March 30, 2014
When we were last together I said that on my next blog we will begin to study end-time doctrines - the differences between the modern viewpoint and the historical viewpoint on the book of Revelation. This will be an extensive study delving into historical documentation and defining the strange symbolism, idioms, metaphors, riddles, enigmas and esoteric messages. By doing so, the beautiful message in the Revelation will be unveiled.
During this comparison study, I hope you will become a questioner of modern men's religious doctrines, rather than simply accept their opinions without inquiry or challenge. The Apostle John said, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." - I John 4:1.
Can you imagine 2,000 years from now what our descendants may think if they read a book published in 2014, where someone asks the question, "Has a cat got your tongue?" Or, when a theater performer goes on stage, another performer says, "Break a leg." If the future reader tries to literalize either one of these metaphors, they would totally misunderstand the context of the story. We can not literalize a metaphor, or it wouldn't be a metaphor.
The languages of the Bible, specifically Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek are richly laced with metaphors, idioms, and figures of speech. Did you know that the book of Revelation is rife with these riddles, as well as scary imagery? Even numbers have significant meaning.
If I told you that every one of these riddles and enigmas can be explained with clarity and accuracy, revealing the beautiful truths of the Apocalypse -- would your interest be peaked enough to walk with me as I shed illumination on what some would say is impossible to understand?
Let's go back a bit in time - 55 A.D. We can see the Roman Emperor Nero's persecution of the Christians has just begun, where he is hotly pursuing the fledgling church, whom he imprisoned, tortured, and viciously murdered. They did not have an instruction book to explain why they must endure this horrific treatment, so it was urgent that Jesus Christ get a message of hope to them stat.
Jesus spoke in veiled language with extraordinary imagery, because it would be spiritually discerned by the believers, but would prevent their government enemies from understanding God's plans and purposes for His followers. Believe me - you can understand the book of Revelation!
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
Sunday, March 23, 2014
When we were last together I left you with the questions, "How can my name be blotted out of God's Book of Life? It isn't easy."
A baby, in the womb or outside, or a small child will go directly to Heaven when he dies because he is not accountable to sin. He cannot as yet make a spiritual decision for himself - for or against Jesus Christ. Even though each human being inherits the original sin of Adam and Eve - separated from God - these little one's are innocent and without guile, so God's hand protects his eternal spirit..
God told Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My Book." What provoked God to say this to Moses? When Moses came down from the mountain where he was receiving instructions from God, he found the Israelites worshiping a pagan god of gold, made by their own hands. Surrendering our allegiance to another god (idol) is grounds for our name to be blotted out of God's Book of Life.
The blood of the lamb preserved the Israelites from the spirit of death that came upon Egypt, thus preserved their names in the Book of Life - yet some chose to return to idolatry and were blotted out. The blood of Jesus Christ preserves a believer's name in the Book of Life - but if he chooses to return to idolatry it can be blotted out.
There are two invisible powers in the universe - God and Satan. The Creator allows each human being to chose whom he will serve. Satan is god of this world and all that it offers. If our allegiance is surrendered to earthly things, and all the benefits, this is idolatry - no different than the golden calf designed by the Israelites long ago - names blotted out of God's Book of Life.
Longing for the fame and fortune offered by the world, coveting all of its grand accoutrements, makes us a friend of the world - thus an enemy of God. We can make a mate, a parent, a child, career, talent, or money another god. When our allegiance is surrendered to another god, this is idolatry - subject to our name being blotted out of God's Book of Life.
The earthly life is very short - 70 maybe 80 years on average. So the question to ourselves should be, "Is it really worth all the toil and sacrifice for things that will eventually rot and return to dust - or for a fleeting moment of applause and acclaim?" Remember, we will never see a U-Haul behind a hearse - so store up treasures in Heaven, where moth or rust cannot corrupt.
The next time we get together we will begin the study the differences between the modern and historical end-time doctrine of the church regarding: Mark of the Beast - 144,000 - Antichrist - 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse - Armageddon. What does history and the Bible really reveal about the riddles, enigmas, metaphors, and symbolic imagery in the Revelation prophecy?
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
The last time we were together I shared how I asked myself, "How did Moses' name get written in the Book of Life - how is a name blotted out of this Book?" If we keep asking God questions, with the sincere desire to know Him better, He will open our eyes to His truth.
In my research of the Bible, all I could find is a name being blotted out of the Book of Life, but nowhere could I find a name being written into the Book of Life the moment someone accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior. Yet, there is a Book of Life in scriptures with names written in it.
How and when did these names get written in the Book of Life? Doesn't this peak your curiosity just a little bit?
"For you formed my inward parts: you covered me in my mother's womb...Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed, and in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me when as yet there were none of them."...Ps. 139:13 & 16.
When the union of a man and a woman produces the seed of life in the womb of the woman, at that moment, moment of creation, God's plan for the unformed human being is written in God's Book of Life. In this microscopic substance, seed of human life, God's life plan for this human being was fashioned for him, and written into His Book of Life - though he has not lived those days as yet.
This newly conceived human being, a nanosecond old, was so precious to God that his name was immediately written into His Book of Life. If there is no life at conception, how does this unformed substance develop into a fully formed human being? At conception it's a done deal!
Do you still think it is a blob of tissue as the abortionists purport?
How does a fully formed ear of corn develop if there is no life in the unformed seed? Wow...how hard is that to figure out? Without life resident in the seed, nothing will grow to maturity.
We close today asking, "How can my name be blotted out of God's Book of Life? It isn't easy!!
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
January 9, 2014
In my research of the scriptures to find out when my name was written in God's Book of Life, I left you with a question in my last blog, "Do you know the answer?"
Up to this point I was told my name was written in God's Book of Life the moment I accepted Jesus
Christ as my Savior OR when I was baptized with water. Since I could not verify either answer in the Bible, my search continued.
Do you remember what Jesus said to the seventy disciples whom He empowered to heal the sick and cast out demons, when they returned rejoicing about the miracles done by their hand?
Jesus said to them, "In this rejoice not that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven...Luke 10:20. These disciples were not "born again" because Jesus had not died or risen from the grave. They were serving the Law of Moses. So how could their names be written in Heaven already? Did you ever ask yourself that question when reading this text?
After Moses came down from Mt. Sinai after communing with God, he saw that the Israelites had been busy making a pagan god of gold to worship. God was ready to destroy them, but Moses pleaded with God to forgive them, but if He wouldn't Moses asked God, "Blot me out of you book which you have written." Exodus 32:31-33
Now, how did Moses' name get written in God's Book of Life? Had Moses accepted Jesus as his Savior - this was several hundred years before Jesus was born. Had Moses participated in a ritual baptism - there was no such ceremony during his time. Now isn't this perplexing.
Not only does Moses know that God has written his name in the Book of Life, his name can be blotted out of God's book. Whoa...this knowledge could possibly unravel someone's theology! How did Moses' name get written in the Book of Life - and how is a name blotted out?
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question.
December 7, 2013
Do you have perplexing Biblical questions for which you have not found adequate answers? On my spiritual journey I have had dozens, and more often than not I was given a denominational answer, so I had to search the scriptures myself, as well as historical documentation on church history.
One of my perplexing questions was, "When is a human beings' name written in God's Book of Life." I was told that the moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior his name is written in God's Book of Life.
But that created a conundrum for me, because it only caused a new question, "If that is so, what happens to little babies, in the womb or out, who can't talk, or a jungle tribesman who hasn't been evangelized?" Do you know what I was told?
I was told they would go to Hell? I was abhorred by that answer, because the God of my Bible, whom I have fallen in love, would not do that...it was not consistent with His statement of "not wanting even one to perish."
A friend told me her denomination said the baby must be baptized...that is how someone is saved...how their name is written in God's Book of Life. But this explanation could not be proven by scripture either, only denominational doctrine. Now I am even more perplexed. What will I do to find my answer?
I began to research every scripture that had anything to do with salvation, accepting Jesus as Savior, names in God's Book of life, and names blotted out of God's Book of Life. I had never heard a sermon, after 40 years of church life, about how a name is blotted out of God's Book of Life, so I
knew this was going to be a fascinating research paper. Do you know the answer? More on this exciting subject in my next blog.
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question...
October 8, 2013
In my book Endtime Reapers, I combine the Revelation visions of like subjects, such as chapters 13 and 17, into one chapter for better understanding and clarity. Then I establish a timeline for each chapter, explaining where, when, and by whom each of the visions were fulfilled.
Looking back on fulfilled prophecy that has already been documented by historians is quite easy, whereby attempting to interpret the future is quite dangerous...yet so many authors have chosen this road.
I chose the road less travelled, but I believe the curious seeker, who really loves facts, and actually wants to know the truth about the prophetic visions of Revelation, will find my book a fascinating read that will dispel the mysterious cloud hanging over their meaning, making them crystal clear.
When the metaphors, idioms, figures of speech and symbolism are explained you will finally be able to say when you read the Revelation, "Oh, is that what that scripture means? Wow, now I understand."
Do you have unanswered questions that your denominations answer just doesn't seem to fit what you previously read in the Bible, whether about end time doctrine or other subjects?
Over the years I have had plenty of questions that no one seemed to be able to answer satisfactorily, so I had to do research for myself.
Why couldn't they answer the question satisfactorily?
I believe they are stuck on their denominational talking points, which have been passed down from generation to generation. No one seems to ask the question, "Is this really what this particular scripture means, or did they put their own spin on it?"
In this blog I will share my perplexing questions and the answers that I found through decades of research, especially regarding the end time doctrine.
Illuminator is signing off until next blog...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...Sheeple follow without question...
