Biblical Definition of Sin/Can a Saint Go a Day without Sinning?

Can a Saint Go a Day without Sinning?

Introduction

Ask folks claiming to be Christians, “Can anyone go a day without sinning?” Some may take a stand that they can. Others will claim that going any length of time without sinning is not possible, since mortals are fallen creatures. Some practically fight for the right to sin.

One common response is, “You sin all the time, just by your thoughts!” and another is, “We commit the sin of omission all the time!” “Nobody’s perfect!” comes in somewhere. How do Scriptures describe the Saints who pleased God?

Pastor Arthur Glass wrote the following summary (which I have updated later in this document):

The Biblical Definition of Sin

As taken form the pastoral outline notes of Arthur Glass

A. The Depraving Folly: “The thought of foolishness is sin” —Proverbs 24:9-a

The Hebrew word being translated thought is not the usual word. This word means “to connive, design, devise or plan (evil); also to scheme, think (immorally or evil).” Only when used of God can it be used in a good sense (as in Zechariah 8:14 & 15). Whenever it is used of man, it is mainly evil (as in Deuteronomy 19:19).

The Hebrew word being translated foolishness has nothing to do with intelligence or intellectual capacity, or lack of it: but rather with moral or spiritual status: “a state of impious wickedness.”

1. Its Source: The heart

Matthew 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. ¹⁹For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: ²⁰These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

2. Its Substance: Evil thoughts (as defined above), murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies

3. Its Sequence: “These are the things which defile a man.”

Examples: Matthew 9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. ⁴And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

B. The Deciding Faithlessness: “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” —Romans 14:23-b

An Example: Titus 1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

1. Is it for the glory of God? 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

2. Is it for my good or the good of others?

Examples: Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

3. Is it for the furtherance of the Gospel? Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ.

C. The Deliberate Failure: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” —James 4:17

1. In Example: 1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor [yet] of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

2. In Exercise: Psalm 131:1 A Song of degrees of David. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.

1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

3. In Expression: Colossians 4:6 Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

D. The Demonstrated Flagrancy: “Sin is the transgression of the Law” —1 John 3:4-b

Deuteronomy 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

1. The Spiritual Law: Deuteronomy 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

2. The Social Law: Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; ¹⁴Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. ¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

3. The Standard Law: The Bible warns against dissipation, drunkenness, excess, gluttony, intemperance, laziness.

E. The Declared Finality: “All unrighteousness is sin” —1 John 5:17-a

1. In Thought: Psalm 50:21 These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes. + Acts 8:20,22

2. In Tongue: Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: ¹⁷A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, ¹⁹A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. ³Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. ⁴Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. ⁵Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! ⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. ³⁷For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

3. In Transaction: Romans 12:17-b Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

2 Corinthians 8:21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ¹²That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and [that] ye may have lack of nothing.

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(The following is added and not original)

F. The Deleterious Frivolity: “The plowing of the wicked is sin.” —Proverbs 21:4-b

The Hebrew word translated plowing is also the word for lamp or light.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Psalm 50:16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? ¹⁷Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. ¹⁸When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. ¹⁹Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. ²⁰Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. ²¹These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

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Discussion

A. The Plot of Evil

“The plot of evil is sin.” The Hebrew literally reads, “The plot of evil is a sin-sacrifice.” This is an End Times warning text, one of several thousand in the Bible. It gives a particular detail that will save the lives of Jewish folks who know and hearken to it. During the Tribulation, Jews (and some non-Jews) will approach the priests at the Temple to do sin sacrifices. They will not know that they are identifying themselves as enemies of those in power by this means, and will be tracked for arrest or death. The Proverbs text explains that the sin sacrifice will be a plot against them. Readers who hearken to this warning will refrain from approaching to do sin sacrifices during this time.

This does not eliminate plots of evil from being sin, but this Proverbs text is not giving this general rule.

I will discuss “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” “all unrighteousness is sin,” and “who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it–to him it is sin” later in this document.

“Sin is the transgression of the Law.” Anyone ignorant of the Torah (Law) might find this confusing. Read the Torah (the first six books of the Bible) to determine what constitutes transgressions.

“The lamp of the wicked is sin.” What is this lamp? The Hebrew text literally reads, “The lamp of culpable-ones is a sin-sacrifice.” This again is a warning for End Times events (as are all Proverbs texts). The sin sacrifice will be a signal to culpable ones. They will know whom to arrest and/or kill. Readers of these texts with knowledge who are alive during the Tribulation will know to stay away from the Temple and its sacrifices until Salvation has come.

B. “We are not to judge!”

1. No normal person would argue against trained and certified, uncorrupted judges judging without violating any law of God, just as Biblically appointed judges (Gideon, Samson, Samuel) of old were appointed by God to judge. The blanket statement, “we are not to judge,” is a legal, moral and ethical error. If a non-certified person sets himself as a judge, injustice will be done.

2. A customer in the grocery store or on a car lot judges objects. Distinguishing between different objects and different persons is called discernment, determining differences between objects, persons, works, etc. when they otherwise look very similar. Discernment is a form of judgment. Another form of judgment is condemnation. Anyone who condemns another without being authorized is doing wrong.

3. Folks who date judge the qualities of each other (if they have sense). Those who date and marry without judging usually get the quality of the product they deserve. Judgment is crucial in such important decisions.

4. Condemning anyone before the time (of Yehovah’s judgment) is wrong. Discernment is right.

Matthew 7:1-5 Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. And with what measure ye mete [assign by measure], it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote [a small particle] that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, ‘Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;’ and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite! First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye!

Messiah addressed many who had not come to faith (Matthew 5-7). In Matthew 7:1-5, an unbelieving Israeli (and therefore under condemnation) is judging another Israeli for a lesser offense! Anyone with a beam in his eye is totally blind, a description of the unsaved. This text does not pertain to Saints.

Luke 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you–men shall give into your bosom good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over. For it shall be measured to you with the same measure that ye mete withal … (43) …For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit, neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man bringeth forth that which is good out of the good treasure of his heart. And an evil man bringeth forth that which is evil out of the evil treasure of his heart. For his mouth speaketh from the abundance of the heart.

In the same manner, the Luke text addressed unsaved Israelis. One Israeli judged another instead of carefully considering his own status before God. The Israelis are commanded to love each other, not sit in judgment upon one other. Israel had courts where judgments beyond this could take place. Messiah guarantees that Israelis who treat other Israelis in a particular way will be treated in the same way. (What is the timing?)

John 7:24 …Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother [concerning foods and holy days]? or why doest thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Messiah… (13) …Let us not therefore judge one another any more. But judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in the brother’s way.

5. The next level of judgment is in a dispute over keeping a holiday or eating certain foods. Jewish individuals could not eat some things according to the Torah, while non-Jewish Saints could. Yehovah prohibited all Saints from eating certain foods, like meat sacrificed to idols (if the host discloses that it was involved in this) and anything with blood. Yehovah commanded the Jewish People to keep certain Holy Days. The Gentiles are not given Biblical Holy Days, and they may observe the days of their choosing, or no days. Contention results if a non-Jewish person tries to put restrictions on a Jew, or vice versa. If a Gentile tells another Gentile to keep the Sabbath (which was given to Israel and not the Gentiles), the Torah has been twisted. If one judges another according to his own views, the judge is violating the territory of Yehovah. This judgment belongs to Yehovah only.

I Corinthians 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

Luke 7:42b “Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose that to whom he forgave most.” And He said unto him, “Thou has rightly judged.”

I Corinthians 5:3 For I verily–as absent in body but present in spirit–have judged already, as though I were present, him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Messiah Jesus, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus!

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner–with such an one no notto eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person!

1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one who shall be able to judge between his brethren?

6. The next level of judgment is when a Believer judges a sinning non-believer. Religious judgment of sinners (for abortions, addictions, etc.) is presumptuous and not a Saint’s responsibility. The non-believer always has sin. Yehovah judges such for sin.

7. 1 Corinthians addresses legitimately judging a sinning Saint (if there is proof). This is vital to maintain the standards of Godliness among Brethren. Some religious folks will judge others for certain types of clothing, hair lengths, drinking wine, etc., but these are not sin issues unless they cross over into immodesty or addictions. Some maintain that a woman’s wearing pants is immodest. If she does not wear pants, that would truly be immodest!

8. The next level of judgment is discernment (of spirits, of spirituality, of things hard to distinguish without wisdom or the Spirit of God). Even unbelievers can sometimes accurately exercise this important level of judgment.

9. 1 Corinthians 6 teaches that Saints will judge unbelievers and angels. They need to show proper judgment now in preparation for this event.

10. Anyone who criticizes is judging. Criticism is not automatically wrong. It can be constructive, destructive or impertinent. Constructive criticism helps a person do right and become better at something good. Destructive criticism tears down and attacks. The critic may be arrogant, bitter or prideful, or may be untaught in proper communications and sensitivity. No one has the right to condemn criticism, but its form is important. It is a vital part of growth.

11. Anyone exercising no judgment is a fool. Anyone utilizing wise judgment demonstrates virtue. Anyone condemning sound judgment defies the Scriptures and lacks understanding.

C. “You sin all the time, just by your thoughts!”

What constitutes a thought-sin? The Torah teaches the following:

Leviticus 19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am Yehovah.

Exodus 23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.

Luke states,

Luke 17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, Rebuke Him! And if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, ‘I repent,’ thou shalt forgive him.

1. Hatred of a brother is sin. The following Psalm describes Biblically proper hatred:

Psalm 139:19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked one, O God; depart from me therefore, ye bloody men! For they speak against thee wickedly; thine enemies take [thy Name] in vain! Do not I hate them, Yehovah, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against Thee? I hate them with perfect hatred. I count them mine enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart: test me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be a wicked way in me: and lead me in the way everlasting.

2. A Saint does right by hating those who hate Yehovah and His Name. His views of justice must line up with Yehovah’s. Yet Yehovah shows grace to His enemies, and the Saint must do the same with Wisdom. One of Yehovah’s characteristics is hatred:

Psalm 5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. Thou shalt destroy them that speak lies: Yehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.

Psalm 11:5 Yehovah tries the righteous [person]: but the wicked [person] and him that loveth violence His Soul Hateth!

Proverbs 6:16 These… doth Yehovah hate: … A false witness speaking lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off who trouble you!

Hatred is not sin as long as it—

is not toward a brother (a believer, or, among the Israelis, a fellow Israeli);

is part of Biblical grace (Yehovah’s hatred of the above-mentioned sinners has always been an integral part of His grace; He still calls them to repent); and

does not have destructive bitterness. If an enemy desires to make peace on God’s terms, Biblical grace will eliminate bitterness towards the worst enemy.

Any plot of evil is sin (though the text that mentions a plot of evil is referring to a particular event). The following are examples of the plotting of evil:

holding hatred toward a brother

evil bitterness (there is a righteous form)

presumption (assumption with arrogance)

plotting murder, harm, destruction, theft (outside of a war action)

plotting revenge (outside of a war action)

plotting the ruination of character (outside of a war action)

covetousness

Covetousness is fervently desiring the exact item or person possessed by another, and is not the same as desiring something or someone similar. Covetousness can be a plot of evil if, given the chance and possibility, someone will violate ethics to obtain the desired object.

The Torah defines sin. There is no case where incorrect thoughts are considered sin. Anyone acting on evil thoughts or plotting evil has sinned.

If I were to see someone doing what might be evil, but I am unsure, if I draw a conclusion before I know the truth and the facts, I have not sinned. If I act upon those thoughts, my act may be sin. Every thought that is truly a sin is a plot. We can correct thoughts before we act upon them. If the Israelis must bring thoughts into subjection, preventing sin (2 Corinthians 10:5b: bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Messiah, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience…), all Saints must also. This is not a command to control thoughts. Some have erred by trying to keep evil thoughts out of their minds, feeling guilty before God for even having them. Evil thoughts do not pollute the person in any way. Anyone who has evil thoughts and refuses to yield to them is showing strength, not weakness.

I have often heard the following verse cited regarding thought-sins:

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

The initial action, looketh on a woman, is followed by another action, to lust after her. This is no passive, fleeting thought, but is the beginning of an evil plot. Lusting after anyone in the Biblical sense is an action. The Israelis lusted after meat. Yehovah gave them quails. They ate them raw. It is no sin for a man to lustily desire a woman for a wife if he refuses to sin in the process of properly acquiring her (if she will have him). Raping, stalking or involving her in adultery are great evils. Lusting for a woman (not lusting after) is not Biblically wrong. God built desires into men and women. The races would have ceased long ago had it not been for this.

If one believes fleeting evil thoughts are sin, he will never able to overcome:

James 1:6b …For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Since he is sinning all of the time (in his view), he is less likely to attempt to refuse to sin. Were fleeting thoughts sin, the Word of God would have said so. When one speaks a lie to us, have we sinned? When our mind thinks lies, have we sinned? If we lie and do evil, we sin.

D. “Well, we commit the sin of omission all the time!”

Some use this false doctrine to convict people to go out and witness in every spare moment. “If you don’t witness to every person you can in a given day, you have committed the sin of omission, since we are told to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” they say. This is also used to get drivers for the bus ministry or tithers to give to ‘the storehouse’. It is a handy tool to get people to come to every service in order to “not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as the practice of some is.”

Study the Law of God. Try to find a sin that is not a sin of commission. A sin of omission is a sin done by omitting some necessary act. A sin of commission is a sin done by performing (committing) some act. Every sin in the Bible is a committed sin.

The Torah says to give a coat to a poor brother who is naked. Suppose an Israeli with an extra coat refuses to give his coat. That is an act of disobedience, not of omission.

Suppose someone doesn’t know a particular Law of God, and inadvertently violates it, thereby sinning. It may have been done in ignorance, but it was done, and the command was violated. Examples of this are found in Leviticus and Numbers. Every sin is an act. No sin is an accident. Sin may be done in ignorance, but it is still an act. No Israeli is permitted to be ignorant of the commandment! The Hebrew texts refer to sins of imprudence rather than sins of ignorance. A sin of omission, were it to exist, would be a non-act.

Did Messiah Yeshua witness to every person? He could have witnessed to Herod at His trial, but He refrained (“He opened not His mouth”). Paul was forbidden to preach the word by the command of the Holy Spirit:

Acts 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia, after they were come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit allowed them not.

Weren’t they commanded to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature? Abraham did not witness to everyone, nor did any of the Saints. They pleased God by working with their hands and by being obedient in all things. Refuse to commit sins (obviously of commission). That will please Yehovah.

E. “Nobody’s perfect!”

This is a statement of disbelief. Unbelief indicates blindness regarding Spiritual things. Disbelief indicates sight, the refusal to acknowledge what is openly seen, and even obstinacy rooted in pride.

1. What does perfect mean? It is always in the superlative degree. There is nothing above perfect. There is no such thing in the Hebrew language as ‘more perfect’. The expressions more perfectly and more perfect are used in the ‘New Testament’ in the following texts:

Acts 18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto [them], and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

Acts 23:15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

Acts 23:20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

Acts 24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of [that] way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building…

These verses express the addition of perfect information or clarity to what was already known. The Hebrew use of perfect is always expressing a superlative.

Perfect is used as an adjective to describe the Law of God, which is part of the Word of God. It is elevated above the Name Yehovah:

Psalm 138:2b …for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above ALL thy Name…

The statement, “the Law of Yehovah is perfect” declares a perfection that cannot be surpassed.

2. Israel’s sacrifices had to be perfect (not without blemish as in most renderings). They typify Messiah. Therefore perfect will not mean anything less. A car may be without blemish. That doesn’t mean that it will start. A perfect car will start. Perfect means being and doing all that God created the person, item or animal to be and to do by His power and according to His command. Is it difficult to do the will of God when He has given the power and the command to do it? Is obedience difficult? The way of transgressors is hard (Proverbs 13:15).

3. Are there any perfect people besides Messiah? Righteous is to be in right standing before God based on doing right, not under accusation before Him. All unrighteousness is sin, and therefore all righteousness is not sin. A righteous person refuses to sin, and an unrighteous person sins. Yehovah holds the standard and judges according to it. Anything short of righteousness in His view isn’t righteous. Yet someone may do right in the sight of Yehovah and not be righteous, as in the following case:

2 Kings 14:1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah. ²He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name [was] Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. ³And he did right in the sight of Yehovah, yet not like David his father. He did according to all things as Joash his father did. ⁴Howbeit the high places were not taken away. As yet, the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

To be righteous in the Spiritual sense is both to do right and to be right in all things. Positional righteousness is no replacement for experiential righteousness. Some righteous individuals are not born of God. King Abimelech was such a person:

Genesis 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Behold, thou art a dead man, for the woman that thou hast taken. For she is a man’s wife.” ⁴But Abimelech had not come near her. And he said, “Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? ⁵Said he not unto me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she, even she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.” ⁶And God said unto him in a dream, “Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart. For I also withheld thee from sinning against me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. ⁷Now therefore restore the man the wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.”

4. The theological stand known as Sinless perfection is unscriptural. One of the two words in sinless perfection is redundant, since to be perfect is to be without sin. This false doctrine claims that a person born in sin may lose his ability to sin by entire sanctification (another false doctrine). No mortal hast lost the ability to sin. The Bible gives warnings to Saints to beware lest they fall. But can a Saint be perfect?

Genesis 6:9b Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations: Noah walked with God.

Genesis 7:1 And Yehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and refused evil… 1:8 …And Yehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that fears God, and refuses evil?… 1:22 …In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly… 2:3b …a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and refuseth evil? and still he holds fast his perfection [Hebrew], although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause… 2:10b …In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheva. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

If “Nobody’s perfect,” the Scriptures aren’t true.

5. Some folks attempt to diminish the definitions of words like perfect into meanings like mature (The Law of Yehovah is mature, restoring the soul?) or sincere (The Law of Yehovah is sincere, restoring the soul?). “Be ye therefore mature, even as your Father who is in heaven is mature”? “Be ye therefore sincere, even as your Father who is in heaven is sincere”?

How were some Saints perfect/righteous? Noah walked with God. Job feared God and refused evil. He didn’t accuse God. He held fast to his perfection. He didn’t sin with his lips. Zechariah and Elisheva walked in all the commandments and ordinances of Yehovah, and were blameless before God (Luke 1:5,6). Were they born that way? No. They made up their minds using the power God gave them to consistently do right. Daniel is twice commended for his righteousness:

Ezekiel 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord Yehovah.

Ezekiel 14:20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, I live, saith the Lord Yehovah, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

6. Yehovah has a great investment in each person’s walking righteously. Yehovah leads Israel in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His Name. His Name would be on the line if a Saint were to sin. John, by the Spirit of Yehovah, wrote,

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2And He is the covering for our sins—and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

He tells the little children to not sin. If any man does sin, the Israelis have Yeshua, the advocate with the Father Who is the covering for the Israelis’ sins, and also for the sins of the whole world. Any man who sins must come to the Advocate that the Israelis have. In the meantime, these little children are not to sin.

7. Is sinning just going to happen? Are we bound to sin daily? We have examples who did not, so they were not bound to sin. Have we less power than they? What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1) The modern answer is, Amen! The modern Churchianic answer is, It’s going to happen, and the Grace of God will cover it. The correct answer is, How shall we (who are dead to sin) live any longer in it? We are not to serve sin.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

8. There is no such thing as a ‘sinner saved by Grace.’ Either one is a sinner, or one is saved by Grace. “You either is or you ain’t!” No ‘is’ can say that he is a ‘saved Ain’t’! Perhaps the ‘used-to-be-a-sinner’ is now saved by Grace.

Paul stated that he is the chief of sinners. If he was still sinning at the time of his writing, and is still the chief of sinners in evil, what right does he have to write Scriptures telling others to stop sinning? If his being chief was acquired before Salvation, and he still holds the record, and/or if he is prophesying in the voice of another (like Israel) who has now turned to righteousness, is this not an excellent example of the great Grace of God?

9. Consider the woman caught in adultery:

John 8:1 Yeshua went unto the mount of Olives. ²And He came again early in the morning into the Temple. And all the people came unto Him. And He sat down and taught them. ³And the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman unto Him taken in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, ⁴they say unto Him, “Master! This woman was taken in adultery—in the very act! ⁵Now, Moshe commanded us in the Torah that such should be stoned. But what sayest thou?” ⁶They said this, tempting Him, that they might have to accuse Him. And Yeshua stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger as though He heard them not. ⁷So, when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself and said unto them, “He who is without sin among you, he shall first cast a stone at her.” ⁸And He again stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹And they who heard being convicted by conscience, went out one by one beginning at the eldest unto the last. And Yeshua was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. ¹⁰When Yeshua had lifted up Himself and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, “Woman! Where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?” ¹¹She said, “No man, Lord.” And Yeshua said unto her, “Neither do I condemn thee. Go! And sin no more!”

Had Yeshua commanded her to do what she could not possibly do, Yeshua would have compounded her sin! If she was capable, however, acknowledge that this command is reasonable.

Also consider the following text:

1 John 3:4 Whosoever does a sin also does lawlessness. And sin is lawlessness. ⁵And ye know that He was manifested so that He will take away our sins. And sin is not in Him. ⁶Anyone who abides in Him doesn’t sin. Anyone who sins has not seen Him nor has known Him. ⁷Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous. ⁸He who does a sin is of the devil because the devil sins from the beginning. The Son of God was manifested for this—that He will undo the works of the devil. ⁹Everyone that has been begotten of God doesn’t do sin because His seed abides in him. And he is not able to sin because he has been begotten of God.

I propose that the last verse (verse 9) should have been rendered in the following manner:

Everyone that has been begotten of God doesn’t do sin (because His seed abides in him, and He is not able to sin) because he has been begotten of God.

This would verify that God’s inability to sin is what empowers the Saint to not sin. Since a Saint has Yehovah’s seed in him, and Yehovah doesn’t sin, simple consistency will teach that the person also will not sin. (Should a Saint sin, the consequences will be much worse than if a sinner sins, since that action brings Yehovah and His Body into disrepute.)

Romans 6:1,14,15 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Not to exist! ¹⁴For sin shall not have dominion over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? Not to exist!

Conclusion

Saints must consistently live righteously, refusing to sin. Messiah died and rose again so that Saints would live, not sin! If His power is not great enough to enable Saints to stand, He is neither sovereign nor omnipotent. Saints glorify His Name by walking righteously. This is perfection.

Learn what is and isn’t sin by reading the Torah (the first six books of the Bible). Yehovah paid a great price because of sin. Don’t treat the price with contempt by showing that He failed.

February 12, 2009March 30, 2016

1 Corinthians 11: What Does the Bible Say about Head Coverings?

What Does the Bible Say about Head Coverings?

Introduction

I will give a literal rendering of the text. After this, I will have a series of questions and proposed answers for your consideration.

The Text

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me according as I am also of Messiah. ²Now I commend you, brethren, that ye have remembered me in all things. And ye keep the guardings according as I delivered to you. ³But I wish you to know that the Messiah is the head of every man and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Messiah. ⁴Every man praying or prophesying having, on the head, puts his Head to shame. ⁵But every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered puts her head to shame. For it is one and the same with having been shaved. ⁶For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if shameful to a woman to be shorn or to be shaven, she shall be covered. ⁷For man indeed does not owe to have the head covered, being the image and glory of God. But woman is the glory of a man. ⁸For man is not from woman, but woman from man. ⁹For also man was not created on account of the woman, but woman on account of the man. ¹⁰The woman owes to have authority on the head because of this: on account of the angels/messengers. ¹¹However, man is not apart from woman or woman apart from man in Yehovah. ¹²For as the woman is from the man, so is the man also via the woman, but all things are from God. ¹³Judge in yourselves. Is it comely for an uncovered woman to pray to God? ¹⁴Or doesn’t even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour to him? ¹⁵But if a woman has long hair, it is glory to her! For the long hair is given to her instead of a covering. ¹⁶But if anyone thinks to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the assemblies of God.

Questions and Proposed Answers

(Numbers correspond to verse numbers.)

1. a) Was Paul claiming perfection? He wasn’t, but he was stating that he imitated Messiah. Messiah was obedient to Yehovah the Father, and He selflessly served others. He was willing to (and did) give his life to save the lives of others. Paul did the same. Yeshua always taught Truth. Paul did the same once he was in faith of Yeshua. Imitating Messiah in this manner would require perfection. Yet, Paul’s statement shows a measuring system: “Be imitators of me according as I am also of Messiah.” This means that if Paul were not to imitate Messiah, they should not imitate him.

1. b) How would they know if Paul was imitating Messiah or not? They would learn that by word of mouth and by direct observation of Paul. Those who hadn’t seen Messiah were able to obtain direct documents of His works and teachings; they were very quickly available after Messiah rose from the dead.

1. c) What does imitate mean? It means to do the same things in the same manners. They could not imitate him by acting as missionaries (unless they were called). Since Paul was not a missionary of Yeshua until He called Him to that task, they should imitate him in this also: not playing missionary (which is almost universally what is done in Christianity, today).

1. d) Did Paul something that was contrary to imitating Messiah? He once upbraided Peter in public in a way that he, himself, by the Spirit of Yehovah told others not to do.

Galatians 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ¹²For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ¹³And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ¹⁴But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

1 Timothy 5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat as a father, the younger men as brethren.

1. b) Did Paul give this imitation command because those present couldn’t see Messiah, but they could see Paul (who imitated Messiah)? The Spirit of God through Paul gave this command. Thus, Yehovah recognized Paul as a proper imitator of Messiah. Thus, they could see Messiah in Paul and in his life as it was from that point on. Every person (regardless of faith) is the very image of God. Behaviours are what make distinctions. Imitating has to do with behaviours, not appearance.

2. a) What have they done that shows that they have remembered Paul in all things? They kept the guardings exactly as Paul delivered to them. (They also were ready to contribute to the poor Saints in Jerusalem as they had been apprised.) They very much remembered Paul in his various situations.

2. b) What guardings are these? They are the prophecies of the ‘Old Testament’ regarding Messiah and the commandments that Yehovah gave to non-Jewish Saints. These include events yet to come, since they had to be guarded. All the appointments of God are to be guarded (often commanded in the Tenach). They also guarded the commands that Yehovah gave to Israel—not as to do them (because they weren’t presumptuous), but because they are vital for understanding God, understanding righteousness, and understanding the plan of God and its working in the End Times. That is the basis of Hope. No one who cares about the Bible and God in the Bible can or will ignore Israel and the commands given to Israel.

2. c) What is the benefit of guarding these things (especially referring to Messiah’s visitations that He will do far into the future)? It is always important for one to be ready against the time of the Rapture or the person’s death. The benefit of guarding the very things that are normally ignored (and thus not guarded) in nearly all churches claiming Christianity is so that the individuals doing the guarding will not be fooled by false declarations of God’s intents and timings. A person who knows eschatology exactly right and who fears God will have little difficulty walking righteously, having no false expectation (of the supposed ‘soon return’ of Messiah, of disasters supposedly being ‘signs’ of God’s anger, of a death of a child showing that God is ‘displeased’, and therefore that He supposedly killed the child, etc.), and truly being consistent in doing right.

2. d) When did Paul deliver these things to guard? It was during a previous journey or in a previous letter:

1 Corinthians 5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:

1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

2. e) Why did they have to keep the guardings exactly as Paul delivered to them? Was Paul infallible? He delivered the guardings of Messiah as a prophet. Thus, he spoke infallibly. These guardings had to stay accurate from generation to generation in order for what they taught to remain accurate.

3. a) In what way is Messiah the head of every man? Every man (that is, every male) is in the image of God (the woman also being in the image of God, but built later) and is not above Messiah in authority, but is subject to Him. He (the Messiah) is God. Thus, He is the boss. Most men do not know that Messiah is the boss—that He is sovereign and all-powerful, but they will in the Millennium. Messiah will be both King of kings and Lord of lords in the Millennium. His head status will be very evident as He rules with an iron rod.

Most readers of this text assume that it refers to Christian men. But the text does not demand any such thing. Yet, only folks who believe the text will take the head-status of Messiah seriously. The text will speak of Adam, and Adam never was a Believer of the Truth of God. (He resented Him.) The text giving the conversation between Yehovah and Adam after the fruit-eating incident shows this resentment. No text indicates that he turned from that.

Genesis 3:12 And the man said, “The woman whom Thou gave to be with me—she gave me of the tree. And I ate.”

3. b) Is a man always the head of a woman? This is referring to a marriage-type relationship. It is not referring to a brother with a sister or a son with a mother or men in general with women in general. The text is only referring to that relationship type formed by Adam and Eve.

3. c) What is the order of headship according to this verse? God is head of Messiah Who is head of every man who is head of a woman.

3. d) What does a woman mean? It is referring to the marriage relationship. The term woman is the same as wife; the Hebrew word for wife is practically never used. It is Biblically right to say, “She is my woman,” and for her to reply, “He is my man.”

3. e) Why is a man the head of a woman? She was made from him to be a helper. He wasn’t made for her. But there is a second part to this. She was not responsible for the fall due to sin, but he was. She was in transgression having been deceived; he was not deceived. His actions were intentional and thought out. Therefore, part of Yehovah’s rehabilitation of males is to set them as head and to bring them to responsibility to lead and guide their families (of which they are the husband) to do right before God, reversing the sin that a male brought into the world.

4. a) What does “Every man praying or prophesying having, on the head” mean? We searched the text to find any place that mentioned a head covering like a scarf, a hat, or a turban. We found no direct reference. Translators assumed that the text referred to some object like that as the covering, but what we found was in verse 14: long hair. If the text is self-contained and doesn’t have a reference to some other text, all the information needed to understand that text will be right there.

If the above is true, then the text would be implying, ‘Every man praying or prophesying having [long hair] on the head…’ This is not contrary to the culture that Yehovah taught Israel, since all Nazarites grew their hair, and some were assigned to be Nazarites from birth.

Since verse 16 denies that this instruction to Corinth is also the custom of the Israelis and the assemblies/congregations of God (that is, those groups consisting of Saints), I understood that this is speaking of the Corinthian culture. That culture must have looked badly on men with long woman-like hair, and it must also have looked badly on women wearing their hair cut short (shorn) like men or shaved like men who have all their hair removed from the scalp.

4. b) If the above is true, should Godly women maintain long hair if possible, and should Godly men keep their hair short? This is an issue of culture, and it is not an issue of the Word of God. Making one’s culture into an extension of the Word of God shows contempt for the Word of God.

On the other hand, taking pieces of the Word of God and making them into a culture is also treating the Word of God with contempt.

Yet, many brought up in these traditions are unaware of the nature of the founder who misused the Bible to produce a dress code. Those who are brought up in ignorance are not showing contempt, but are following a new cultural tradition from their parents. There is nothing wrong with a new cultural tradition even if it includes women wearing dumpy clothes and all having curls over their foreheads with their hair color being mandatory green as long as they don’t misuse the Bible to prove that Godly women must dress and color their hair this way. Such arrogant exclusivity has never been the way of gracious, Godly men or women. Instead, they serve others to save lives.

In some cultures, long hair is dangerous. Having long hair, then putting it up is akin to cutting one’s hair, though one can let it down. The only case where the Bible specifies long hair of which I am aware is in the case of the Nazarite vow for life.

Judges 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head. For the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb.

4. c) What is shameful about a man praying or prophesying with something on his head? If this is speaking of his having long hair as verse 14 addresses, it is dishonourable in the Corinthian culture. I propose that this culture came with a history of warriors. A warrior with long hair has a major disadvantage: a handle for an enemy to grab. Such cultures saw long-haired men as effeminate—or at least not useful in battle. If that is in the psyche of the culture, a person who is out of the norm in this way will be viewed as not honourable in the culture, and therefore has no business praying or prophesying in the assembly. (Imagine in today’s conservative churches how a cross-dressing preacher would seem.) There is no absolute standard regarding hair length and honour in the Bible’s culture that Yehovah gave to Israel.

4. d) Why do Orthodox Jewish men of today cover their heads when praying in the synagogues? They (or their ancestors) determined to do and be the opposite of the ‘Christians’ who identified Jesus (or Yeshua) as the Messiah. Thus, if the ‘New Testament’ commanded a male to pray with his head uncovered, the orthodox leaders of centuries ago commanded followers of Judaism to pray with their heads covered. They apparently also thought this text referring to head coverings, when it appears to only deal with hair.

5. a) Why would every woman praying or prophesying with the head uncovered put anything or anyone to shame? A woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered is as if she is a congregational leader, and her husband as a follower of her, a subordinate. If she prays or prophesies with her head covered, however, she shows respect to her husband in this ancient culture. Thus, the text shows that she puts her head (her husband) to shame by that behaviour. She is showing that she isn’t under the authority of a husband if her head is shorn or shaved. (This text does not speak of a single woman at all.)

5. b) Why is her praying with her head uncovered compared with her being shaved? In some cultures, if her head is shaved, she is bemoaning the loss of her parents, and she is declaring a disassociation from her parents who may have died or been killed. If she is disassociated, she is not married. Thus, both cases declare singlehood—that she is not in a marriage situation or under a father. She is under no man. A woman shaved shows her humiliation. She has been greatly humiliated, and therefore cuts off her glory—her hair.

Her head being uncovered gives her the look of a man and the station of a man in the assembly, as if she were a man.

The Teaching of Yehovah (Torah) is very strong regarding a commandment against cross-dressing. No man is to dress like a woman, and no woman is to dress like a man. That is a death-penalty offense. This was not a command given to the Gentiles, but to Israel. These folks in Corinth also have a propriety regarding dressing. A woman who takes on the hair style of a man is shaming her husband (assuming she is married, as this text does assume). A woman whose hair is in a butch format in this culture is shaming her husband. Praying or prophesying to God while shaming her husband is a flagrant violation.

6. a) Why should a woman who is not covered be shorn? (This is referring to a married woman who will be praying or prophesying.) Shearing is like what one does to a sheep, not a stylish haircut. It would be an insult to the woman because she has insulted her husband and the culture by refusing to have her head covered with hair (or something) while praying or prophesying in the assembly. In Corinth, being sheared like a sheep or having her head shaved with a razor was shaming the woman. If she will be beneficial to the assembly by prayer or prophecy, she must not be in violation of the culture and of her husband.

6. b) If the woman is married, why would she shave her hair? She wouldn’t; that makes no sense. But if she has the audacity to come into this group in this culture without her head covered by her hair or some object, she deserves to have her head shorn bald; for she is showing contempt for her husband, and thus for Messiah who is above her husband.

This text is not addressing a woman who is married and isn’t part of this assembly, being a stranger to the faith.

6. c) Could a shaved married woman pray or prophesy in this assembly? She would first have to cover her head. (This text doesn’t deal with an unmarried woman.) This text only refers to a woman who is praying or prophesying in the assembly; it has nothing to say if the woman is just in attendance.

6. d) If the woman has cancer, can she pray or prophesy? She would just cover her head. That is all the text is declaring.

7. a) Why does man not need to have the head covered according to this text? He is the image and glory of God.

He does not owe this, but rather he owes to uncover his head if he is wearing a head covering when he comes into the assembly as a mark of the respect of rank before Yeshua in this culture. The issue, here, is hair, not head coverings. I don’t see where coverings like hats or scarfs are directly mentioned anywhere in this text. Making them part of the text is a presumptive error unless proof can be provided.

7. b) Why isn’t the woman also the image and glory of God? She is the glory (importance) of the man. She makes his importance. It is not appropriate to assume that a woman isn’t in the image of God or that she isn’t the glory of God, but rather that she is the glory (not the image) of the man (referring to the husband). She is still in the image of God just as much as the man is, and sometimes more! The emphasis is on glory, on importance. She makes the importance of her husband (since glory in Hebrew is importance). In the same manner, the man is the importance of the Messiah since Messiah is the man’s head. Everyone under the rank and authority of another becomes the importance of the one under whom that person serves.

7. c) What does image mean in this text? It is the sum of the characteristics that produce a resemblance. This is physical in nature as well as psychological and emotional.

7. d) What is glory? It is importance. It can be brightness if a different Hebrew word is used, but normally refers to importance.

7. e) In what respects is a man the glory/importance of God? The higher-ranking person’s reputation is always set by those under that person. Whatever the underlings do, the reputation of the head is either enhanced or is degraded. The willingness to selflessly serve greatly enhances the clout of the leader. Thus, humans are the ones who give importance to God or who demonstrate evil things about God by what they do.

7. f) How is woman the glory of a man? She shows and is his importance. Her abilities and wisdom will only tend to reflect well on him. If she is a tramp, she will greatly lower his importance. His importance can be greatly diminished without her. If she is insipid, obnoxious, rude, annoying, bitchy, or of some other irritable type, she tends to lower his importance because she diminishes his glory.

Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

She has greatly increased his importance.

7. g) What if a man desires his woman to do wrong, should she do that, being his importance? No! It is for that very reason that she must refuse. She makes his reputation, and therefore has no business doing wrong if she will prove to be his importance.

7. h) Why is his importance based on a woman? What if a man has no woman? The text states that this is the case, and it is only speaking of a married man and woman. It has nothing to do with singles. She was built to help him in life. She therefore had to be endowed with much greater abilities than he has in areas that he needed help in order to be an excellent helper. Her abilities and her work on his behalf will therefore be the greater part of his reputation and importance.

There is no correlation between being a help and being the importance. These are two different things. While a woman is the importance of a man and a help to that man, no man is a helper of God. He needs no help. But the Bible does state that a man is the importance of God. This text speaks also of being the head. It doesn’t state that God (as in Yehovah the Father) is the head of man, but instead that Messiah is the head of man with God being the head of Messiah. These three must be kept separate. But all three enter into Yehovah’s design. The man is the head of the woman while the woman is the importance and the helper of the man. This all refers to responsibilities and to God-given abilities.

If a man has no woman, he can still achieve much importance in life.

7. i) What is the timing of this? Is it always true? Man is always in the image of God. He thus must always be the glory (importance) of God. Thus, the timing is always.

7. j) Why does Yehovah permit a man to be His importance? It has everything to do with being made in His image. A human is a physical, limited representation of Yehovah. Since a human sees other humans, that human is seeing how important Yehovah is by seeing His limited representation. If a human is as capable as most are, how much more is Yehovah capable? That is why humans are held so responsible. They bear the image of Yehovah.

7. k) If one looks at a violent unbeliever who is also a limited representation of Yehovah, does this represent an evil side of Yehovah? It doesn’t since Yehovah has no evil side. Yehovah uses violence in justice. That doer of evil also has capabilities and responsibilities. That person isn’t being responsible to the image of Yehovah that has been fashioned onto him or her. That is why such a person will suffer great damnation. This person is smearing the image of God with violence contrary to justice.

7. l) Why does a doer of evil behave this way instead of living in accordance with the image of Yehovah that has been formed into him or her? The three reasons for sin are given:

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

This person is pursuing one or more of the above three: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and/or the pride of life. Anyone who follows these passions will not be doing what is right.

7. m) If a person will be among the damned, how can that person be the importance of God? What shows this importance is Yeshua’s always abiding with everyone found in the Lake of Fire and Sulfur forever, everlastingly providing the heat of His wrath. This could not be the case if man were not His importance. The one major torment of the Lake of Fire and Sulfur is Yehovah’s presence being always there.

Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God that is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever. And they have no rest day nor night who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.

7. n) What does “woman is the glory of a man” indicate? She is the importance of a man! That means that a man who has a woman has importance according to her character. If she is a good woman, the man will have much importance even if his character is lacking. If she is an evil woman, his importance will be compromised even if his character is good. A woman can make or ruin a man’s reputation just as a man can make or ruin Messiah’s reputation through sin.

Read the following text carefully, noting the section at the end:

2 Samuel 12:1 And Yehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him. And he said unto him, “There were two men in one city—the one rich and the other poor. ²The rich had exceeding many flocks and herds, ³and the poor had nothing except one little ewe lamb that he had bought and nourished up. And it grew up together with him and with his children. It did eat of his own food and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. ⁴And there came a traveller unto the rich man. And he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man’s lamb! And he dressed it for the man that was come to him.” ⁵And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man! And he said to Nathan, “Yehovah lives! The man who did this shall surely die! ⁶And he shall restore the lamb fourfold because he did this thing and because he had no pity!” ⁷And Nathan said to David, “Thou art the man! Thus says Yehovah God of Israel, ‘I anointed thee king over Israel! And I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul! ⁸And I gave thee thy master’s house and thy master’s women into thy bosom! And I gave thee the House of Israel and of Judah! And, if too little, I would have also given unto thee such and such things. ⁹Why hast thou despised the commandment of Yehovah to do bad in His sight? Thou hast murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword and hast taken his woman thy woman! And thou hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon! ¹⁰And now the sword shall never depart from thy house because thou hast despised me and hast taken the woman of Uriah the Hittite to be thy woman!’ ¹¹Thus says Yehovah, ‘Behold, I will raise up bad against thee out of thine own house! And I will take thy women before thine eyes, and give unto thy neighbour! And he shall lie with thy women in the sight of this sun. ¹²For thou secretly did, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun!’” ¹³And David said unto Nathan, “I have sinned against Yehovah.” And Nathan said unto David, “Yehovah also has put away thy sin. Thou shalt not die. ¹⁴And because thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of Yehovah to blaspheme by this deed, the child also born unto thee shall surely die.”

If one made in the image of God sins, that person gives others occasion to blaspheme—that is, greatly insult the God in whose image that person is made.

7. o) The last statement is not equivalent to the one before it, since it leaves out image. Why doesn’t the text declare this: “But woman is the image and glory of a man”? She was taken from the man. Thus, she is not his image, but is derived from him with separate parts from him being fashioned into her. An image is a faint representation. She is no faint representation of a man; she is part of the line of Adam. She is every bit as much the image of God as the man. Thus, she is the image of God while being the glory of a man.

7. n) Does the above mean that she is not the importance of God? She is vital to all pictures of God (the image), but her importance makes the man. If she has no man (that is, if she is not part of any man), she is directly responsible to Yehovah and is thus His importance. But if she is part with a man, she is doubly responsible: to Yehovah and to the man. She must do right before Yehovah, and she is the importance of that man. (That is why mistreating/abusing a woman is a crime against Yehovah; she was made to benefit a man, and a man who abuses is showing direct contempt for the gift that Yehovah gave.)

7. o) Does this mean that a man has no importance without a woman? No. He is directly responsible to Messiah, and therefore a portion of his importance is in that representation of Messiah in the man’s own body. He is still the importance and representation of Messiah in limited form. Yet, how many single men still have women in their lives who are their importance? One does not have to be married to be glorified by the work of a woman. This starts early. A mother is the glory of her son.

The man who has no woman is still directly responsible to Messiah, and a man who has a woman is still directly responsible to Messiah. That is his given role on this earth.

8. a) What does “man is not of woman, but woman of man” mean? Man did not come from woman; this is not referring to birth. Woman came from man because Yehovah took her from him and built her to be a help to him in Genesis concerning Adam.

8. b) If woman was taken from man, who is greater in importance? She is the importance of the man! Thus, it would appear that she is more important. Yet that is impossible. She is not more important, but she is the importance of the man! His importance is invested in her! Thus, he is a fool who sees himself as more important than his own importance (the woman)!

9. a) If the woman was created on account of the man, what part of her was created? Her soul was not the same; she had a separate personality. She did not think like Adam. She did not do in life what Adam did as an occupation. Her thoughts were diverse from his and her justice and humility were quite different. She was not a mirror of him. She looked for the Messiah. Adam was bitter against Yehovah.

The part of her that was created was her soul. Her body was built from Adam’s body.

9. b) Again, why was woman created? She was created because Adam was alone, and that was not good, and he needed a helper. Thus, Yehovah designed a being who could do well and help. She was efficient; he was deficient. She completed.

10. a) What does the woman owe? She owes to have authority on the head.

10. b) What does that mean? She has a debt to have and maintain authority on the head.

If we recognize this head to be her husband, it means one thing. If this head is her own head, it means another.

First, she already has authority over her own head; anyone who doesn’t has lost her head! That is insane.

If the text is referring to her owing to have authority by having something on her head, that makes no sense. Whatever is on her head doesn’t show that she has authority.

The only one left is that she owes to have authority on the husband. This makes sense, because she was built to help him. She cannot help him if she has no authority on him. She doesn’t have authority above him, since that would make her his supervisor, but she has authority with him such that she is able to help him when he is unable to help himself. (This occurred numerous times in the Bible.) A man who doesn’t hearken to his helper when she is attempting to help him is a fool, like Nabal in the Bible. Rebecca (Rivka, Rebekah) saved Isaac’s life; she was a helper. She had authority on her head—that is, on her husband, and she used it.

10. c) Why must she fulfill the debt of having authority on the head, her husband? The text states, “on account of the angels/messengers.” The messengers are themselves under authority, and they deliver messages to humans—often to women. The commands to women involve the women’s homes. They therefore must be able to show their husbands what must be done as commanded through the messengers. If they didn’t have authority on their husbands, their husbands could countermand what Yehovah is commanding the women to do. This line of authority is passed down from Yehovah the Father to Yeshua to the man, and finally to the woman. Yehovah sometimes gives commands directly to a woman, however, and her husband is involved in obedience to that command.

Even Joseph and Daniel gave information and instructions to those far higher in rank than they were to save lives.

10. d) What does this verse tell the man? This verse tells the man that the woman owes the debt of having authority on him, and he had better listen, since she will occasionally be speaking the Word of God. When messengers came to women in the Bible, husbands who hearkened to their women were both wise and alive. One who didn’t was very soon dead (I refer to Nabal in 1 Samuel 25).

10. f) What is the timing of the fulfillment of these verses? The situation of these verses is in a particular culture (in Corinth) that views hair, being shorn, and being shaved in a particular way. The timing will be for any time (though this text may speak of a particular End Times event; we will have to discover that, if that is the case).

11. a) What does this verse mean? They are derived from each other. See the next verse. No woman exists without a man first existing, and all men that exist after Adam were born from a woman.

11. b) How does this connect to verses above it? The verses above it dealt with authority and responsibility, especially in the assembly when praying or prophesying. The two, the man and his woman, are a team. They are not equal in the team in abilities or in rank, but they are absolutely equal in that they are both the image of God and are responsible to each other for the sake of the team. Their inequality has to do with their abilities. The woman is often much more able than the man. The man is directly responsible for himself and the woman. He also is the importance of Yeshua.

12. a) In what way is the woman from the man? She was taken from the man (Adam) and built into a woman.

12. b) In what way is the man via the woman? Every man (except Adam) is born from a woman. He comes into the world via a woman.

12. c) Are all things, including sin, from God? Sin is obviously not from God. All things that are created and all forms of life are from God. Every personality is created from God. Every living creature has a personality and individuality. Humans and angels are able to take good things and use them for bad. Even animals and small organisms can do this, because of the fall of man (because sin is in the world).

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.

13. a) Isn’t comeliness very subjective? Yes, it is. So are cultural traditions. This text is exploring a cultural tradition, and rank and authority as Yehovah views it. These two very different views are being combined to instruct those in Corinth and careful readers in any period of the world. One culture will see bald women as being a shame, while another may see it as good fashion. Since this culture in Corinth had views of shame and dishonour, the Spirit of God through Paul is using this culture to explain Truth to folks in Corinth. They did not see anything appropriate about uncovered women praying to God in an assembly. Violating a culture when that is not necessary is rude, and is not part of Godliness.

13. b) What exactly is an uncovered woman in this text? It is a woman whose head is not covered, especially with hair.

14. a) Does nature teach everyone that a man’s long hair dishonours the man? No. This is only the case for this and some other cultures. They observe nature and animal coverings as pictures of honour and dishonour, shame and glory. This is no universal Truth (as a future verse will prove).

14. b) Did nature teach the Israelis that long hair on a man dishonoured the man? No, it didn’t. Those who took the Nazarite vow had to grow their hair. Some were Nazarites for life; cutting their hair would have been a shame.

15. a) Is a woman’s long hair always glory to her? This is not part of many cultures today. Women often cut their hair, preferring to have shorter cuts. Again, this is a cultural issue.

15. b) Why, according to this text, was long hair given to a woman? It was given to her instead of a covering.

16. a) Why would a person even think to be contentious on this issue? A person would potentially be contentious for the following reasons:

If the person’s culture saw hair in a very different way, the person might fight for what is in that person’s culture
If the person misunderstands the text, the person might be contentious. This is true of some ‘Christian’ faiths today that do misunderstand this text.

February 12, 2009March 27, 2018

Genesis 28:10 – Jacob’s Vow

Jacob’s Vow

Background and Printed Text: Genesis 28:10-22

Genesis 28:10 And He-Will-Heel (Jacob) exited from Well-Of-Oath (Beersheba). And he walked toward Charred (Haran). ¹¹And he reached in a place. And he lodged there because the sun came. And he took from the stones of the place. And he put his headings. And he lay down in that place.

Continue reading “Genesis 28:10 – Jacob’s Vow”

February 10, 2009August 25, 2016

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.

February 10, 2009April 8, 2016

Rapture: Timing and Proofs

&

Passages That Do and Don’t Speak of the Rapture

Revised 2/10/2009

Introduction

Many hold different views on the Rapture. (The Rapture is the catching away of all dead and living Saints to meet Messiah Yeshua, Godly relatives and friends in the air.) Some say that it occurs before the Tribulation (when Yehovah the God of Israel troubles unbelieving Israel and the world). Some believe it will take place during the Tribulation, while others say that it will occur at the end of the Tribulation. Some are not sure, and are not even sure if it is important. Others don’t believe it is Biblical, saying that the Rapture is taught to convince Christians that they won’t face trouble. One viewpoint is that it isn’t important for Salvation or Christian living, and therefore it isn’t important. Since more than half of the Bible is not concerned with Salvation or Christian living, should we abandon it?

Anyone who fears Yehovah knows that what He says is always important.

Along the same lines, there are those who state that the word Rapture does not appear in the Bible. (Neither do the words millennium and incarnation.) A Latin version of the Bible proves that this is wrong, because the word is found there. The word rapture is from rapiens found in 1 Thessalonians 4 in Latin, meaning catching away.

This document will use the King James Version and some literal renderings. (Other versions often have weaker renderings and biases.) I will use Yeshua, Jesus’ Hebrew name, Yehovah instead of Jehovah, etc. to better reflect the Hebrew and its meanings. This document will place the text first in each section, followed by a ‘questions’ format. See if you can answer the questions for yourself.

A. First Thessalonians Texts

1 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; ³ Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; ⁴ Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ⁵For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. ⁶And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: ⁷So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. ⁸For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God–ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. ⁹For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; ¹⁰And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Who Wrote the Letter?

Three Jewish men wrote this letter: Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus. They have only good things to say about the Saints (fearers of God, delighters in His Word) living in Thessalonica. They mention their patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Patience is endurance. Patience and hope will be mentioned again in these documents.)

What is the Wrath to Come (verse 10)?

Wrath signifies extreme anger. To what wrath to come are they referring? One clue is this: the writers are waiting for his Son from heaven. When will He come from heaven? While this text doesn’t specify what this wrath is or why it is, the two letters sent to the Thessalonian Saints mention this. The letters are written as a mystery, but one that has solutions in the Bible. (They are not difficult to solve; it just requires some thought and consideration with plenty of reading in the Bible.) This document is designed to solve this mystery as readers continue through it.

1 Thessalonians 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: ²But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. ³For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: ⁴But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. ⁵For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: ⁶Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. ⁷But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: ⁸So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. ⁹For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. ¹⁰Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: ¹¹As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, ¹²That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. ¹³For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. ¹⁴For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: ¹⁵Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: ¹⁶Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. ¹⁷But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. ¹⁸Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us. ¹⁹For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? ²⁰For ye are our glory and joy.

Is This Wrath Historical?

Verse 16 states, “Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always. For the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” This again mentions wrath. Either it already came upon those involved and is therefore not the wrath to come or is it prophetic. Which is it? It must be the wrath to come at a future time. No wrath had come upon Israel in Paul’s day. Even the Temple was still functioning.

(A Note on the Jews)

Many readers will view this text as angry words from the Spirit of God against the Jews in general. Those readers haven’t been careful in their reading (if they read at all). Verse 16 mentions us as opposed to the Gentiles. It mentions the Jews as a third group. Thus, many readers thought that us referred to Christians (made of Jews and Gentiles). Those drawing this conclusion have also not been careful.

The expression the Jews is found throughout the book of John. Yet, with the exception of specifically named non-Jewish persons, all in John were Jews. This has led some to make a distinction between the Jews and Israel. Some of them see the Jews as cursed, while Israel (in their views) consists of the people of God (referring to the Christians). This also shows a very sloppy reading.

The Jews were a sect of ‘the Jews’ (all the Israelis) who were leaders. Paul himself was one of this group:

Acts 21:39 But Paul said, “I am a man, a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.”

Acts 22:3 “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.”

Yet, Paul identifies himself by tribe:

Romans 11:1 “I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israeli of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”

Philippians 3:5 “…circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. As touching the law, a Pharisee…”

Nicodemus, that great fearer of Yehovah and believer in Yeshua was a ruler of the sect called the Jews:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.

Not all of the sect called the Jews were antagonistic to Yeshua. Some were, however.

Understanding Thessalonians will be much easier with this information. Paul stated (verse 14), “For ye (non-Jewish Saints in Thessalonica) also have suffered like things of your own countrymen even as they (the Israeli congregations of God) have of the Jews.”

I will now return to the question whether this wrath is historical. When the text says, “has come upon them to the uttermost,” that must be describing the worst case of wrath that has occurred. That can only be describing a future event, since the wrath of Yehovah on Israel has never met that criterion. The Biblical Tribulation does describe that.

Coming and Presence: To what coming does 1 Thessalonians 2:19 refer?

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Messiah Yeshua at His coming? ²⁰For ye are our glory and joy.

This text gives very little information. (Texts shown later in this document will give much more information.) Most readers assume that they know to what this refers. I have found that this rule holds: Whenever readers assume anything about any text, they are nearly always wrong. The Bible was written so that sloppy readers would be wrong, and careful readers would obtain right information. That way, enemies will not know what is actually occurring, and friends of the Bible will. That way, friends of the Bible will be able to escape many deadly situations, and enemies will fall into traps.

Coming and Presence: When will Messiah be present (again, verse 19)?

This will again await more information. Feel free to assume that coming and presence are about Yeshua’s arrival on earth to reign, if you must. Be ready for surprising evidence and proof, however.

In the first chapter, the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (verse 3) indicates that something is being awaited (1 Thessalonians 1:10). What is it? Is it not waiting for His Son from heaven? This will directly connect to the present set of questions.

Patience and Lifetimes

1 Thessalonians 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Messiah Yeshua, in the sight of God and our Father …

Patience (endurance) would not be needed if they were not enduring for the sake of something that could occur in their lifetimes. They knew that somethine was imminent (it could happen at any time). It may not happen right away, but is expected at any time. No other event must first occur.

1 Thessalonians 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; ²And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: ³That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. ⁴For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. ⁵For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain. ⁶But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: ⁷Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: ⁸For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. ⁹For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; ¹⁰Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith? ¹¹Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. ¹²And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: ¹³To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

What affliction and tribulation are mentioned in verses 3 and 4?

1 Thessalonians 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. ⁴For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Tribulation means continuous trouble accompanied by danger, hurt or death. Affliction means pain and suffering, but includes humiliation. The above passage indicates that affliction and tribulation will be a normal part of the lives of Saints. An event is coming that won’t be part of the regular difficulties. The ends of each chapter often mention this event.

Which coming is “the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua with all his saints”?

1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you: ¹³To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua with all his saints.

Does the answer seem obvious? Be cautious.

Focus on the following underscored words:

To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua with all his saints.

Why not word it, “To the end he may stablish all the Saints’ hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua with all his saints”? Three separate groups are being specified by first person pronouns (We, us, our), second person pronouns (ye, you, your) and third person pronouns (they, them, their).

The second person pronouns (ye, you, your) reflect the ones to whom Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus are writing.
The third person pronouns (they, them, their) reflect Saints who will be coming with Messiah Yeshua: all His Saints (all of them).
The first person pronouns (we, us, our) reflect the Jews, the writers, or Jewish Saints. (Carefully determine who they are.)

Always identify pronouns.

The Thessalonians must have their hearts stablished, gaining a firm foundation in the faith.

The others (the Saints with whom Messiah will come) have already been stablished unblameable in holiness before God.

The writers expect Messiah’s soon coming with all His Saints. If you recognize this as true, keep it in mind as you continue.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. ²For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. ³For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: ⁴That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; ⁵Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: ⁶That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. ⁷For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. ⁸He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. ⁹But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. ¹⁰And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; ¹¹And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; ¹²That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. ¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

What are Saints commanded to do while they wait?

If the Saints do as commanded, they will study to be quiet, do their own business, work with their hands, and will walk honestly toward them who are outside─toward the non-saints. (They won’t be sitting on a mountain awaiting ‘the coming of Christ’!)

Is ignorance of future events acceptable?

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

(This may not seem to answer the question, but read the rest of the verses in the chapter to see that a future event is mentioned.)

The Spirit of God through the three writers states, “I would not have you to be ignorant.” They need to know what is going to happen.

Some believe these events will not be clearly understood until they are fulfilled, admitting they are ignorant. If this describes you, be patient and carefully read.

What is the Saints’ Hope?

Hope is mentioned in verse 13. This Scriptural word means expectation, something a person with that hope expects to certainly occur. The Biblical hope is almost always the resurrection, and the resurrection is directly associated with Messiah’s arrival to rule. Everyone born of God who has died will be resurrected at one time.

Sleep (verse 13, asleep) refers to death, but is used of Saints who await resurrection.

Messiah died and rose again, so God will bring those who ‘sleep’ in Yeshua with Yeshua. Whatever this event is, Yeshua and those who previously died in faith will be brought together.

If God will bring them with Him, where is He located?

He is in the heavens. They are also in the heavens.

When will He bring them?

This is harder to determine. Remain in “We which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord” means survive. The writers fully expected Messiah’s return before they died. Had they not expected this, the text mighty have been worded something like, ‘they which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord.’

Similar ‘Coming’ Texts

Read these verses again, focusing on the word coming:

1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Messiah Yeshua at his coming? ²⁰For ye are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you: ¹³To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua with all his saints.

These three ‘coming’ texts refer to the same thing.

Descending from Heaven

Compare these texts:

1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; ¹⁰And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Yeshua, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven.

These phrases refer to the same event.

Pronouns in The Hope

Overlook no pronouns. We is used as well as them in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18:

¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in the Messiah shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

The consolation of living Saints would be very small if their only hope of seeing their dead relatives and friends were after they too were dead! This hope is for Saints who are alive. They will see them at this event whether they are dead or alive.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. ²For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ³For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. ⁴But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others; but let us watch and be sober. ⁷For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. ⁸But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. ⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. ¹¹Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. ¹²And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; ¹³And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all. ¹⁵See that none render evil for evil unto any; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all. ¹⁶Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. ¹⁹Quench not the Spirit. ²⁰Despise not prophesyings. ²¹Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ²²Abstain from all appearance of evil. ²³And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do. ²⁵Brethren, pray for us. ²⁶Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss. ²⁷I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. ²⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. To the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

Fooled by the Day of the Lord

Some pronouns in the following text have been italicized for your observation:

1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. ²For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. ³For when they shall say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape. ⁴But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. ⁵Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness. ⁶Therefore let us not sleep, as others, but let us watch and be sober. ⁷For they that sleep sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. ⁸But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet: the hope of salvation. ⁹For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ ¹⁰Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we shall live together with Him. ¹¹Wherefore comfort yourselves together and edify one another even as also ye do.

The expression the day of the Lord contrasts with previous texts and includes the sudden destruction of some. Ye and you are Saints who will be reading this Thessalonians letter, while they and them are non-saint bad guys who will be destroyed. The Saints (called ‘the children of light’) will not be surprised by that Day overtaking them as a thief. They will be living in ‘full uniform,’ putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the Hope of salvation for a helmet. God hath not appointed us (who are of the day, of light) to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Messiah Yeshua who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we will live together with Him.

About the Day of the Lord

The Day of the Lord (the Day of Yehovah) is the Day of Wrath. (Saints living at the time of the Day of Yehovah will be prepared to suffer at the hands of evil folks, not at the hands of Yehovah. These attack statements are not directed toward them.)

The writers consoled the Thessalonian Saints, showing that they are not appointed to live or die during the Day of Yehovah, but to live together with Him. The ‘Old Testament’ has much to say about the Day of Yehovah and its accompanying wrath. The Hope includes seeing Messiah and dead Saints who are relatives and friends, not the terrible day of the Wrath of Yehovah.

‘Body’ Texts

1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua. ²⁴Faithful is He that calls you, Who also will do.

Look carefully at this quote with the bracketed notes: “Your [plural] whole spirit [singular] and soul [singular] and body [singular] be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua.” This is not the same as “Your [plural] whole spirits and souls and bodies be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua.” Overlooking singulars and plurals will lead to wrong theology.

The spirit gives life to the body, the soul is the true entity—the real person or group, and the body is the physical ‘earth suit’ that is seen. The Thessalonian body is a part of the Body of Christ. If it is preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, Messiah’s coming will occur during this body’s lifetime.

Standard Hope

1 Thessalonians 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

All the holy brethren must have the same Hope.

B. Second Thessalonians Texts

2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ²Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; ⁴so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure, ⁵a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: ⁶Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; ⁷And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: ⁹Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; ¹⁰When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. ¹¹Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of the calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of goodness, and the work of faith with power: ¹²That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Being Counted Worthy

Consider verses 4 and 5:

⁴so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure, ⁵a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye also suffer.

They are suffering persecutions and tribulations with patience (endurance) and faith! Why are they suffering? It is a manifest token (visible sign) “of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which ye also suffer!” Religious non-saints are usually the most violent activists against Saints. Saints suffer, and they will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God. They become strong, bold and tough to stand for what is right, to respond by doing good in the faces of evil.

Yehovah will recompense the bad-guys:

⁶seeing [it is] a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you!

Bad guys will also have tribulation, ending in the Lake of fire and sulfur. What will happen to the Saints?

⁷and to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Yeshua shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels!

A better word order is this:

⁷and rest with us to you who are troubled, when the Lord Yeshua shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels!

They will get permanent relief from being mistreated, never to be hurt or pained again, when Messiah will be revealed from heaven. The story will end well!

Reveal and Coming Contrasted

Focus on reveal in the following:

7-bwhen the Lord Yeshua shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels ⁸in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, ⁹who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power ¹⁰when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

“Revealed from heaven with His mighty angels” is not the same as “the coming of Messiah with all His Saints.” This is the time of vengeance when Messiah will come in flaming fire, and will come to be glorified in His Saints! This contrasts with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18–

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Yeshua will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in the Messiah shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

No wrath accompanies 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, but rather a ‘get-together’ of the Saints. 2 Thessalonians 1 and 1 Thessalonians 5 are alike.

The Importance of Glorification

When the Thessalonian letters were written, the Saints’ objectives included glorifying the Name of the Lord Messiah Yeshua, fulfilling all the good pleasure of goodness, and doing the work of faith with power:

2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of [this] calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹²that the name of our Lord Messiah Yeshua will be glorified in you and ye in Him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Messiah Yeshua.

When the Day of Yehovah comes, Messiah will come to be glorified in His saints. Glorifying [demonstrating as important] is important in both cases.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, ²That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. ³Let no man deceive you by any means: for except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; ⁴Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. ⁵Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? ⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now restrains, until He be taken out of the way. ⁸And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming ⁹Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, ¹⁰And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: ¹²That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ¹³But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: ¹⁴Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁵Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. ¹⁶Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, ¹⁷Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

Beseeching by the Rapture, Avoiding Confusion

Look closely at the first few verses after reading the chapter.

2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, and our gathering together unto Him ²that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled—neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us, as that the day of the Messiah is at hand. ³Let no man deceive you by any means: for except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

Beseech means to strongly urge or to strongly ask that something be done. In some of our cultures, one would not normally urge another by something as is done in this section. The Saints’ Hope is “in the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua” and in their being gathered together with their dead relatives and friends who were Saints (born of God). The writers urged that they would refuse to be shaken, etc. using this Hope.

1 Thessalonians 4 also mentioned the coming of Messiah and this gathering (we will call this the Rapture). I will explain the terminology shortly.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive/remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Caught up in Latin is rapiens. The noun form is raptura from which comes rapture.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 urges the Saints by the Rapture that “ye be not soon shaken in mind,” quickly confused and weakened. What might cause the confusion? The writers do not want them troubled or greatly upset, but upset about what?

Three possible sources of confusion and upset are listed:

neither by spirit
nor by word
nor by letter

as from us. If a spirit attempts to confuse or upset them, they must refuse to believe it. If a word (communication) tries to confuse or upset them, they must refuse to believe it. If a confusing or upsetting letter on this topic comes to them as if Paul, Silvanus or Timotheus wrote it, they must refuse to believe it.

The potential point of confusion or upset is the error that the day of the Messiah is at hand. The day of Messiah is the Day of the LORD, the Day of Yehovah, the Day of Wrath (starting with the Tribulation). The writers warned that the Day of Yehovah is not at hand, even if a spirit, word, or letter might claim otherwise. (At hand means could happen now, is imminent.) The Rapture was already imminent, but the Day of Yehovah is not!

A Falling Away, the Man of Sin

³Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.

Two events occur before the Day of Yehovah: a falling away (not described in the text) and the revealing of the man of sin—his being made known to all who know about him. He is called the antichrist and the son of perdition in the ‘New Testament,’ and the Assyrian in the ‘Old Testament.’

The Spirit’s Letting

⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

Let in 1611 meant either allow or prohibit! The Greek word means prohibit in this text:

⁶And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. ⁷For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now prohibiteth [will prohibit], until he be taken out of the way.

Who has the power to prohibit the man of sin from being revealed? Who can live for many generations? Only the Spirit of Yehovah can. The man of sin will be revealed when the Spirit of Yehovah moves out of the way, unblocking his arrival. (Some think the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth at this time, but since He is omnipresent, this makes no sense.)

Receiving the Love of the Truth

¹⁰…in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. ¹¹And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie: ¹²that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Many will not receive the love of the Truth. (Love of the Truth is a requirement for Salvation.) Yehovah responds to those who will not receive the love of the Truth by sending them strong delusion so that they will believe the lie. All who did not believe the Truth will be damned, choosing to have pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have course and be glorified, even as with you, ²and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. For all have not faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep from evil. ⁴And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. ⁵And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. ⁶Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. ⁷For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; ⁸Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought, but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you— ⁹Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. ¹¹For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, not working at all, but are busybodies. ¹²Now we command and exhort them that are such by our Lord Jesus Christ that they work with quietness and eat their own bread. ¹³But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. ¹⁴And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵Yet count not as an enemy, but admonish as a brother. ¹⁶Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. ¹⁷The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. ¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. To the Thessalonians was written from Athens.

Currently Waiting for Messiah

Focus on verse 5:

⁵And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for the Messiah.

They are waiting for Messiah at this time.

The Importance of This Letter

¹⁴And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

See how strong the three writers felt about this information? We must take it as seriously!

C. A Rapid-Paced Look at the Rest of the Bible in Relation to the Rapture

Look up each text. Read surrounding texts to ascertain whether it is a Rapture text.

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of the Messiah’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. ¹⁴If ye be reproached for the name of the Messiah, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. ¹⁵But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. ¹⁶Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. ¹⁷For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? ¹⁸And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? ¹⁹Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls [to him] in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Revealed is used in the above text in the same way as in 2 Thessalonians, referring to the Day of Yehovah, the Day of Wrath. Appear is used in the following text, and is akin to revealed in that Yeshua will become publicly seen.

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Members of the group are identified as ye. They will receive a crown (singular), indicating that the entire group will obtain that crown. Israel will be glorified (that is the crown), and that glory will never cease. The glorification of Israel will occur upon Messiah’s arrival, and will actually begin just before His arrival near the end of the Tribulation. Enemies will know that the God of Israel is doing these destructions of Israel’s enemies and salvations of the Israelis and their friends. Once Yeshua arrives, the specificity of the importance of Israel will be known by every human living and dead.

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1 Peter 1:5 …who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: ⁷That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Messiah Yeshua: ⁸Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: ⁹Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of [your] souls. ¹⁰Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: ¹¹Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of the Messiah which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of the Messiah, and the glory that should follow. ¹²Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. ¹³Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Messiah Yeshua; ¹⁴As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: ¹⁵But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; ¹⁶Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Verse 5 establishes the timing of the revealing: in the last time. Verses 7 and 13 use different words to describe different events and the same timing. The appearing is not a threat; the revealing is a threat to the bad guys and a reason for rejoicing to the good guys. This is no rapture text; it deals with the Israelis again as a group: “Receiving the end of your (plural) faith (singular).” The entire letter is of this nature. “Gird up the loins of your (plural) mind (singular).”

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The next text is a Rapture text, and gives a reversed order of events:

Psalm 50:1 A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, Yehovah, hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. ²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. ³Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. ⁴He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. ⁵Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. ⁶And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

Reversing the order gives the proper events as they will occur. Verses 5 and 6 must act as one verse:

⁵Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. ⁶And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge Himself. Selah. [The covenant by sacrifice is in Yeshua’s blood. The Rapture is this gathering unto Him in the heavens. God is judge Himself.]
⁴He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people. [He is judging Israel, His people, after the Rapture and during the Tribulation.]
³Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. [This is the arrival of God in flaming fire taking vengeance, starting in Bozrah/Petra.]
²Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. [This is when He arrives on Mount Zion at the end of the Tribulation in great brightness to abide with the Israelis for the Millennium.]
The mighty God, Yehovah, hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. [All races and kings come to Messiah on Mount Zion.]

The gathering of the Saints (verse 5) sounds like the Rapture. The Scriptures teach that all must appear before the judgment seat of Messiah:

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah that every one may receive the things in the Body according to what he hath done, whether good or bad. ¹¹Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Saints are given their ranks (and potentially their assignments) at this time in the heavens. Non-saints will likewise be judged, but much, much later, and will be given their ranks of damnation.

The Saints (already having been judged) will return with Messiah when He is revealed from heaven. Think about it to see if it makes sense.

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James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. ⁸Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Such a statement would only make sense if this coming of the Lord is imminent, like the husbandman waits for rain.

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2 Peter 1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

The power of Messiah is a vital part of both the resurrection and the coming. This coming is consistent with the one in James 5:7, an imminent coming. The Rapture is imminent; the Tribulation is not.

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1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in Him so that we will have confidence when He shall appear, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

This appearance sounds akin to 1 Peter 1:5 and following, while His coming sounds akin to texts above that refer to the coming. If this is the case, this text is not difficult to understand. We refers to the Israelis. Little children refers to Israeli children. If the little Israeli children abide in Yeshua, the Israelis will have confidence when Messiah Yeshua appears (a Tribulational event), and they will not be ashamed before Yeshua at His coming, at the Rapture. The Saints following the Rapture will know what is occurring on earth, and will be ‘rooting’ for the Israelis on earth, especially those who will do valiantly. If the Israelis don’t do well during the Tribulation, that will bring shame to the Israelis in the heavens, since what one Israeli does, all Israelis are affected.

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1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are now the sons of God. And it does not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that we shall be like Him when He shall appear, for we shall see Him as He is. ³And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself even as He is pure.

The Israelis will be like Him when He appears. They will see Him as He is. The result of truly having this Hope is personal purification to the degree that Messiah is pure. This appearance will be at the end of the Tribulation.

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Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, “Behold, Yehovah comes with ten thousands of His saints ¹⁵to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds that they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard [speeches] that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.

The Saints will be coming with Yehovah when He comes to execute judgment and vengeance against enemies.

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Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience so that ye will receive the promise after ye have done the will of God. ³⁷For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come and will not tarry. ³⁸Now the righteous shall live by faith. But if [any man] draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. ³⁹But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

This coming is not given a timing except to qualify it, “yet a little while.” This coming has no vengeance text attached. This seems consistent with coming texts.

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Hebrews 9:28 So the Messiah was once offered to bear the sins of many; and He shall appear unto them that look for Him the second time without sin unto salvation.

Appear is again used. He will appear unto those looking for Him. The appearing texts have above been linked with the Tribulation arrival (in glory, to do vengeance, to save Israel). This text appears to follow that same mode.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed Hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Messiah Yeshua…

For what does the Saint look? It is for that blessed Hope and glorious appearing!

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2 Timothy 4:1 I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Messiah Yeshua, who shall judge the alive and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ²preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. ³For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. ⁵But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. ⁶For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: ⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which Yehovah, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.

Compare verse 1 with verse 8. This describes two events: judging the alive and judging the dead. It also describes two timings: at His appearing, and His kingdom. They sound like they are at the same time. The kingdom lasts more than a thousand years.

I propose that Yeshua the Judge will judge the living folks at His appearing, and He will judge the dead also at His appearing, though they are not dead yet (referring to the damned in the Sheep/Goat Judgment). (The Saints judge the dead after the Millennium.) If this is the case, the expression the dead refers to those who have no Life and who will be both killed and damned in that Sheep/Goat Judgment. (The Sheep/Goat Judgment is only of non-Jewish persons; all physically living Jews will have been judged before the Tribulation ends.)

Saints love His appearing; others do not. His appearing is His arrival (I propose), and the judgment at His Kingdom is described in Matthew 25:31 and following.

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1 Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God Who makes-alive all things, and Yeshua the Messiah who witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, ¹⁴that thou keep the Commandment without spot, unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Messiah Yeshua ¹⁵that He shall show in His times, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

His times refers to the Day of Yehovah. This gives the timing to a careful reader. The proof is that He will be King of kings and Lord of lords at that time. Thus, this appearing is referring to Yeshua’s arrival on earth to rule.

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Colossians 3:4 When the Messiah, our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

This is the end of the Tribulation and a matter of weeks before the Millennium. It is when the Hope of the Saints (the resurrection) has occurred since all Saints will have glorified physical, immortal bodies.

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Philippians 3:20 For our conversation [lifestyle] is in the heavens from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Messiah Yeshua ²¹Who shall change our vile Body so-that it will be fashioned like unto His glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We in this text are the Israelis. The only time the Israelis will successfully look for the Saviour will be when all Israel is in faith and ready for His arrival. That will occur when the Body of the Israelis (that is, the Body of Israel) is changed and fashioned like Yeshua’s Body (the Body of Christ). This will occur shortly before the end of the Tribulation. The use of the plural our with the singular Body is the clue that careful readers will see and will recognize, since otherwise it would have been worded our bodies had it been referring to physical bodies of individuals.

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Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that He Who has begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Messiah Yeshua, ⁷even as it is appropriate for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart inasmuch as ye all are partakers of my grace both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Messiah Yeshua. ⁹And this I pray, that your love will abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment ¹⁰so-that ye will approve things that are excellent, so-that ye will be sincere and without offence until the day of the Messiah.

The careful reader will see the following:

This is written to folks in Philippi. They are treated as one group, and thus as a singular entity.
You is plural and work is singular: “He … has begun a good work in you.” This is therefore not referring to good works in each of you individually, but in the group.
The Philippian folks are mainly non-Jewish.
The Day of Messiah cannot be referring to Yeshua’s time on earth in His mortal body, since that is already past, and this text refers to a future: “until the day of Messiah Yeshua.”
The Day of Messiah Yeshua is the same as the Day of Yehovah. It is when Messiah Yeshua will be actively pursuing the destruction of His enemies and the enemies of His property, Israel. (This is during the Tribulation, especially toward the end.)
The congregation at Philippi disappeared centuries ago. Yet, this text explicitly states, “He Who has begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Messiah Yeshua.” Thus, this must refer to a future congregation in Philippi. He cannot perform a good work on a non-existing entity.

Thus, the Day of Messiah is when He is openly active during the Tribulation. This congregation will pick up where it left off some time before Tribulation starts, and will be persecuted, yet without offence and with sincerity and zeal during that time. When Messiah appears and comes, the congregation at Philippi will receive the highest accolades for excellence.

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2 Corinthians 1:13 For we write no other things unto you than what ye read or acknowledge. And I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end ¹⁴as also ye have acknowledged us in part—that we are your rejoicing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Yeshua.

This text will have the same timing and be the same event as in the Philippians 1:6 text.

The last statement might seem cryptic: “we are your rejoicing even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Yeshua.” When the Lord Yeshua descends to earth with all the Saints, and thus fulfills the resurrection of the dead, the Israelis (we in this text) including Paul and the others who were with Paul will rejoice in all the Corinthians who stood firm during the centuries, and especially during the Tribulation. (The folks in Corinth were mainly non-Jewish.)

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1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; afterward are they who are the Messiah’s at His coming. ²⁴Then is the end when He shall have delivered up the kingdom to God—even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. ²⁶The last enemy shall be destroyed: death. ²⁷For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He says “all things are put under,” [it is] manifest that He Who did put all things under Him is excepted. ²⁸And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him Who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. ²⁹Else what shall they who are baptized for the dead do if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? ³⁰And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? ³¹I protest by your rejoicing that I have in Messiah Yeshua our Lord—I die daily! ³²If I have fought with beasts at Ephesus after the manner of men, what does it advantage me if the dead rise not? “Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die!” ³³Be not deceived! Evil communications corrupt good manners. ³⁴Awake to righteousness and sin not! For some don’t have the knowledge of God. I speak to your shame. ³⁵But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up?” and “With what body do they come?” ³⁶Fool! That which thou sowest is not made-alive except it die. ³⁷And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but a bare grain. It may chance of wheat, or of some other. ³⁸But God gives it a body as it has pleased Him, and his own body to every seed. ³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh, but one is flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, another of birds. ⁴⁰[There are] also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies. But the glory of the celestial is one, and that of the terrestrial is another. ⁴¹[There is] one glory of the sun and another glory of the moon and another glory of the stars. For a star differs from a star in glory. ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. ⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. ⁴⁵And so it is written, “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam a quickening spirit.” ⁴⁶Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward is that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is Yehovah from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy. And as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption does not inherit incorruption. ⁵¹Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then the saying shall be brought to pass that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks is to God Who gives us the victory through our Lord Messiah Yeshua. ⁵⁸Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

This text supplies the order of events:

Messiah the firstfruits was made alive. This was the resurrection into an immortal physical body.
The ones who are Messiah’s at His coming are made alive. This has two stages: the Rapture part of the Resurrection, when Saints will receive their immortal physical bodies, and the earth-apparent Resurrection, when those Saints in their immortal physical bodies will physically come to earth alive and well with Messiah.
Next comes the end when Messiah delivers the kingdom to Yehovah the Father, when Messiah will have put down all rule, all authority and all power (that are forces of evil). He must reign until all enemies are under His feet.
Death is destroyed.

This coming connects to the Rapture, and the Rapture bridges to the end of the Tribulation via the resurrection (parts 1 and 2). The amount of time between the Rapture and the Tribulation can easily be many centuries.

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1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time—until the Lord comes Who will both bring the hidden things of darkness to light and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then every man shall have praise of God.

This coming precedes His bringing the hidden things of darkness to light and His making manifest the counsels of the hearts.

Bringing hidden things of darkness to light will be accomplished in the Tribulation, and making manifest the counsels of the hearts will likewise be accomplished during the Tribulation. That is how He will sort those who will help Israel and do righteousness from those who won’t do either.

Since Yeshua’s arrival the earth will occur after He has brought hidden things of darkness to light and after He has made manifest the counsels of the hearts, the coming must be the Rapture.

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1 Corinthians 1:7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Messiah Yeshua ⁸Who shall also confirm you unto the end blameless in the day of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

The coming is one event (the Rapture), and the end (referring to the time when the Gentiles will no longer be predominant over Jerusalem, ending the time of the Gentiles and beginning the Day of Yehovah) is another. The latter will occur in the Day of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

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Romans 12:10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love preferring one another in honour—¹¹not slothful in business—fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, ¹²rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer…

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. ¹⁰And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; ¹¹And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you ¹²so-that ye will walk honestly toward them that are without, and ye will have lack of nothing. ¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them who are asleep—that ye sorrow not, even as others who have no hope.

Three items match in these two texts:

Demonstrate brotherly love
Do your business
Have hope

The tribulation mentioned can be what folks in historical Rome were enduring, but most texts speak of events to come (even if those events are viewed as extensions of the miniature versions that historically took place). There will be a future congregation at Rome, and it will receive this document written to them more than just a little pertinent. They will realize the power of prophecy, a communication that can be penned a multiplied thousand years before the real recipients will live.

No one should expect that modern churches, pastors, theological professors, spiritual teachers, normal fundamental Christians or folks of the various more caring Jewish faiths will view the Bible this way. They have not been taught to consider the power of God and of prophecy in this manner. They are instead taught to stare at their own navels, always thinking that texts must be about them and must be applied to them in order for them to have any real usefulness in their lifetimes. They are taught to be self-centered, and they have proven their teachers very competent.

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Romans 8:23 And not only [they], but ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit—even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption [‘sonship-ment’]: the redemption of our Body. ²⁴For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man seeth—why does he yet hope-for? ²⁵But if we hope for what we don’t see, we do wait for [it] with patience.

The Adoption [or better, ‘sonshipment,’ when Israelis as a unit become sons of God by the New Birth] takes place at the redemption of our [the Israelis’] Body. This hope is central to all Saints. Biblical Saints are waiting for this event with great anticipation. This will occur during the second half of the Tribulation.

The Body is not the same as bodies in the next text:

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him Who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, He Who raised up the Messiah from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.

Be vigilant regarding pronouns! Us is not the same as you! Sloppy readers don’t really see the Bible; they see what they want to see.

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory that shall be revealed in us.

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Luke 19:11 And as they heard these things, He added and spoke a parable because He was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear. ¹²He said therefore, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. ¹³And he called his ten servants. And he delivered them ten pounds. And he said unto them, ‘Occupy till I come.’ ¹⁴But his citizens hated him. And they sent a message after him saying, ‘We will not have this to reign over us!’ ¹⁵And it came to pass that when he was returned having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants to whom he had given the money to be called unto him so-that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. ¹⁶Then the first came, saying, ‘Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.’ ¹⁷And he said unto him, ‘Well! Thou good servant! Because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities!’ ¹⁸And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.’ ¹⁹And he said likewise to him, ‘Be thou also over five cities!’ ²⁰And another came, saying, ‘Lord, behold thy pound that I have kept laid up in a napkin. ²¹For I feared thee because thou art an austere man. Thou takest up what thou didn’t lay down, and reapest what thou didn’t sow.’ ²²And he says unto him, ‘I will judge thee out of thine own mouth, wicked servant! Thou knew that I was an austere man, taking up what I didn’t lay down and reaping what I didn’t sow! ²³Why, then, didn’t thou give my money into the bank so-that I might have required my own with interest at my coming?’ ²⁴And he said unto them who stood by, ‘Take the pound from him and give to him that hath ten pounds!’ ²⁵And they said unto him, ‘Lord, he hath ten pounds!’ ²⁶ ‘For I say unto you that unto every one who has shall be given, and from him who doesn’t have, even what he has shall be taken away from him! ²⁷And those, mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them—bring hither and slay before me!’”

Identify the Nobleman, the Kingdom and the far country. What does “when he was returned, having received the kingdom” sound like?

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Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. ²⁷They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. ²⁸Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ²⁹But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ³⁰Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. ³¹In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. ³²Remember Lot’s wife. ³³Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

The surrounding texts will show that this is Messiah’s physical return to earth to reign.

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Luke 14:12 Then said He also to him that bade Him, “When thou makest a dinner or a supper, don’t call thy friends or thy brethren or thy kinsmen or the rich neighbours lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. ¹³But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. ¹⁴And thou shalt be blessed, for they cannot recompense thee. For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

If there is a resurrection of the just (righteous), there must necessarily be a separate resurrection of the unjust. As I proposed above, the Resurrection is in two stages. The first part is the Rapture, but that occurs quite a distance before the second part in the Tribulation. No one is officially resurrected until that person comes alive and quite visible in his/her immortal body to this planet.

The recompensing at the resurrection of the righteous can refer to either event, since both are part of the same resurrection. The recompensing will be in the form of responsibilities and rank during the Kingdom (the Millennium), since rank survives from this earth to the New Earth.

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Luke 12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning, ³⁶and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding so that they may open unto him immediately when he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those servants, whom the lord shall find watching when He comes. Faith I say unto you that He shall gird Himself and make them sit down to food, and He will come forth and serve them. ³⁸And if He shall come in the second watch or come in the third watch, and find so, blessed are those servants! ³⁹And know this—that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have permitted his house to be broken through! ⁴⁰Be ye therefore ready also! For the Son of man comes at an hour when ye don’t think!

What hour is in mind by “at an hour when ye don’t think”? Those awaiting the event in Luke 12:35-40 will know within several days when Messiah’s coming will be. (If they did not know, they wouldn’t be able to watch with such diligence.) This is never the case in the Rapture.

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Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of man shall be ashamed of him when He shall come in His own glory, and the Father’s and of the holy angels.

Messiah comes with power and great glory after the Tribulation.

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Mark 14:62 And Yeshua said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Messiah’s coming in this text is in the clouds, not meeting Saints in the air. The same is true of the following text:

Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

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Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house comes–at even or at midnight or at the cockcrowing or in the morning–³⁶lest suddenly coming He find you sleeping. ³⁷And what I say unto you I say unto all: “Watch!”

The master will arrive during one of four described times during which folks awaiting this arrival are commanded to not sleep. If folks were commanded to not sleep while awaiting the Rapture, what Saint would ever sleep? This command is only reasonable if the waiting period is short. Some, perhaps many, will dismiss this text as non-literal, claiming that sleeping means being spiritually off guard. The Bible uses sleep in one of two ways: physically unconsciously resting, or physically being dead. Those who are physically dead don’t need to watch or wait.

The next event occurs before the above:

Mark 13:25 And the stars of the heavens shall fall. And the powers that are in the heavens shall be shaken.

Yehovah will truly and easily remove all stars from the heavens for a period of time during the Tribulation. (What will that do to the astrology industry?)

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Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man shall also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.

Matthew 26:64 Yeshua says unto him, “Thou hast said. Nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of the heavens.

These match texts above.

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Matthew 23:37 “Jerusalem! Jerusalem that kills the prophets and stones them who are sent unto thee! How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathers her chickens under wings, and ye would not! ³⁸Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. ³⁹For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say, ‘Blessed is He Who comes with the name Yehovah!’”

Jerusalem will physically see Messiah when her occupants say, “Blessed is He who comes with the Name Yehovah” (literally translated from Psalm 118). This will occur very close to the last day of the Tribulation. Mount Zion will be huge at that time, and Jerusalem will be on the north side. Many other great events will have taken place in that very short period of the Tribulation.

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Matthew 19:28 And Yeshua said unto them, “Faith I say unto you, that ye who have followed me, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory.”

This occurs after Messiah’s return, as does the following:

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels. And then He shall reward every man according to his works.

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Zechariah 14:5 And ye shall flee the valley of the mountains. For the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal. Indeed, ye shall flee like ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah! And Yehovah my God shall come! All the saints are with Thee!

All the Saints will accompany Yehovah when He comes. They must therefore have been already raptured. King David will be among them. He will reign during the Millennium:

Hosea 3:5 Afterward shall the children of Israel return. And they shall seek Yehovah their God and David their king. And they shall fear Yehovah and His goodness in the latter days.

King David will be the prince of Israel as long a the earth lasts:

Ezekiel 37:24 And David my servant is king over them. And they all shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes, and do them! ²⁵And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, in which your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in her—they and their children and their children’s children forever. And my servant David is their prince forever.

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Ezekiel 37:13 “And ye shall know that I am Yehovah when I have opened your graves, my people, and brought you up out of your graves. ¹⁴And I shall put my spirit in you. And ye shall live! And I shall place you in your own land. Then shall ye know that I Yehovah have spoken and performed,” says Yehovah.

If you believe the Bible, you will take it literally (unless it’s own words tell you to do otherwise).

This event isn’t the Rapture. It isn’t Yeshua’s arrival to reign. Ten tribes of Israel have been annihilated in this text’s beginning. Yehovah resurrects them back to mortal life so that His Word will stand. If you don’t believe this, you don’t believe Romans 8:38 and following.

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Ezekiel 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them. And he shall feed them–my servant David–he shall feed them! And he shall be their shepherd.

David is the one shepherd over the Israelis (while Messiah is over all the shepherds—the kings and lords). Jeremiah also mentions this:

Jeremiah 30:9 But they shall serve Yehovah their God and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

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Jeremiah 4:26 I beheld. And behold, the fruitful place is a wilderness. And all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Yehovah, by His fierce anger.

This is a wrath event, as is the following:

Isaiah 66:15 For, behold, Yehovah will come with fire and with His chariots like a whirlwind to render His anger with fury and His rebuke with flames of fire.

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Isaiah 66:5 Hear the word of Yehovah, ye who tremble at His word! Your brethren who hated you, who cast you out for my Name’s sake said, “Yehovah shall be glorified!” But He shall appear to your joy! And they shall be ashamed.

This text refers to real Messianic Jews. (Many claim this distinction today, but extremely few meet the qualification. Most are locked into Messianic Churchianity disguised as Messianic Congregatianity.)

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Isaiah 64:1 Oh that Thou would tear the heavens, that Thou would come down so that the mountains will flow down at Thy faces ²as the melting fire burns, the fire causes the waters to boil, to make Thy Name known to thine adversaries! The races shall tremble at Thy faces! ³When Thou didst terrible things for which we didn’t look, Thou came down! The mountains flowed down at Thy faces! ⁴For since the beginning of the world they have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, God, beside thee, He hath prepared for him who waits for Him. ⁵Thou meetest him who rejoices and works righteousness. They remember Thee in Thy ways! Behold, Thou art wroth! For we have sinned! Our continuance is in those, and we shall be saved. ⁶But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses are as menstrual rags. And we all do fade as a leaf. And our iniquities have taken us away like the wind. ⁷And none is who calls upon Thy Name, who stirs up himself to take hold of Thee. For Thou hast hidden Thy faces from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities. ⁸But now, Yehovah, Thou art our father. We are the clay and Thou art our potter. And we all are the work of Thy hand. ⁹Be not wroth very sore, Yehovah, and don’t remember iniquity forever. Behold! See, we beseech thee, we are all Thy people. ¹⁰Thy holy cities are a wilderness! Zion is a wilderness! Jerusalem is a desolation!

This text describes Yehovah’s coming in power and great glory. The following text shows His wrath when He is revealed.

Isaiah 63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? “I Who speak in righteousness, mighty to save!” ²Why [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him who treads in the wine vat? ³ “I have trodden the winepress alone! And none of the people is with me! For I will tread them in my anger and trample them in my fury! And their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments! And I will stain all my raiment! ⁴For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is come! ⁵And I looked. And none is to help! And I wondered that none is to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation unto me! And my fury–it upheld me! ⁶And I will tread down the peoples in my anger and make them drunk in my fury! And I will bring down their strength to the land!”

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Isaiah 62:11 Behold, Yehovah hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, “Say ye to the daughter of Zion: ‘Behold, thy Salvation comes! Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him!’”

Salvation comes with a reward and with work to do!

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Isaiah 57:1 The righteous perishes. And no man lays to heart. And merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the bad!

Those convinced that everyone must go through the Tribulation will find this text difficult to explain.

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Isaiah 56:1 Thus says Yehovah, “Keep ye judgment, and do justice! For my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed!”

One is coming, another is being revealed. Both are Messiah Himself.

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Isaiah 26:1 In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city. He will appoint salvation walls and bulwarks! ²Open ye the gates! And the righteous race that keeps the truth shall enter in! ³Thou wilt keep in perfect peace. His mind is stayed because he trusts in Thee. ⁴Trust ye in Yehovah forever! For everlasting strength is in the Lord Yehovah. ⁵For He brings down them who dwell on high. The lofty city–He lays it low. He lays it low to the ground! He brings it to the dust. ⁶The foot shall tread it down, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy. ⁷The way of the righteous is straightness! Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the righteous. ⁸Yea, we have waited for Thee in the way of Thy judgments, Yehovah. The desire of the soul is to Thy name and to the remembrance of Thee. ⁹I have desired Thee with my soul in the night. Indeed, I will seek Thee early with my spirit within me. For when Thy judgments are in the Land, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. ¹⁰Let favour be showed to the wicked. He will not learn righteousness. will He deal unjustly in the land of uprightness and will not behold the majesty of Yehovah! ¹¹Yehovah, Thy hand shall be lifted up. They will not see! They shall see and shall be ashamed for envy at the people. Indeed, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them! ¹²Yehovah, Thou wilt ordain peace for us. For Thou also hast wrought all our works in us. ¹³Yehovah our God, lords beside Thee have had dominion over us. We will make mention of Thy name by Thee only! ¹⁴They are dead. They shall not live. They are deceased. They shall not rise. Thou hast therefore visited and destroyed them and made all their memory to perish. ¹⁵Thou hast increased the race, Yehovah! Thou hast increased the race! Thou art glorified. Thou removed all the ends of the earth far. ¹⁶Yehovah, they visited Thee in Tribulation. They poured out a prayer; Thy chastening is upon them ¹⁷like a woman with child draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain, cries out in her pangs. So have we been in Thy sight, Yehovah. ¹⁸We have been with child. We have been in pain. We have brought forth wind. We have not wrought any deliverance in the land and the inhabitants of the world haven’t fallen. ¹⁹Thy dead shall live!–My dead body–shall they arise! Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust. For Thy dew is the dew of herbs, and the land shall cast out the dead. ²⁰Come, my people! Enter thou into thy chambers and shut thy doors about thee. Hide thyself for a little moment until the indignation is past. ²¹For, behold, Yehovah comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the land for their iniquity. The land also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain.

Verse 19 describes the dead coming to life, and verse 20 the Tribulation period and the wrath of God (the indignation) ending with Yehovah’s coming.

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Psalm 50:5 Gather my saints together unto me–those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

(What event is this? This text was cited above.)

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Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.

This is a description of the resurrection from the dead.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be. But we know that we shall be like Him when He shall appear. For we shall see Him as He is.

Do you see the connection?

The next text also shows this hope:

Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices! My flesh shall also rest in hope. ¹⁰For Thou wilt not leave my being in Sheol, and Thou wilt not permit Thy Holy One to see corruption. ¹¹Thou wilt show me the path of life. Fullness of joy in is thy faces! Pleasures are at Thy right hand for evermore!

A wise reader will want to know who is speaking in the Psalm, and won’t assume the answer. The Psalmist is almost never the speaker. Can you figure this out?

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Psalm 7:6 Arise, Yehovah, in Thine anger! Lift up Thyself because of the rage of my enemies. And awake the judgment Thou hast commanded for me. ⁷So shall the congregation of the people compass Thee about! Therefore return Thou on high for their sakes.

He will return to the heights to sit at the right hand of Yehovah until Yehovah has made His enemies a footstool for His feet (see Psalm 110).

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Psalm 149:6 The heights of God are in their mouth and a twoedged sword is in their hand ⁷to execute vengeance upon the races, punishments upon the peoples, ⁸to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron, ⁹to execute upon them the judgment written! All His saints have this honour! Praise ye Yehovah.

This is the vengeance that all Saints will be given against their enemies after the resurrection of the dead Saints and after the Tribulation has ended. It is the great arrest that leads up to Messiah’s judgment of those He calls the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31 and following.

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Job 19:25 (literally rendered) “And I, I knew my living Redeemer. And He will stand afterward upon dust! ²⁶And they shall encircle this after my skin! And I will envision Eloha from my flesh ²⁷ whom I, I will envision to me! And my eyes saw, and not an alien!”

This is not the Rapture. A careful reader must establish who the speaker is. Once this has been established, the reader will more easily identify other texts like this one. It is a resurrection text, but not the resurrection of Saints and not the resurrection of condemned sinners. It isn’t Messiah’s resurrection. (Do you know of another very important resurrection in the Bible? There is one that is so important that many texts refer to it. Here is a clue: think Mount Zion!)

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Descriptions of the Rapture and Messiah’s arrival to the earth differ. Get to know Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, Luke 17 and 21, and Revelation 14. Distinctions in these texts are very important. Not all similar texts are the same. Let me know if I can assist you in your understanding. You can express your protests and disagreements by writing in brief to the following email address:

James842@eeweems.com

When you write, make certain that you have given good evidence if you are proposing or claiming that a text represents something. Carefully identify all pronouns in the texts that you cite. You will have to use an older version of the Bible (like the King James version) to make the right pronoun distinctions, where thee, thou, thy and thine are always singular, and ye, you and your are always plural. Do not confuse texts by using ‘Replacement Theology,’ the theology that replaces Israel with the modern ‘Church’ or with you yourself. (I will let you know if you do.) Again, write briefly. If your response is long, I will abridge it by only answering the first part; the rest of your work will be in vain. That way, I will answer. If you have twenty different items to discuss, be patient and send me only one at a time.

February 9, 2009July 5, 2017

Psalm 001 Literal Text

Psalm 1

Literally Rendered with footnotes

(See Psalm 001 Footnotes document)

1. Happy¹ is the man who didn’t walk² in the counsel ³ of culpable-ones,⁴ and didn’t stand in the way⁵ of sinners,⁶ and didn’t sit in the settlement⁷ of scorners.

2. But rather his delight⁸ is in the Teaching⁹ of Yehovah.¹⁰ And he will meditate daily and night¹¹ in His Teaching⁹.¹²

3. And he shall be like a tree planted upon splittings¹³ of waters whose fruit he will give in his time. And his leaf will not wither. And all that he will do will prosper.¹⁴

4. Not so¹⁵ are the culpable-ones,⁴ but rather are like the chaff¹⁶ that the wind will drive-away.

5. Therefore the culpable-ones⁴ will not stand¹⁷ in the judgment,¹⁸ and sinners in the congregation of righteous-[ones].¹⁹

6. For Yehovah¹⁰ knows the way²⁰ of righteous-ones. And the way of culpable-ones shall perish.²¹