirit now dwelling in our spirit, our sinful nature is now in our soul (the life of our body) and now there is continual conflict between our soul & our spirit.(1 THESS. 5:23) We are body, soul & spirit. (HEB.4:12)- The Word of God (Jesus) is sharper than a two edged sword piercing even to the dividing of soul & spirit. Jesus does this when He saves us. There is a more complete explanation in Blog (7) BORN OF THE SPIRIT (SEE BELOW) Con