Category: Various Articles

Articles that are not specific theology, but are of Biblical interest

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Israel, Europe and the UN

A roundup of recent news concerning Israel:

SPAIN BANS ISRAELI ACADEMICS

From Sept 24, 2009 the AP at Haaretz:

“Spain said Thursday it has disqualified a group of Israeli academics from a solar power design competition because their university is in the West Bank, the latest in a series of low-level European sanctions against Israel over its settlement policy.

Spain expelled the team representing Ariel University Center of Samaria from an international contest called the Solar Decathlon, in which 20 universities are presenting designs for solar-powered homes, a Housing Ministry official said.

Samaria and Judea are the two Biblical names for the land also now known as the West Bank.
“Spain acted in line with European Union policy of opposing Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land,” the Spanish official said on condition of anonymity, in line with ministry rules.”

THE UN CONFERENCE

On Sept 23rd the UN conference of world leaders held in New York gave a platform for Iranian leader Ahmadinejad to denounce Israel as controlling the world media and banking industries, and generally repeating his claims that the killing of six millions Jews during WW2 is a myth. In response, some eleven countries walked out on the speech (reportedly the eleven were Argentina, Australia, Britain, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand and the United States. Canada boycotted the speech outright.)

When Israeli Prime Minister Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahuhad his turn to speak to the UN assembly, (from the Jerusalem Post online) he noted:

“(He called)  to task the nations of the world on the international body’s responsibility and criticizing them for not standing up to it.

“The UN was founded after the carnage of World War II,” Netanyahu said, adding that the organization was “charged with preventing the reoccurrence of such horrendous events.

“Nothing has impeded” the work of the UN, he said, “more than the systematic assault on the truth.

“Yesterday the president of Iran stood at this podium spewing anti-Semitic rants… Just a few days earlier he claimed the Holocaust is a lie.

“Last month I went to a villa in a suburb of Berlin called Wannsee,” Netanyahu recalled a visit to the pastoral villa, where over just a few hours on January 20 1942 the Nazis devised the Final Solution – the decision to exterminate the Jews from Europe.

Netanyahu then dramatically showed a facsimile copy of Final Solution documents drafted in Wannsee.

“Is this protocol a lie?” he asked. “Is the German government lying?”

“The day before I was in Wannsee,” Netanyahu continued, “I was given in Berlin the original construction plans for the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

“These plans I now hold in my hand,” he said, as he was showing the worn-out blueprints to the assembly. “They contain a signature by Heinrich Himmler, Hitler’s deputy.

“Are these plans of the camp where one million Jews were murdered a lie too?” he asked.

Netanyahu then turned to attacking Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying “Yesterday, the man who called the Holocaust a lie spoke from this podium. For those who refused to come, and those who left in protest – I commend you, you stood up for moral clarity.

“But for those who stayed – I say on behalf of the Jewish people, my people and decent people everywhere – have you no shame? No decency? What a disgrace, what a mockery of the charter of the UN.” 

Also speaking at the conference was Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi who mentioned that Israel was responsible for the assassination of American president John F. Kennedy in 1963.

ARGENTINA

During her presentation to the UN, President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner addressed the issue of the 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish center (from the Jewish Journal online):

“(She) called for the extradition to her country of Iranian officials wanted in the 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish center. Among the suspects wanted by Interpol is Ahmed Vahidi, who earlier this month was confirmed as Iran’s defense minister. The 1994 bombing, which killed 85 people, was allegedly carried out by Hezbollah agents with Iranian sponsorship and organization, but Argentina has not been able to bring anyone to justice for perpetrating the attack.”

HONDURAS AND ISRAELI “MERCENARIES”

Ousted several months ago from the office of the presidency of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya is claiming that Israeli agents are using ‘mind-altering gasses’ and ‘radiation’ to torture him as he stays holed-up in the Brazilian Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (From the Miami Herald online)

“Zelaya was deposed at gunpoint on June 28 and slipped back into his country on Monday, just two days before he was scheduled to speak before the United Nations. He sought refuge at the Brazilian Embassy, where Zelaya said he is being subjected to toxic gases and radiation that alter his physical and mental state.

Witnesses said that for a short time Tuesday morning, soldiers used a device that looked like a large satellite dish to emit a loud shrill noise.

Honduran police spokesman Orlin Cerrato said he knew nothing of any radiation devices being used against the former president.

“He says there are mercenaries against him? Using some kind of apparatus?” Cerrato said. “No, no, no, no. Sincerely: no. The only elements surrounding that embassy are police and military, and they have no such apparatus.”

Police responded to reports of looting throughout the city Tuesday night. Civil disturbances subsided Wednesday afternoon, when a crush of people rushed grocery stores and gas stations in the capital.

Israeli government sources in Miami said they could not confirm the presence of any “Israelis mercenaries” in Honduras.”

FLAG FOOTBALL BRONZE

All is not bad news for Israel  in world affairs, though (from Jerusalem Post):

“A rare European Championship medal in team was captured this week by Israel when the women’s national flag football team took bronze at the European Federation of American Football championships held in Belfast, northern Ireland.

The Israeli women had won major European club tournaments in the past, but had never before reached the top three against premier international competition, coming in with a previous-best 5th-place finish at last year’s worlds in Canada.

The impressive display in Belfast was good enough to earn the first team sport medal for Israel in any European championship since the 1970s, and was the culmination of months of hard preparation by the dedicated athletes.”

The men’s team from Israel got 7th place.

 

 

 

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Blood and Sin

A Brief Look at Blood and Sin

 

  • Blood is where the life of the flesh is found.
  • Sin cannot go unpaid. Justice (a non-being) must be satisfied for every sin that occurs in the universe.
  • Sin can only be covered and/or removed by the blood of one of equal or greater value who has no sin. (Thus, no animal can cover or remove the sin of a human.)
  • No human born from Adam has come into the world untainted by sin. Thus, no human can die, shedding his/her blood, to cover or remove the sin of another.
  • Even a perfect human from birth could only cover or remove the sin of one other human, if that were possible. Since there are no humans born perfect in this way, and since all sin (if they live for any reasonable length of time), humans cannot cover others for sin. They can die so that others will live; that is heroism.
  • Yehovah cannot sin and has never been tainted by sin.
  • Yehovah’s value is infinitely greater than the value of all humans combined.
  • Yehovah is able to shed His own blood to cover the sin of the entire world. But… God cannot die.
  • Yehovah sent part of Himself, made mortal (that is, capable of dying) and in the form of a human (and thus, with blood) in order to die for the sin of the world.
  • That part of Yehovah is Yeshua (meaning salvation). He was born as a child without sin, lived without sin, voluntarily shed His own blood for the sin of the world, and rose from the dead.
  • Only those who have a truly Biblical faith (based on direct knowledge of what the Bible or some other infallible form of communication from the God of Bible says, not on what someone said about the Bible) in His blood have access to that Salvation (being saved) from sin.
  • Yehovah gave instructions for animal sacrifices so that adults and children could learn about such sacrifices through show-and-tell means. Animal sacrifices are therefore very important learning tools. They will be restored and active again before and during the Millennium.
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Church Attendance

Church Attendance

I have always had a very great respect and interest in the biblically described churches (the Ephesian Church, the Corinthian Church, the Church of Israel in the Wilderness, etc.). The benefit of Saints working together toward a Godly, common goal cannot be overestimated. It will be life-saving during the Tribulation (such that many will physically survive), and it has been the example from the beginning, when Saints gathered for beneficial purposes.

I have also recognized two distinct types of churches. The first is the One Church, being of the Body of Messiah with Yeshua at the head and Israel at the core (even while Israel is in an unsaved condition!). This is described in Ephesians 5:25-32. (The text must be taken literally in order for this to be seen.) The other type of churches are local assemblies, local bodies consisting of Saints (perhaps a few non-saints managing to appear part of these bodies). These local assemblies consist of folks very fervent in Godliness, righteousness, justice, the fear of God, delight in the Word of Truth, active in doing vital good works and in benefiting.

Folks in our present time who approach the Bible literally tend to see mostly contrast between the Bible and what is commonly taught in churches (fundamental, conservative and liberal), hearing a mixture of truth and error. This tends to grieve them, especially as they see obvious, glaring disagreements between sermon contents and biblical teachings.

My purposes for approaching the texts literally do not include convincing folks to abandon their congregations. I desire them to see the good and high standard of the Word of God, and to recognize the difference between truth and error so that they can live according to the Truth. I also desire them to learn the plans of God and to believe them so that their hope will be a right hope rather than an erroneous one. I am persuaded that some can benefit others in their local churches if they know the Truth (but I am also convinced that they can be viewed as troublemakers by some who are more interested in unity than in sound doctrine and practice). Leaving their churches is an act of ultimate protest and often an expression of hurt and frustration. No recourse usually exists for approaching church leadership about unsound doctrine. The only means of protest for some is to leave. The only means of stopping the frustration for others is to leave. Yet I am no advocate of leaving. I am also no advocate of being grieved every Sunday if the Word of God is being left out and the opinions of preachers is the only ‘food’.

The Word of God and the meeting in a congregation or an assembly must always be for benefit. If that meeting is not beneficial, and if one who desires to both benefit and be benefited from that church meeting is unable to find either after attempting to do both, I know of no other recourse except sitting in silence. This is fine if it is an adult. An adult with children, however, has a greater frustration, since children absorb what they hear. A parent can carefully teach children, “This is true!” and “This is false; do not believe that” during a Sunday School meeting or a church service, but that will affect the children also, and will frustrate others who are in attendance. If I knew of a good alternative, I would definitely consider it.

Some will suggest, “Well, nobody is perfect, and no church is perfect; if it were perfect, as soon as you attended, it would no longer be perfect!” That might sound good, but it is avoiding the problem. Others will suggest, “Well, why not just go find a church where the Truth is being taught?” That sounds very reasonable. It is also reasonable to purchase many rolls of pennies looking for that very rare one of great value. Finding a church where only truth is taught isn’t so easy. Our country values opinions, and one person’s ‘truth’ is another person’s error. The Bible cannot be approached that way; it is the absolute Word of God.

The best way to know the identity of Truth is to look directly into the Word of God. Commentators on the Bible are very common, and they hold very different views. Yehovah alone has the right of Biblical interpretation, but He has given understanding to some. The Scriptures are the best interpreters of Scriptures.

Finding a good church requires that one first gets to know the Word of God lest the person first goes to a church and is persuaded of doctrines that are not Biblical! If the purpose of the local church is to benefit in Godliness, righteousness, justice, Grace, etc., no person should be allowed to ‘join’ that congregation (in membership) who does not understand and believe and live according to the Word of God in the first place. Yet this has been reversed as if the local church is some type of assembly of ungodly folks whom pastors are trying to lead to righteousness. That is not a Biblically described local Church that is in ‘Jesus Christ.’

Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if any man doesn’t have the Spirit of Messiah, he is none of His.

The standards of participation in the Body of Christ (and therefore the standards of participation in a Biblical local Church) are very high, very simple, very plain in Scriptures, and very much ignored in modern ‘church’ practice.

Again, I have no investment in anyone leaving any church. I have much investment in individuals becoming part of the Body of Messiah in Truth, and in their living Godly in every way. If folks leave, it isn’t because I recommended it, because I don’t recommend that. It is rather because either they were driven out directly (by being asked to leave) or they were driven out by their consciences because they discerned right from wrong doctrine. Children (and adults) should not be subjected to voluntarily hearkening to erroneous doctrines and to unsubstantiated spiritualized opinions even if they are given by the theologically trained.

If a group of Saints determined to meet together for benefit and learning the Word of God, this would not be considered ‘church.’ It would be considered a ‘home group’ or a ‘home study.’ ‘Church’ must consist of a formal meeting by a theologically trained and ordained minister, according to the views of almost all. This is akin to the Jewish view that a Jew who believes in Jesus is no longer Jewish. What is believed does not make it true in the eyes of the God of the Bible.

‘Church’ attendance is considered vital for ‘Christian fellowship’. The Bible describes fellowship as folks working together, not as socializing together. That working together was often to save lives from physical death. It also was to gather funds for poverty-stricken Saints who were under persecution. Every fellowship form in the Bible was a very serious undertaking, and any socialization occurring was only secondary. The modern view of fellowship strikes no resemblance to Biblically described events that I have seen. I have  heard of folks going and building a church building in a poor area, and this is called an act of fellowship. This is closer than all the other usages of which I am aware; they are working together for a common goal.

Church attendance has social consequences not unlike joining the Rotary Club (though some Rotarians are far more serious about their club’s activities and benefits than I have seen in almost every local church). Seriousness about field trips, praying around poles, and Christmas parties can be very great, but seriousness about righteousness is almost non-existent.

If I cannot see benefit occurring in a local church, should I assume that it is of God? Should I take stock of myself because I cannot see it? Does this mean that I have a problem if the local church is not actively gaining a reputation for Good Works and for demonstrations of the faith of God and of the power of God? If the problem with the local church is ‘I’, it is totally without power. If I participate, and I still see no good works or demonstrations of the power of God, and if I desire that, if the problem is because I am participating, the local church is less powerful than my presence, and it is nothing.

The wise person will spend Sunday morning in Kroger; that will be far more profitable.

If you think that your local church is unique, really stressing Biblical righteousness, the fear of Yehovah, the centrality of Israel, the determination that no person will become part of this group without first truly getting to know the Word of God and demonstrating a belief in it unto righteousness, let me know. I would like to communicate with the pastor.

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Who is ‘James’ the Author?

Who is ‘James’ Who Authors These Papers?

 

We don’t know, but he isn’t anyone much. He sneaks onto the site and adds stuff when we aren’t looking. From what we have heard, he doesn’t have any credentials (or much hair), and he asks a lot of really weird questions. Don’t believe what he says without checking it out; he may be a troll.

You may notice that this web site doesn’t have a ‘donate’ button. That is because it would really be unintelligent to put one there.

What if someone who doesn’t even believe the Bible were to donate? That would be unethical!

Why should this site be a money-grubbing site like all the other pretty and religious sites? The only one who handled the ‘purse’ for Yeshua was Judas Iscariot, and many have emulated him. They like your money! So, give your money to them.

Of course, if the image of God and His superscription is on anyone, that person should give himself/herself to God, the rightful owner. As for the money, send it to the treasury of the country in which you live; they only loaned it to you to pay public and private debts. Since they own the paper and the coins, donate to your government!

Have you noticed just how little 2,000 years of so-called ‘Christian Scholarship’ has produced? (Jewish Scholarship hasn’t fared any better. Since Christian scholarship always follows Jewish scholarship, perhaps you can see why.) Folks know less about the Bible now in really important ways than they did 2,227 years ago. Just imagine how different things would be if Jewish and ‘Christian’ scholarship held the same standards as science (though those standards are pretty low, permitting their folks to believe theories as if they were proven). Folks might know more about the Bible now than they did 2,245 years ago! They might know, for example, that the angels ascending and descending on that ladder (in Genesis) are bringing word concerning how Jewish children are being treated during the Tribulation! But then, since folks don’t even know that the Bible is about saving lives, that wouldn’t make any sense. But, like the Bible says,

But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

How many pastors are really called? If a standard were enforced, nearly all would be recalled! But then, folks need to have an anchor for their souls while they live, even if that anchor won’t do them any everlasting good. If it weren’t for the establishment of religion, many would just go violent. So, thank G-D for religion!

We still haven’t found who ‘James’ is who keeps authoring stuff on this web page. But we will look. We can ask Erik; he sometimes knows.

I heard a rumour! It is that the earth will end in the year 205,962, plus or minus 50,000 years! Actually, I heard that this planet is good for a thousand generations from the time of Avraham, but who can believe that? It was only said three times in the Bible.

Speaking of donations, why do folks who claim to teach not to steal form pulpit committees, and go try to steal a pastor from another church with offers of money? And how is it that the pastors who go claim that they were called? Do they mean on the telephone?

Imagine what it would be like to hear a truly called pastor (like Moshe)! Of course, folks would listen to him, then to some liar, and would say how good both of them were! Now, a truly called pastor would infallibly and consistently speak and explain the Word of God. (Did I hear you say that this would be impossible? If this isn’t possible with your deity, try switching to another. Your deity has a power problem.)

Since many pastors (including the infamous ‘youth pastors’) teach that no one can be perfect until dead (isn’t that just a little late?) and that everyone will sin, modern ‘Christianity’ is sending missionaries to the world with the message of imperfection! (Don’t they already have that?) Then, of course, there are those arrogant folks who think they have reached ‘sinless perfection.’ I guess two errors don’t average out to Truth. [Thank you, Erik, for the correction.] Now, that Biblical God commanded folks to be perfect. If humans are made in the image of God, I suspect that they can refrain from sinning about any time they wish. If pastors really read their Bibles (a rare phenomenon, since they are so busy with meetings, with counselling, and with committees), they might even discover that refraining from sinning is reasonable! But since they don’t have time for that stuff, and certainly don’t have time to help folks become independent in handling the Bible, since that might lower donations, they help folks feel clean at communion/Lord’s Supper/Eucharist. They can do a quickie confession, get clean, and feel good until next Sunday/Saturday, depending on prejudices. That way, ‘Christians’ can maintain the same standards as the world, glory to G-D (whoever he is).

But I can only imagine… what it would be like to meet one who is truly called of God, and who therefore handles the Word of God the way those in the Bible who were called and righteous handled Truth.

In the meantime, isn’t it nice to feel secure, knowing that you can just sin on, and have an insurance policy (‘Salvation’ in the shed blood of Messiah Yeshua) that covers all the sinning you will do, only to go be with Him forever in heaven (never mind the New Earth)? Doesn’t that feel good? Doesn’t it sound like something is wrong with this?

You say I am rambling? Well, I guess I am.

But then, I don’t expect anyone to read this, anyway.

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Smell and Fragrance

Smell & Fragrance

 

Children learn to recognize familiar smells even before they can see. An unfamiliar smell can bring fear, while a familiar smell can soothe. The Word of God uses smells and fragrances in texts to design them for children. For example,

Genesis 8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto Yehovah. And he took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21And Yehovah smelled a sweet savour. And Yehovah said in His heart, “I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake.”

The text connects Yehovah’s decision with His smelling the sweet savour. Children sometimes make decisions when they smell certain smells, so they can understand this.

Exodus 30:34 And Yehovah said unto Moses, “Take unto thee sweet spices—stacte and onycha and galbanum, these sweet spices with pure frankincense. Of each shall there be a like weight. 35And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary tempered together, pure and holy. 36And thou shalt beat some of it very small and put of it before the testimony in the Tent of Appointment where I will meet with thee. It shall be unto you most holy. 37And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof. It shall be unto thee holy for Yehovah. 38Whosoever shall make like unto that to smell thereto shall even be cut off from his people.

Yehovah commanded the death penalty for any perfume formula imitator!

Breastfeeding children learn to recognize their own parents by smell. Yehovah formulated His perfume, and no one else is allowed to imitate His smell.

I heard of a mother sheep that lost its baby, and a baby sheep that lost its mother at the same time. The mother that had lost its baby would have nothing to do with the baby that had lost its mother. The shepherd skinned the dead lamb and covered the living with the skin, and the mother thought it was her own by smell, thus letting it suckle. Older children in shepherd and farm cultures are aware of such things.

Imitators of God attempt to fool others by smell. Some major religious groups, for example, use frankincense in their rituals to duplicate Yehovah’s command to the Levitical Priesthood. They see their priests as Levites over the “new Israel of God”. They just don’t smell right.

The way to identify Messiah Himself is by smell:

Isaiah 11:1 [literally] And a shoot shall go-out from the stem of Jesse. And a branch from his roots will be fruitful. 2And the Spirit of Yehovah shall rest upon him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Valiance, the Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of Yehovah. 3And His fragrance is in the Fear of Yehovah. And not to the appearance of His eyes will He judge, and not to the hearkening of His ears will He correct.

The same word translated smell/fragrance in the above texts is another form of the commonly used word, spirit. Discerning a spirit is discerning a smell. Some of the English expressions demonstrate this: “I smell a rat!” A child who smells the breath (spirit) of an alcoholic soon learns to avoid danger by smell. Folks carry spirits (fragrances) with them, besides the spirits with which Bible readers are more familiar (sometimes referring to angels or demons, sometimes referring to characteristics like jealousy, as in ‘the spirit of jealousy’).

Children in all cultures learn to use their sense of smell to determine many things. What fragrance describes you? Do you smell like a friend to the Jews, or would you prefer to stay away? Most of ‘Christianity’ would rather avoid the Jews and everything pertaining to them, ignoring the majority of Biblical texts.