The Abyss

The "bottomless pit" in scripture is abussos in the Greek, meaning "abyss". The abyss is both the source of waters, and the gateway to Hell.

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

      An angel of God (the Angel of God) has the key to the abyss, and likewise a chain. It would appear the key would lock the cover of the abyss, and the chain bind it even stronger. Perhaps, though, the chain is to bind the Devil and the key to lock the portal to Hell. For the key to work, there must be a keyhole of course and a door or gate. The assumption is that the gate would be solid because it will be sealed, and would cover the entryway or path to Hell. Where is the gateway to Hell? Where is the Gate which covers it? (See the illustration below: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2490663).

The Foundation Stone

      This stone is believed to be the epicenter of the earth from which God made the firmament and the waters were separated. Hebrew tradition is that the abyss beneath the "foundation stone" is the source of water for Noah's flood. Several years ago in this blog I made the hypothesis that since the world is a closed hydrological system, that the waters which flooded the earth could not have come merely from rain but a tsunami. Two things were required: (1) a passageway from inside the earth, and (2) a water source. I contended that  beneath the surface of the earth, there must be water enough to flood the seas to the mountaintops.
     Not long afterward, scientists discovered that there is a vast sea four-hundred miles beneath the surface of the earth which contains enough water within the rocks to fill the oceans three times over (Anthony, Sebastian; World Wide Web; Extreme Tech; "Scientists discover and ocean 400 miles beneath the surface..."; June 7, 2014). Perhaps, indeed, the foundation stone is the valve supplying the waters stored beneath the surface from the creation of the world!
     In scripture, the foundation stone is identified as Ornan's Threshing Floor (1 Chron 21). At that exact spot is where the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) came to destroy Jerusalem. It was a place of judgment. The Angel had in his hand a sword. Because David numbered Israel, Jerusalem was punished. It was not David's place to defend God's people but God's! David did wrong and the Hebrews were judged, sentenced, and died. The foundation stone is where God threshed the "Church" - His people, and the good grain was separated from the chaff. The bad fell into the abyss below the foundation stone and was destroyed.
     Is there an abyss under the foundation stone? Immediately below it is a cavern in which only Muslims can enter. The foundation stone (Ornan's threshing floor) is where Solomon built his temple to God. The cavern beneath the foundation stone is where the Holy of Holies once was (Wikipedia: Dome of the Rock). It is believed, although it has never been explored, that an abyss is below the Holy of Holies (the cavern). That makes sense if it was the source of the flood water which cleansed the earth. The water flowed from the River of God (underground) through the Holy of Holies which purified it. (Note: It seems that since the four rivers of the Garden came from one head, that this huge underground cistern is the River of God.)
     Now back to punishment: Satan will be chained by the same Angel which threshed the Hebrews. The next time, it will be the Devil who is cast down rather than the Hebrews. Jesus - the Angel of God - will hold the sword (two-edged; Rev 2:12). The sword of God is apparently the "key" to the bottomless pit, and represents punishment from the Judge (Mat 25:31-46). Where is the keyhole in the foundation stone in the Gate to Hell? Look closely at the photo: There is a round hole which for which no one has determined a purpose. I propose that this hole represents the keyhole for the key to Hell.
     It would appear that David's threshing for pridefulness (enumerating the Hebrew people to commemorate his own might) is at the same locale has Satan's punishment in the last days, and is a parallel of end-of-time judgement and punishment.
     Ironically, this same foundation stone is where Mohammad claimed to have descended to Heaven. That was his claim! I propose that Mohammad, like the threshed Hebrews, descended into Hell, and the Devil will have the same fate. Mohammad's journey (Mi'raj; "the ladder") for one night was at that exact spot. As you can see, Mohammad apparently used some type of spiritual ladder. Tradition and scripture indicates that the ladder to Heaven in Jacob's dream was at this very place.
     Jacob in his dream saw angels of God ascending and descending the ladder from the foundation stone (Gen 28:11-13). Jacob (Israel) is the ancestor of Jesus and Israel symbolic of Jesus. By God's Plan, the Angel of God - Jesus - will punish Satan at that very abyss covered by the foundation stone, which by the way, is considered the axis of the world and its navel! (Modern-day scientists often show the continental drift radially around the Mediterranean - "the center of the earth".) That navel is an exceptional spot to pour out holy water, and centrifuge an evil Demon!
      This exact location is also the Serpent's home turf. The foundation stone was in he midst of the Garden of Eden. In my earlier blogs I have supported by scripture that Jerusalem - "the foundation of peace" - is the Garden. The Serpent will be cast down exactly where he built himself up as God (Gen 3). The Angel of God will crush his head, so to speak, right there on the foundation stone (Gen 3:15). Adam will watch a short distance away from Golgotha - Calvary - "the place of Adam's Skull (See my book "The Skull of Adam".)
     Scripture must be taken in context. The events of the Apocalypse - the end of time - will be at the location where time commenced! It won't be in the United States or even Europe. It will be where the world was founded. It will end where it all started, being destroyed by fire this time rather than water. The navel that once spewed water will possibly spew fire and brimstone as God burns the chaff!
     When it is all over, Heaven will come down and the earth will endure forever. New Jerusalem will replace old Jerusalem on the exact spot where God's throne once was - in the Holy of Holies, but only after Satan has once again been cast down into the abyss forever. No longer will he need chains because he will be destroyed!

Blinded to See

My pastor at Salmons General Baptist Church preached on blind Bartimaeus yesterday, and did an excellent job by the way! His preaching made me think as it ought to do. Therefore, I take the liberty of expanding on what he preached.

Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

     Bartimaeus means "son of Timaeus", and the latter means "to honor" (https://www.behindthename.com/name/timaeus). It seems that Bartimaeus did honor his father by honoring Jesus! There is a commandment to that effect, and the promise to honor is a long life. It seems that blind Bartimaeus had his vision back (maybe he was born blind) and gained a long life at the same time - eternal life!
     In the beginning, sacred literature (Adam and Eve and the Conflicts with Satan) explains Adam and Eve's "bright nature" back in the Garden of Eden before they sinned. They could see into the heavens with their bright eyes. The Book of Revelation mentions a "sea of glass" in two different places which exists before God's throne. It wasn't really a "sea" but a transparency, crystal clear, through which those below could see. Obviously, their view was of God on Hs throne, and Jesus at his right side. We know that Adam and Eve could see Jesus because they had bright undimmed eyes. Perhaps they saw God through the sea of glass:

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

     It seems that those who persevered over the beast (Christians) stand on that transparent "floor" in heaven. Of course, from the Garden that floor would be a ceiling. It was likely not a sea at all, but represents spiritual vision. As long as Adam and Eve were faithful to God, their vision was clear as crystal, even unto Heaven! Faith makes the Kingdom of God transparent.
     It is ironic that Bartimaeus had eyes to see but could not see:

Ezek 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

     Bartimaeus could not see but in his blindness, Jesus made him see clearly. Because Bartimaeus trusted Jesus, he not only received his sight but was made whole! Whole is mankind's original condition. Back in the Garden, they lost something. In the beginning, they could see, but sin blinded them. Adam and Eve lost their bright eyes and were spiritually blinded. Bartimaeus was blind, but after his encounter with Jesus, he could see! Bartimaeus saw God through the sea of glass, and now perhaps he stands on that sea!
     God uses blindness to allow people to see God through that transparent ceiling. Saul was blind as well, using all his zealousness to persecute Christians. Bartimaeus was physically blind but Saul had a spiritual blindness. Let's examine Saul's encounter with Jesus:

Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. 17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

     Saul had vision but was blind. Bartimaeus was blind but he had "bright eyes". The world had not contaminated his vision. With his other senses, Bartimaeus "saw" Jesus. His spiritual vision could see God through the sea of glass! For Saul to see just like Bartimaeus, God had to blind him for Saul had eyes to see but could not see! On the other, hand both Saul and Bartimaeus heard Jesus plainly! It was the same Voice who spoke the Word back in the cool of the day in the Garden! Jesus gave Bartimaeus and Saul "bright eyes" and with that came "wholeness"; they received "bright natures". That bright nature is obtained as they were born-again, Bartimaeus and Saul, and became new persons. With Saul, his new nature was validated when Jesus renamed him Paul. (Saul means "to question". Paul, on the other hand, means "humbled".) The zealot Saul became the meek Paul, and it was seeing the Light which changed Saul's nature.
     Bartimaeus saw the Light as well! He saw Jesus clearly, as he was not blinded by the lust of the eyes, and after seeing God on His throne through the sea of glass, Bartimaeus received his vision and saw God face to face. He saw Jesus when his vision was restored, and was then made whole!
     Jesus said that "you must be born-again" (John 3:7). Bartimaeus was born-again and made whole. He saw God crystal clearly although he was totally blind. On the other hand, Saul had to be made blind to see crystal clearly... just like Bartimaeus. I believe Paul is now standing on that sea of glass just as Bartimaeus is! They both have their vision and see clearly as they stand before the Light of God!

One Lively Foundation Stone

     Many believe the Old Testament to be a great history book, and indeed it is! The prophets had visions of coming attractions important to the world. The Old Testament is a trailer for The Greatest Story Ever Told. For those unfamiliar with it, that was a 1965 movie about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was essentially Hollywood's version of the gospels. (Yes, Hollywood, at one time, did have some element of morality which has since faded.)

     Isaiah was a prophet whose name means "Yah is salvation". Yah is short for Yahweh or God. Prophets were given visions by God to see into the future, both the immediate and long-range future. Oftentimes, because of symbolism, prophets saw both the soon to come and the things further away in the stream of time. Thus, when Isaiah had visions of Babylon and the Persian Empire, that is symbolic of the end-of-time world and the millennial reign of Jesus. Furthermore, as Darius of Persia came to save the Jews from destruction by Babylon, Isaiah's visions seem to apply to Jesus who came to heal the nation of Judea, even the world!

     With that preview, read the Word of God as spoken by Isaiah below.  Look for Jesus when it is read. Jesus is always there in scripture, but sometimes he is hard to see! Scripture can't just be read; it must be considered. Every Word of God has profound meaning. One must only look for Jesus in the stories. 

Isa 22:12 And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: 13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. 14 And it was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts. 15 Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, 16 What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock? 17 Behold, the Lord will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee. 18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house. 19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down. 20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. 23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. 24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. 25 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it.

     Verse 12 represents the spoils of life. People live for themselves as if there is no tomorrow! That was the same then and now. People are generally short-range in thinking and planning. All that eating and drinking was self-satisfaction without regard to satisfying God. People still have that same problem which they can't perceive as a problem. One of my pet peeves is people turning Christ's-day (Christmas) into "their-day". It may indeed peeve God as well! Likewise, not only is Christ's-day all about them but so is everyday. Sure, they make a pretense of honoring God, but it is themselves which seek appeasement! With the sacrament of Holy Communion, Paul even warned about turning it into gluttony, and that people should eat at home because the elements (bread and wine)were for the Lord (1 Cor 11:34).
     The Lord God of Hosts (Jesus) said, "his iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die" (verse 14). Appeasing ourselves will only subside with death. Mankind has a problem with self-amplification, and that malady will last until they die. An acquaintance of mine once said, "I will never quit smoking!" I corrected her, "Yes you will." Death terminates sin. 
     Shebna, meaning "a tender youth" was an officer in the court as treasurer in the court of Hezekiah. As such, Shebna was a type of Judas, and both were antichrists. As Judas after him, Shebna was prophesied to be cut-down which indeed Judas was.
     In his place, Isaiah envisioned Eliakim, his servant, the son of Hilkiah. Their names mean "whom God will raise up" and "portion of Jehovah", both fitting names for father and son whose names represent the Father and the Son! We can see, then, that Eliakim is representative of the Son of God. Isaiah saw him replacing Shebna, very much as Jesus Christ was the propitiation for Judas.
     Like Judas, Shebna was all about money since he was the treasurer for the king. On the other hand, Jesus was payment for sin. Shebna was an anti-type of Jesus just as Judas was. The root of all evil is the "love of money" (1 Tim 6:10) which people tend to covet! Silver and gold is mankind's most sought after lover:

Deut 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

     Paul himself pointed out that he had no problem loving silver nor gold but his love was the grace of God (Acts 20:32-33). God's treasure house is full of grace. It provides what money can't buy! God committed his government to Eliakim just as God did to Jesus by making him King of the Jews. Just like Jesus, God trusted Eliakim with his government because to Eliakim, riches did not tempt him.
     "The key of the house of David will lay on his shoulder", in reference to Eliakim in verse 22. The cross of Jesus was a key of similar type. Jesus was called "the son of David". How much clearer could Isaiah's vision be? He was seeing Jesus!
     Think on verse 23, "And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house." We all know that Jesus was nailed to the cross. Isaiah saw and understood the value in that! It's not the treasury which God emphasized to Isaiah but the Treasure - Jesus Christ!
     Look at God's promise in verse 26: "In that day shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off." Jesus would overcome death, and the burden of sin shall be cut off! That version is a picture of redemption wherein sin is defeated and hearts are circumcised. Why was Isaiah a born-again Christian who was saved? Because he accepted Jesus's future atonement (payment) for sin. He saw God crucified, trusted that it would happen, and served God. It was by God's Name he was saved - Jesus. How do I know that? The Apostle Paul described the Church:

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:

     Indeed, the Church was built on Peter. He was the foundation of the Church. However, so was Isaiah, Jeremiah, Andrew, Bartholomew, others, and of course Jesus - the Cornerstone. Isaiah was a living stone which God laid down before the Church was ever established. God built the Church on the prophets because they understood! It was Jesus who convinced Isaiah as Lord of the Hosts. Isaiah knew the Cornerstone in person, and built the foundation of that Church to that Datum. 

     For those who aren't builders, in ancient times and even into the present, the cornerstone was laid first, and all further measurements in all directions were referenced off that stone. It was laid true and plumb and its measurements precise. Isaiah was measured off the same Datum as was Peter and Paul but long before them! The Church is built on a firm foundation, and it was the written-down visions of Jesus which converted those in the apostolic Church!

     
   
     

Christianity for Dummies

     Christians assume that others know what it takes to be a Christian, and what a Christian must believe. Furthermore, what is it that Christians are to do? This commentary will be brief: Christianity for dummies. Some Christians may also need to read this:

(Note: This is commentary on the Doctrine of Christ is based on the free-will perspective and conditional security. Those who believe in predestination, election, and eternal security differ in doctrine. I would advise people to test doctrine themselves using scripture, and not take anyone's word for it other than God's Word.)

• All gods are not the One True God. God created the heaven and the earth. Other gods claim to have done that, but an Almighty God needed only Himself to create. That's what a real God does!
• It is imperative to believe that God created or He is not a true God. Although God is an invisible God, He can be identified by the creation which mankind can see.
• God was here in the beginning and will be in the end. Jesus is God manifested. He was with God at the creation because He is God. God manifested His appearance differently to serve His purpose: the Tree of Life, the burning bush, a cloud by day, a light by night, a man who wrestled with God, a captain of the angels, the angel of God, and a man just like us. 
• God conceived Himself by a miracle using a righteous virgin (Mary) as a surrogate. God put on flesh to feel what mankind feels and to be tempted. God came into the world to die to pay the penalty for mankind's sins.
• Whereas Adam failed with his temptations by the Serpent, Jesus did not. He was without sin. Mankind is not. Jesus is thus the ultimate and only sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Only can by trusting in God's Name - Jesus - can anyone be saved.
• To prove His identity of God, Jesus performed miracles. 
• The words spoken by Jesus were the ideas He spoke before he became flesh. He was "the Word" in the Old Testament, and the Voice in the Garden of Eden. He was not taught Scripture because the Words in Scripture were His!
• When the apostles looked upon Jesus, they were seeing God's face.
• God was ridiculed, persecuted, tortured, and murdered although He was innocent of all charges.
• Mankind is not. Everyone has sinned - doing and thinking things which God commanded that they not. 
• Therefore, God took on the sins of the world since the beginning and of everyone. He then died for all those sins and they were "dumped-out" by God shedding His own blood when it should have been ours. 
• Jesus is the Name who saved; His purpose in coming - to die for mankind - is not to be taken frivolously.
• Jesus gave up the Ghost. The Holy Spirit experienced death with Him but could not die. Jesus's Holy Ghost descended immediately after His body ascended. God came back in Spirit to Comfort Christians. The Holy Ghost of Jesus resides in true Christians.
• Christians are God's temple. God and sin cannot reside together. When a person is born-again, the soul is cleansed of sin, and is replaced with the Holy Ghost of Jesus.
• Born-again, or rebirth, occurs when people diminish themselves and elevate God. The enlightenment that man can't save himself but God can is trusting God for salvation. Believing that God died on the cross for everyone's sin is a pre-requisite to trusting.
• Rebirth changes an individual from the old creature to a new one. Baptism is a testimony to that change. The water doesn't initiate the change, circumcision of the heart does: The new person will be transformed from being served to serving. The born-again person will do that by loving God with all he has, and loving others as he has previously loved himself (herself).
• Loving is the work which is validation that a transformation has occurred - from lost to safe.
• Being born-again makes the person safe. God erects a spiritual hedge around the person so that Satan cannot kill them, although Satan is allowed by God to tempt as a test for faithfulness.
• The reborn person can doubt God. Doubt may be so intense that God is denied. Doubting is lack of faith. Faith is required to remain in safety. Faith is trusting God. Trusting God is what safety is! God can be trusted by Christians so intensely that they have the assurance that they will be saved, and speak of it as if they already are.
• Safe people can and do forfeit their safety by failure to read God's Word and apply it to their own lives. When God is out of mind, He is no longer trusted. The sinful nature - the desire to live for and in sin returns. The person is then in peril. That is apostasy because the person who neglects God, blasphemes against the Ghost of Jesus. Blasphemy is denying God while elevating oneself. Those "reprobate" (spiritually psychopathic) never consider God and are damned.
• God died and suffered the sting of death. Shortly afterward, although having died, He arose from the grave and was glorified, taking on incorruptible flesh. The "hope of salvation" is that those born-again will die and take on new flesh as well, and have eternal life. Why would God not want sinners to die eternally? Because He loves them that much. That love is called grace, and eternal life is a gift from God that cannot be earned. One must trust Him for that!
• Christians are "safe" and each day get nearer "the day of their salvation". Satan tries hard to undermine that faith. Those who overcome the world (ruled by Satan) inherit eternal life. Although at rebirth they are adopted by God as provisionary citizens of the Kingdom of God, on the Day of the Lord, their Visa is stamped and citizenship papers replaces the Visa.
• The Day of the Lord for those dead in Christ and those living for Him, is when they are "caught up" with Jesus at his coming. That day is the Day of Salvation for them, and their hope is fulfilled. That day is called "the rapture". 
• God's forgives and forgets as long as people turn to him. In the last days, God will give some who turned to Him another chance for redemption. Their choice will depend on their faith: beheading or salvation. 
• Christians will be judged by God "good and faithful servants" if their rebirth was genuine. Some God will deny, saying, "I never knew you." They will be cast into Hell with unbelievers and Satan, and be eternally dying in torment. Hell is for real!
• Those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life - Jesus's Book by whose Name they must be saved, are rewarded with eternal life. Their eternal life is in Heaven. Heaven is for real!
• After the Judgment Day - the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord, Heaven will come down to earth, and the meek (Christians) shall inherit it. That's a great day!

The Deception of Self-Worth

     When people are brought low and have second thoughts about their life, somehow they question their "self-worth". For instance, alcoholics, when they become sober, because of a feeling of freedom, believe they are  worth more. However, worth is not based on sobriety nor things people do for themselves. "Worth" is having value, and "self-worth" is valuing oneself. When one values themselves, psychologists call that "self-esteem'. Ironically, those without God in their lives value themselves more highly than God, and to the extreme, that their entire energy is focused on appeasing themselves. Although it seems they don't value themselves, for many people, the only one they value is themselves.

     For instance, a close relative of mine is addicted to marijuana. His entire life is devoted to getting high from that emotionally addictive substance. If anyone criticizes his addiction, they become his enemies. That reaction is how he protects himself from criticism. He has abandoned nearly everyone who loves him because he loves himself so much. He values his pleasure more than he loves others. Hence, that addict feels he is worth more than others. Not only that, the words of God offend him, and he even values himself more than God. He is the type of person, if he is ever convicted of his sin, will question his self-worth.
     Why does a person have addictions? Because they value their pleasure more than God's will. In fact, they value their pleasure more than their eternal life! That's why they question their self-worth when they become sober. Addictions are appeasing their gods of self rather than pleasing God.

     Scripture makes it clear what everyone thinks of themselves:

Ephes 5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.

     Everyone loves themselves, hatred being the opposite of love. Everyone loves themselves so much that they provide for themselves first and adore themselves. How much so? As much as the Lord loves his people: God so loves the world that none should perish (from John 3:16). People love themselves that they want that they not perish. Although people love themselves so much that they desire to live forever, Satan deceives them into believing that what they do is not destructive. They consume drugs and do not die, as God warned and Adam saw, and then continue to use more. It is not truly a question of them devaluing themselves but ignoring God and the consequences of sin.
     It is not a question of self-worth which people have, but what is God worth to them? Is God worth obeying? Obedience is how people value God's love by loving Him in return. Jesus said:

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Also, Jesus said:

John 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

     The former is the Greatest Commandment and the latter, the one like unto it: love others as yourself (Mat 22:39). It seems the standard of loving others is how much people love themselves. Likewise, that is the same standard for loving God: with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30). It seems that people have a lot of love for themselves, so the task at hand is to love God and others as much as people value themselves. (And of course everyone loves themselves so much that they do what they please; Deut 12:8).
     The lack of self-esteem is a ploy the cunning Serpent uses to deceive people. The lack of self-esteem (self-worth) is not mankind's problem; the esteem of self is the problem and Jesus is the solution! Rather than emphasizing the self, the focus should be on Jesus - Christ esteem.  As we place value on the self, value is diminished for God. It is man who must diminish as God is lifted up. That attitude is called "born-again". With a change in nature, the self should be crucified (Mat 10:38).
     Mankind's self-worth is a liability! Men must look toward God for His worth!

Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

     There are two attitudes implied therein: (1) without sacrificing oneself, no one is worthy. That is self-sacrifice to make one worthy. It is the meek servant who has value to God - one who knows his lack of self-worth; and (2) diminishing self-worth in favor of valuing Jesus elevates people in God's eyes. It is not self-worth which Christian men must seek but recognizing that men are valuable to God. God-worthy is true value. Self-worth is counterfeit love.
     With that said, why do people turn to Christ? Ironically, it is because of self-worth. Mankind so loves himself that he does not wish to die. Realizing that they are not really gods, the only way to preserve themselves is by the propitiated blood of Jesus. People have much self-worth because no one truly wants to die! It is the focus on self-worth rather than valuing God which condemns mankind. Self-worth is genetic. Adam had self-worth. The problem is that man has too little God-worth.
     Recognizing how much people love themselves is not enlightenment. Knowing they must love God in return for His having value in His creatures is enlightenment!

Killing God: Success or Folly?

Success or Folly

                Suppose Satan is successful. Suppose that God is dead! Is that to anyone’s advantage? God is Existence and even Satan knows that. Why would Satan even want God dead? He doesn’t; he merely wants God’s glory for without God there is nothing existing to rule nor anyone to worship.

                Satan, or Lucifer, was an angel of the order of cherubim. He was created by God but iniquity was found in him. Because of that, he was cast out of Heaven. Cherubim were created to serve God by guarding the way of the Tree of Life. Thus, they were created to ensure that by only one gate does anyone enter the walls of heaven. ^Daa  Being natural walls, and not made by hand, a “hedge” around Heaven is envisioned. ^dab  Rather than serve God, Lucifer had his own ideas! ^Dac

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

                Lucifer – “the morning star”, desiring to be Satan – “the adversary”, has one ambition: to be like God. His plot is for mankind and the angels to serve him as they should serve God. That goal is reinforced by the temptations of Christ: The temptations were (1) hedonism (hunger and satisfaction), (2) egoism (might), and (3) materialism (wealth); or the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life as noted before. Satan offered to share power with God, not kill him. Thus, diminishing God and elevating Satan is the motive in wounding God. ^Dad

                Satan doesn’t want to kill God because God is Existence. Without existence, again, there would be no one to serve him, and no abode for Satan to rule. Killing God is then displacing His authority, or Satan taking His throne. What would existence be like if God truly was dead?

                God created in six days, then He rested. Because God is Almighty, creating didn’t take all day. God thought, spoke, and powered (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) it, and it happened. God did each event in one specific day but each act of creating was surely timeless since God is not bound by physical laws and time. E=mc² is essentially Creating is bringing forth material in lightening speed! Einstein defined God’s omnipotence, and accepted that it all began with God: ^dae

I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with the fates and actions of human beings.

               

                It seems that Albert Einstein believed in the Creator God but not a personal God. In other words, he saw God in the creation but denied him as Ruler. That is what Satan wants mankind to believe, but to do that, God must be denied as the Creator. Since Einstein, scientists deny God’s Existence entirely. That just makes dethroning God much easier and less “bloody”. Someone cannot be killed who does not exist!

                What would happen if “Existence” failed to exist? In other words, what it be like without God? Likely, Creation would be reversed: Mankind would be the first to go since Adam and Eve were created last. Following that would be the disappearance of the animal kingdom from land, sea and air. Next the cosmos would disappear and soon after the world with it’s water and land. Then even light would turn into darkness, and lastly all matter and the void which surrounds it would cease to be.  God was there in the beginning and without Him there would be no “thing”. Satan doesn’t want that. He wants “things” but he doesn’t want God to be God. The motive is not really what is thought to be hatred. “Hatred”, then, is diminishing God, and Him being sub-servient to His creature.

                To pull off the mutiny, Satan deceived mankind into believing that they are “as gods”. ^Daf  Self-esteem is role-playing the act created by the Serpent. It is not the self which mankind is to esteem, but God. Self-esteem is mankind diminishing God by thinking they are elevating themselves. Fools we are! Jesus said that “You must be born again,” then told how by using the example of the serpent on a pole. ^dag To be “born again” means to lift up God as the self is lowered. Ironically, self-deprecation or meekness is the how to keep the way of the Lord. Ironically, by becoming a servant to God is how to inherit the world, ^Dah and if God nor the earth exists, what is there to inherit?

                Satan wants to be the master, replacing God. Ironically, he has deceived mankind who makes him master. ^Dai Diminishing God is serving Satan as mankind thinks they are serving themselves. Obeying the law of sin rather than the Law of God is diminishing God. ^daj If that is unclear, mankind has been duped! Just as most people deny the unborn as living beings, fools deny God’s identity. God is a living God but He is treated as if he doesn’t exist. It is God’s Spirit which Satan attempts to kill, and men do the killing (attempted) for him!

                Thus far, mankind has not killed God! They thought they killed Him on the cross but His death made Him even more alive. On the other hand, since then, mankind and Satan have become more determined. God’s Flesh – called Jesus – is proof-positive that God lives. Life without God would be bleak because life of all types would cease to exist. It would be gone with the universe and the space which God created for His creation! Satan doesn’t want God all the way dead, and wise people desire to keep God alive. That is done in the heart! ^Dak Deists, get over it; you cannot diminish God. Atheists, get over it; you cannot kill God!

^Daa Holy Bible; Gen 3:24.

^Dab ibid; Job 1:10.

^Dac ibid; Isa 14:13-14.

^Dad Wikipedia; “Temptations of Christ”.

^Dae http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm

^Daf Holy Bible; Gen 3:5.

^Dag ibid; Numbers 21:8.

^Dah ibid; Mat 5:5.

^Dai ibid; Mat 6:24.

^Daj ibid; Rom 7:25.

^Dak ibid; 1 Cor 6:19.

Killing God: Reward and Punishment

Allah ‘akbar is chanted at many at the scenes of terrorism. That battle cry is akin to Allah lives and Jehovah God is dead!  In a reversal of truth, Christians become the infidels and Muslims the “true religion”! From a Christian perspective, it must be remembered, God loves the Arabs too! On the other hand, there are differences in religions. Educators and humanists say there is not, but the truth lies in the doctrines of each. The liberal “Church” will join in with those of other religions, just as the Jews were syncretic, and those liberals will be both Catholics and Protestants. The latter is not immune from deception, and in this age the liberal wing may be even more heretical than the Catholics have become.

The true Church is invisible just as is the One True God. Its makeup consists of Catholics, Jews, and Protestants who trust Jesus’s propitiation for salvation and are born-again. The evidence of that is their service to mankind and to God as they diminish themselves and elevate God. They are those who are not guilty of putting God down, as the bad guys often do.

The Great Tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon is the future “gunfight at OK corral”. Just as the Antichrist seems to believe God is almost dead, armies from all over the world will come to finish God off. The Tribulation does weaken and diminish God’s armies, but Almighty God is Self-sufficient. Christians, with their attitude of trust, are spiritual cheerleaders.  Just as God felled the great walls of Jericho by His Almightiness, the armies of the Antichrist will drown in their own blood! ^Cao Make no mistake about it, Joshua (Hebrew for Jesus) saved the Hebrews.  In six days God created fear in the hearts of those in fortified walls, and on the seventh day God rested as the walls tumbled down. God did the hard work as the Hebrews cheered on, then with the walls collapsed, the Hebrews merely came in and did the hard task easily! The Canaanaites at Jericho belonged to Satan. They were antichrists. How so? ^Cap  

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. 

                Most miss the point but the Captain of the Hosts in those passages are pre-incarnate Jesus! Not the man Joshua but the One of whom Joshua was a simile! Joshua trusted Jesus and the Hebrew people were saved. This biblical event is a precursor to Armageddon where the Antichrist and his legions will be finally defeated. In the passages above God is not dead; He had yet even to be born, but His Almightiness was alive and well! Joshua lifted-up Jesus as he stood there on Holy Ground in the very presence of God! When God was murdered on Calvary his adversaries took the knee, but Joshua stood tall in the presence of God with his shoes off. God wanted nothing which man had made existing between Him and man!

                If God is for us who can be against us? ^Caq  Choose wisely, everyone. The Leader you choose determines your fate! God does not die. Satan does! Before he is cast into the fiery pit for a spell, God in the end destroys Satan. In God’s realm, the motto will be God is not dead; Lucifer is dead! Ironically, it is not Adam-kind which dies as related by the Serpent but the Serpent who suffers death! ^Car  (Read about that promise and its fulfillment in my book The Skull of Adam.) The immortality of God is significant and Satan’s death eminent. Let God Himself reveal punishment: 

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.  

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.  And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.            

                Satan is thrown into the abyss. That may be the same abyss beneath the black rock of Ornan’s threshing floor where Lucifer will get his threshing! Theologians blame the Romans and the Pope for the end of days as they are the accused of their attempt to kill God! The author does not. The destroyers will be the descendants of the Canaanites. However, mankind kills God every time people sin, but their murderous nature is just hatred. God is the beginning and will be there in the end!  As murderers, mankind bungles their plot. The vocation of man, if the reader remembers, is to “dress and keep the Garden, in the midst is where the Tree of Life stands. That “Tree” is Jesus the Christ! ^cas 

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life.

 

^Cao ibid; Joshua 6:1-27.

^Cap ibid (KJV); Josh 5:13-15.

^Caq ibid; Rom 8:31.

^Car ibid (KJV); Rev 20.

^Cas ibid (KJV); Rev 2:7.

Killing God: Judgment and Reward and Punishment

     The entire Book of Revelation, supplemented by the Books of Daniel, Isaiah, and a few others reveal judgment and punishment. Thousands of books have been written on the eschatology of the world. The Great Tribulation will pale Job’s and ours! Christians, both the living and the dead, will not see that great persecution. However, it is not a sudden event. The conditions, both political and spiritual, will continue to build until a crescendo is reached. Just as the world has its “creeping socialism”, the end of days will have its “creeping one world government and religion”.  

Rather than consuming volumes describing Heaven and Hell – reward and punishment, the reader need only examine Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 for Paradise, and the destruction of Jerusalem in Isaiah for Hell. Of course, words are inadequate to represent either but one will get the general idea! (I recommend the book Jerusalem by Simon Seabag Montifiore as a fine secular history of Jerusalem. That “City of God” whose name means “foundation of peace” seems to be “the Harlot Babylon” from the Book of Revelation. Soon after the sentencing of some and the reward of others, “Babylon” will surely be replaced by New Jerusalem and the City of God will be restored; the author’s commentary.)

                In the end, God gets His vengeance as He has said. ^Baq  Christians desire to punish those who are sinners, but everyone is among them! Stoics deprive themselves in payment for grace, thus grace becomes non-payment, and redemption is not forthcoming. No one can save himself and neither can anyone save others. Similar to that is punishment! God is the Judge and the Punisher! For those who say, A good God would never send anyone to Hell, are partially right! God is just and sinners deserve the punishment. Before the sentence is announced, God gives endless chances for reprieve. ^Bar Killing God is about crime and punishment! No further attempt to define the jail, the execution, nor the incinerator will be made. The author assumes that everyone knows what Hell means – perishing forever – in not a pleasant environment! For a glimpse of Heaven consider the Garden of Paradise in Genesis and Paradise in the Book of Revelation.

               

                Now is the time for a personal testimony: I have believed in God since I was a child. My knowledge was the same as the demons. ^Bas  With a belief in God and somewhat of a general knowledge of Hell, I knew I didn’t want to go to Hell. Neither do the demons nor Satan but they will be sent there for destruction. Most Christians have that type of belief! For years I did as well. Let’s examine that premise: ^bat

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

                “Believes” is pisteuo in the Greek and means “to have faith in or respect”. I believed but did not trust! There is much controversary about baptism, whether it is sacramental or ordinal. I believe it is both obedience and testimony. Thus, baptism, in Herrin’s Lexicon is service. The old person is replaced by the new and is transformed. It’s not the act of baptism which transforms but baptism is symbolic of circumcision of the heart from the blade of the Spirit. ^Bau  I had never had my heart right to even seek baptism! It’s not the water which cleanses but the “Ghost of Jesus”, as I prefer to call the Holy Spirit.

                To “get out of jail free” (bondage) takes trust in Jesus’s death and resurrection, and a pledge to serve God, not because it is required, but as an act of love. Admittedly, Larry has trouble loving but that’s God’s only expectation for dying in our place! I am willing to love and I do try hard. For that reason, I shall never perish! My own sentence for being an accomplice in the attempted murder of God has been dismissed! The Judge granted me a reprieve for trying to kill Him and paid the price with His own blood! If I “keep the faith”, I retain my “get out of eternal punishment” ticket! ^Bav  Those who never accept the gift or neglect the One from whom the gift came, suffer punishment. The place of eternal punishment is Hell. Salvation is serious business! People must take it seriously.

                I have attempted to kill God and deserve death. I never have raised a weapon nor even cursed God, but by sinning against God, I have belittled Him. With a transformation, I now belittle myself and elevate God: I can’t save me for I have not the power. God does and will! Therefore, I lift God up and diminish myself! ^{Baw bax}   Because I trust God, he keeps me “safe”  (Greek: sos). When I overcome the world, I shall be saved. ^bay Because I am certain that God is truthful and strongly trust God, I have the “hope of salvation” so strongly that I am saved. ^baz Admittedly, this is Arminian Doctrine; that which I don’t’ deny, and trust through scripture that it is correct or orthodox doctrine. Rather than denying Christian liberty, I recommend examining it more closely, and if rejecting the faith of your father is necessary, so be it! Christians are to test everything by scripture, and to never twist it for doctrinal sake.

Reward and Punishment

                There was a crime and the plot to kill God is still active. Conspiracies do not exist! All of a sudden everyone doubts God and desires to conceal God’s Existence. (Not by conspiracy but as part of human nature. God knows us, and prophecy is being fulfilled).

Not only do people detest God for creating the laws against sin but they detest God because He promises punishment. When I was a child, I wanted to do what I wanted to do. One thing really stood in my way; he was my Dad. I remember saying aloud: “I wish Dad was dead so I can do what I want to do!” Yep; I said that! I submit that most people did; maybe not aloud but in their hearts. That is and has always been mankind’s thoughts about God: I wish God was dead so that I could do what I want to do! That notion are the thoughts of “the old creature” – the one whose father is the Devil. Those born-again, trade that thought for: God is alive and my will is to do His will. What is God’s will?  That He be loved with all people’s hearts, minds, souls, and strength – our all! ^caa Those four traits are how Adam was created in God’s image, and God desires to have original love; that kind of love not contaminated by Satan. Godly love is agape-type (Greek). Eros, storge, and even philio-types of love won’t exist in Heaven. All love will be God’s type of love. There will be no sexual, familial, or even brotherly love in Heaven. We all will love each other as God so loved the world!

                There are not types of hatred! Miseo (Greek) describes hatred without further clarification. It means “detestation”. Parents always admonish: You don’t hate that person, you merely dislike them!  Hatred is despising another’s existence. God recognizes hatred and commands that his creatures are to love one another; even their enemies. Loving others is a corollary to the Greatest Commandment which is loving God. It seems that the manner love is demonstrated to God is loving others. God knows, as Creator, how much mankind loves himself. Hence, love of self is the metric and baseline for loving others. ^cab Yes, everyone has self-love, even the suicidal! ^cac We are indeed the other gods in God’s face (of the First Commandment).

                Mankind seeks to destroy God because they despise Him for admonished men to not have their way. Narcissism is mankind’s identity. It is self-love and god-hatred. Challenge a Narcissistic person by not giving into their whims. All Hell will break lose because they fail to have it their way! That attitude transferred toward God is mankind’s problem. Jesus is mankind’s solution! Christians are to trust God to take away that demon who disguises himself as you. The second birth expels the self-demon and provides the space for Jesus’s Holy Ghost to enter in!

                People despise God because that is Satan’s will. Because people are offered bribes (lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life) the hearts of men are harmonized with Satan’s will. That attitude is spiritual flesh and must be circumcised. ^cad Abraham’s willingness to circumcise his foreskin was an ordinance demonstrating that his heart had been circumcised. Baptism is the New Testament way of showing that the heart has been circumcised! ^cae As with Abraham, Christians become peculiar people – spiritual Jews who are the chosen people! ^caf Peculiar people didn’t kill God and neither did the Jews as a people! Those who accept the grace of Christ, are resolved of their crimes of passion, just as the Hebrew people will be in the Great Tribulation, because as Jesus said, “they know not what they do!” ^cag God is merciful because his creatures are spiritual fools; thinking we know everything about everything without seeing the Light. That Light is truth and “the truth will set you free.” ^cah

Ironically, as criminals, life is a type of prison. Carnal humans believe and accept the lie. The liar is Satan, and naïve people accept his deception. God warned Adam about that, and Adam set the example. ^cai Ever since, man has believed the lie: you won’t really die! There is indeed a penalty (wages) for sin, and that is death (as mentioned before). People just will not believe that because Satan is so convincing. Those unconvinced are accomplices to attempted murder as they venerate Satan and make God out to be the liar!

Think not? The first Words God inspired man to write were “God created the heaven and the earth”. ^Caj Mankind says, no God did not, and another god was created in God’s face, replacing Him. That God is the god of Chance and is “the unknown god”. Those who deny God the Creator, deny God the Savior, for he certainly cannot save from the world if He did not create the world. That attitude kills God!

God provided trees is the Garden of Eden for food. Most think only of things to eat. However, the trees represent spiritual food. God commanded that His creatures not eat of the spiritual food of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. That “food” represents “the love of wisdom” (philosophy) which is the love of studying the self. On the other hand, the Tree of Life represents the Doctrine of Christ. Not only did Adam and Eve eat of the philosophical tree but voluntarily entered into temptation by standing under the forbidden tree! The Lord’s prayer asks God to “deliver us from temptation” ^cak but yet, Christians still enter into temptation. We ask that we be made safe from evil, then walk where evil reigns! Foolish Adam! Foolish Christians!

By standing under the doctrine of the World ruled by Satan, mankind killed God emotionally. Imagine God, there in the midst of the Garden, watching Adam and Eve in full view, standing under the Serpent’s tree! That first act of rebellion wounded God badly! The punishment for even wounding God is death! Because of God’s grace, He covered Adam’s and Eve’s sin because their hand-made fig leaves could not. A lamb died (death introduced for the first time) to cover their shame. ^Cal That “Lamb” represented Jesus. Adam and Eve knew that because they recognized their sin and the only cure for sin is Jesus. They were born-again when their eyes were opened, ^cam revealing that they were ashamed. Guilt was introduced right there! Ever since, mankind has been guilty of sin, and their eyes only need to be opened to it, and they be ashamed!

Although God convicted Adam and Eve of their attempt in killing Him (by refusing His authority), they did not die. God granted them a reprieve. Their sentence was reduced to tribulation. ^can Ever since life itself has become the trial! Just as with Job, Satan can do all he can to dissuade Christians but he cannot kill them! Man’s wrong choices is spiritual suicide. Neither God nor Satan kills man for denying God – mankind inflicts death on himself! Because mankind is as cunning as the Serpent, the concept of death is transferred to both Satan and God! Who “killed God”? Mankind tried and still does! Who is responsible for mankind’s dying? Mankind! Since man cannot really kill God, they kill themselves. Death are the fig leaves taken from the Tree of the Serpent, and mankind still plays the “blame game”: the Devil deceived me, and I did that because the world does it!  People do things because it is their will!  Sin is always a choice, and as such mankind slowly but surely tries to erase God from existence!

^Baq ibid; Rom 12:19.

^Bar ibid; Mat 18:22.

^Bas ibid; Jam 2:19.

^Bat ibid; Mark 16:16.

^Bau ibid; Rom 10:29.

^Bav ibid; Rev 14:12.

^Baw ibid; Luke 9:23.

^Bax ibid; Gal 2:20.

^Bay ibid; John 16:33.

^Baz ibid; 1 Thes 5:8.

^Caa ibid; Mark 12:30.

^Cab ibid; John 13:34.

^Cac ibid; Ephes 5:29.

^Cad ibid; Deut 10:16.

^Cae ibid; Rom 2:29.

^Caf ibid; 1 Pet 2:9.

^Cag ibid; Luke 23:34.

^Cah ibid; John 8:32.

^Cai ibid; Gen 2:7.

Caj ibid; Gen 1:1.

^Cak ibid; 2 Pet 2:9.

^Cal ibid; Gen 3:21.

^Cam ibid; Gen 3:7.

^Can ibid; Gen 3:15-20.

Killing God: Judgment Part 2

     Mankind judged the murder of God. Their verdict was the Jews did it and rested their case. The world accepted mankind’s verdict, and ever since the Jews have been persecuted. Those who condemned the Jews know who the criminals really are, and they are they. Jewish persecution is psychological “transference”; the world is convicted of guilt but transposes it onto the Hebrew people. God knows what they do! In fact, persecution is part of God’s Plan. Throughout history Christianity has grown with persecution, commencing with John the Baptist and Jesus, the apostles and then the blood of the martyrs.

                Contemporary Christians are Christians primarily because they lift up Jesus and his purpose. However, they are exposed to Christianity because the world persecutes. The western world was Christianized because of persecution of faithful Christians ^{bbs bbt}, many who also shed their blood, not for mankind but for Jesus’s sake! Why accept the evidence presented in the depositions of the four gospels? Because those who shared the truth of Jesus died for them! Would you be willing to die for the sake of a scam? Surely not!  All the apostles died or were tortured in fulfilling the Great Commission. ^bbu

                There truly was a physical murder! God did die! However, Jesus compares physical death with sleep, ^bbv providing, of course, that people lift up Christ.  

                Emotional abuse is as real as physical abuse? God cries! ^bbw  When Jesus cries that is God crying. He felt forsaken! ^bbx Everyone is guilty of emotionally abusing God! When God is “wounded”, so to speak, His Holy Spirit experiences blasphemy, which is either denying God’s existence or His purpose for dying. Scripture relates that God experiences spiritual abuse via His aspect of the Holy Ghost. ^bby  It is imperative to understand that there are not three “Existences”  but One.  God’s omniscience (infinite cognition) is trait of God, His flesh another trait so as to appear to mankind, and His Holy Spirit another to Comfort mankind. The King James translators are the only ones who used pneuma in context; the Holy Spirit after experiencing death of the flesh on the cross was transformed into Jesus’s “Holy Ghost”.

                God’s flesh abides in Heaven along with God’s Mind. His flesh “sits” on God’s right side. ^Bbz Rather than physically “sitting” is that when looking at God, the angels and John saw Jesus. It can be assumed that the Holy Ghost may remain unseen but possibly can be sensed on God’s left side. This “vision” was for John’s enlightenment because when anyone looks at Jesus, He is God they see! ^baa 

                The defendants (mankind) are being indicted on three counts: (1) Mental cruelty (hatred), (2) mortally wounding God in killing His person, and (3) attempted murder of Existence. (If God could be killed, existence would die with Him!) The crimes have been identified, the suspects indicted (defendants), and evidence presented of the crimes. The “First Estate” (The Church) recognizes the Judge who is self-appointed. It seems that the defendants victimized the Judge but in this situation, He cannot recuse Himself! The Judge saw the crimes, which is unusual, thus, he has the knowledge to prosecute the case: God vs. The World! “Each will give an account of himself to God.” ^Bab However, God’s judgment is not until after mankind dies: “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” ^Bac 

                God is omnipresent, knowing even the hairs of our heads. ^Bad He communes with his creation continually. He knows whether people are for Him or against Him. The evidence is accumulated into two books. One book keeps track of unfaithfulness to God. When people do God harm, there attitude toward God is put in that book. Each entry is for the time when they were unwilling to listen to God. ^bae  

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

Before time began, those who would be born-again had their names written in the Book of Life. Although, God wants than none should perish, and all are called, He Knows who will be born-again. That is God’s foreknowledge ^bag wherein He knows who will answer His calling, albeit it is not pre-ordained. Thus, Christians have their names written in the Lambs Book of Life. 

How does it stay there, and not be blotted out? Those who realize their crime, feel sorrow for grieving God, and confess to their crime, will be forgiven while they are still alive. Because the Judge is merciful and just, He will pardon those crimes, and keep the born-again person’s name in the Book of Life. ^baf Once that is done, the accused will be on probation. God requires that faithulness be maintained until the Supreme Court rules at the Great White Throne Judgment. If they have remained faithful, the Judge will not blot them out of the Book of Life. ^Bah The judge will never again hold those crimes against the defendants who recognize His authority and have remorse. That is the same Book of which God spoke to Moses about in the Old Testament. Names were put in the Book for the same reason then as later and living in iniquity was always the reason for being blotted out! 

Obedience is in life. Only living beings can make choices. The choice all me must make is whether to revere the Judge or not! Thus, as with Job’s conflict with Satan, life is a tribulation. Satan continues to test the faithful, just as He was allowed by God to test Job. Those who overcome temptation (not abandon God’s authority), will in the end, be saved. Thus, life is an ongoing trial. God doesn’t wait until the Supreme Court to judge His people. They are all guilty as charged and suffer the consequences of life. ^bai 

Judgment is three-fold: (1) a person’s name was never written in the Book of Life, (2) it was written in but subsequently blotted out, or (3) it was written in and never blotted out. Those three judgments are guilty without redemption, redeemed later to be in apostasy, or redeemed and safe, respectively. The first and second are blasphemy; the latter is salvation. Indeed, those born-again are judged but judged mercifully. Their sins are remitted and not held against them, remembering, though, that all have sinned.

The tribulation period is a seven-years period near the end of days: ^baj  

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 

By then, Christians living and dead will have been “snatched away” from the world into Heaven. That is sort of a “judgment day” for Christians up until that time, and is called “the rapture”. ^{Bak bal}  Those who become Christians after the rapture will face “Great Tribulation”. That implies that everyone else will face tribulation: ^Bam  

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.                

                According to scripture, then, life is general tribulation. The Great Tribulation will be two phases: (1) seemingly pleasurable living without even war, and (2) extreme persecution by the government and the apostate church. The first is similar to the Utopian society envisioned by Marx, and the latter is the hellish system evolving from Marxism. Scripture describes 3-1/2 years of what seems to be socialism followed by 3-1/2 years of autocratic communism. Neither period is good for the Church, and God will have been fallaciously redefined in the first half and “killed off” in the second half.

                The tribulation of life in the present days are similar. Sinners have pleasurable lives even without God; not necessarily prosperity because the penalty of sin is still in effect. However, even the poor will relish sin. At most, God gets the blame for any peril encountered! This “Utopian-like” period of iniquity is filled with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They are the rewards of temptation. Even when Christians suffer the consequences of sin, sin is still overpowering. They, however, voluntarily choose sin just as in the Great Tribulation people will welcome the leader in the first period. Why so? They get free things just as they did from eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil!

                After a time, sinners belong to Satan! They begin to sin even though they don’t want to sin: ^ban 

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.                

                This is the second half of the tribulation of life. Sinning is not satisfying but one keeps on sinning! Thus, people become slaves to sin and move from the Utopian version of iniquity to the dictatorial. Their hearts move from the socialism stage to the communist, so to speak, because they have moved from enjoying sin to becoming slaves to sin.

                Even if one is holy, Satan provides much tribulation! Rather than God “snatching away”, Satan tempts to do his own snatching. The entire Book of Job is a story of one righteous man’s tribulation and represents the life of those who have faith. Just as the beast will endeavor to snatch Christians away in the Great Tribulation, Satan does the same in the general tribulation. If he is successful, that is apostasy.

                Tribulation is allowed by God to test Christians. It’s His means of “threshing out” the Church to leave the good seed remaining. Satan can only do what God allows him to do, and God uses Satan as a useful idiot to test the faith of Christians. ^bao God allows tribulation in life as a form of judgment. In tribulation, men judge themselves! They either lift God up or let Him down. Do you think not? Nathan the prophet presented a metaphor to David, and David found himself guilty! ^bap Everyone who accepts the truth self-judges. God’s truth convicts, and the emotion of guilt is self-judgment. It is a check-valve for sin. With God alive people’s thoughts, those people are convicted and judge themselves guilty. Most people would rather judge themselves than have God do it for them! Thus, with the terrible feelings emoted by guilt, some do something about it and some don’t. Repentance is the way to relieve guilt, and God, in His mercy, offers a reprieve to the spiritual criminal – the defendant in God’s Supreme Court. 

                Of course, God paid the fine with His own death, but the sinner need only trust God for redemption. Trusting, thus lifting-up God, is the second birth which prevents Satan from snatching peoples’ souls away. Most fail to do anything about the guilt, learn to live with it, and become reprobate. That is spiritual psychopathy! They relinquish their communion with God, and God dies from their life. Reprobate people kill God by not caring about Him. That is mankind’s chance to participate in his own trial. The consequence of sin is death, and damned people just don’t care enough to stand before the Judge!

^Bbs ibid; Mat 5:10.

^Bbt ibid; John 15:18.

^Bbu ibid; Mat 28:16-20.

^Bbv ibid; 1 Cor 15:18.

^Bbw ibid; John 11:35.

^Bbx ibid; Mat 27:46.

^Bby ibid; Mark 3:29.

^Bbz ibid; Rev 5:1.

^Baa ibid; John 12:45.

^Bab ibid; Rom 14:12.

^Bac ibid; Heb 9:27.

^Bad ibid; Luke 12:7.

^Bae ibid; Rev 20:12

^Baf ibid; Rev 3:5.

^Bag ibid; 1 Pet 1:2.

^Bah ibid; Rev 3:5.

^Bai ibid; Exod 32:33.

^Baj ibid; Mat 24:21.

^Bak ibid; Mat 24:37-40.

^Bal ibid; 1 Thes 4:15-17.

^Bam ibid; John 16:33.

^Ban ibid; Rom 7:15.

^Bao ibid; Job 1:12.

^Bap ibid; 2 Sam 12.