The Truth Shall Set You Free!

I was talking to a fine Christian man today. We were of course discussing the Bible. He is a Missionary Baptist and gave a great testimony of his salvation. In addition to his belief in Christ he not only believed that it was important in being a Baptist, but that Baptist succession was also important. (Such belief is called “Landmarkism”).
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I pointed out that there was no scripture on which to base his claim and that history does not bear out Baptist succession (from John the Baptist to the present). His response was that he believed based on faith and that no one can change his mind. I reminded the gentleman that Catholics make the same claim for Catholicism (Papal Succession from St. Peter) and that we not only criticize them for that, but it also has no scriptural significance!

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My position is that I seek “truth” and I told him that. He responded “That is truth!”. When I reminded him that he had no scripture nor tradition which supports his claim that “It is no more than wishful thinking! (“Trail of Blood” which is Landmarkism's source of information implies that a Baptist is any people who were not Christians. That's far from what Baptists claim to be). Upon seeing tension arising I relinquished my pride and let it lie. We then had a very productive conversation.

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John (ESV) 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” “

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Jesus is the Truth and we find that in scripture. He expects us to be truthful in our worship. Truth and the Spirit abide together. What is truth? Truth is conforming to the facts. It's what's real... not fiction. It's not wishful thinking! I have no use for beliefs which are not based on one of two things: 1) What scripture says about the subject or 2) What is based on physical evidence. Neither scripture nor the evidence supports Baptist succession. Why do people think it's so important? Pride and more pride!

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It seems that even Christians are prideful. What salvation is all about is relinquishing our pride and humbling ourselves. Our beliefs in things outside Christ cannot get us to heaven. It's wishful thinking and prideful that we just don't accept what Jesus says at face value! Jesus said “I am the Way!” Likewise, where Jesus remains silent, due to pride we put words in his mouth. “Have it your way!” as the jingle goes. We need to have it “Christ's way”! What is His way? Truth. “Truth shall set you free!”

Noah: The Baptism of the World

The deluge was more than a flood. It was a “picture” of salvation and Baptism. As the old world was washed away by plentiful waters at the deluge, so the old man (his nature) is washed away at Baptism!
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Look at the analogy:

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Genesis 6:5 “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

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Mankind in general had become so wicked that there were few left who were righteous. Mankind thoughts only upon evil and that's where their hearts (desires) were. Does that sound familiar? It should because that's our contemporary society.

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(ESV All)

1.Matthew 24:37 “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38
For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,”
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These are the last days. The “Son Of Man” is Jesus. Just as antediluvian man was sinful and devoted to pleasure, modern man is at the same spiritual level as our predecessors. Furthermore, it's not a corporate condition. Each person is accountable for their own sins. Society, nor the salvation of others, can save us. Whereas, Noah saved his family, he is a “picture” of Christ who will save you in this modern day.

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Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.”

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Noah was not Jesus! He was a mortal man as we are. He had a free will to sin or be righteous, just as each of us does. He chose godliness! Noah and his household were saved because of his righteousness. They not only avoided spiritual death by Baptism, but each member started anew... they were new men and women!

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Genesis 7:1 “Then the LORD said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.”

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Noah and his household were all saved because Noah was righteous. The fact that God saved the household was based on God's foreknowledge. He knew that once sin was removed from their eyes and they saw God work, that each would also choose righteousness. Paul reviews this event for us:

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Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

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How do we become righteous for Christ?

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Acts 16:31 “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

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Salvation is still personal. It's not enough that your parents believe, but you also must believe. Jesus saves each individual and by their righteousness their family will be saved. The father is the spiritual leader of the house and God gives the man the influence to build faith in the lives of his children. As Noah couldn't save his own children, God did because God knew they would respond. Likewise, when the parent is a Christian it increases the likelihood that the children will also be! Either way... one must be righteous (saved in the Covenant of Grace) in order to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Water, denoting purity, is the symbolic cleansing of the soul from sin.

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Romans 6:3 “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.“

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In the world of Noah it rained for forty days. The water was deep and as such it covered the whole earth! That's why from a symbolic standpoint Baptism by Total Immersion was God's plan! The earth was not just partially covered, it was submerged. All traces of sin were washed away. Only those save were the righteous. Likewise, when the believer (justified, made righteous) by the blood of Christ is baptized it's the same type of death suffered by the antediluvian world. As the primal evil was swept away by the flowing waters of the flood, our own sins which have been swept away by the blood of Christ are symbolically washed away by the water. Just as the earth was started anew from the flood, so are the Christian's lives!

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After the floodwaters cleared and mankind was put on a new earth, mankind was new:

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Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” “

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Noah and his household were saved from destruction, just as we are by our faith in Christ! God blessed the inhabitants of the new earth and told them to populate the earth, not with people of sin, but mankind with new hearts! After our own salvation what does God tell us to do? We are washed by water in Baptism, then we are told to go forth and tell the world. We are a new man in Christ and we're to tell others of the good news!

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As the flood cleansed the world for Noah's line and they became new men in righteousness, at our own Baptism we show the world that our desire is to put away the old sinful man and live a righteous life. As we die to the old when we're dipped, we're raised by faith in Christ's blood (symbolized by water), so that we, like Noah, “might walk in the newness of life”.

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Notice that “might walk” allows us the opportunity of walking with Christ. It's no guarantee that the individual will be Christlike, just as the salvation of Noah's household wasn't assured a sin free life. As we can see from the rest of scripture mankind was not “forced” to be righteous, but still had the freedom to decide his own destiny. Whereas many have left the faith over the ages, man is still allowed that freedom. However, we're not on our own!

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Genesis 9:11 “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. 12 And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”

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Post-diluvian man had a promise just as we do. He didn't have to battle sin alone. God was with him and the sign of that was the rainbow. The rainbow is the sign of God's promise to man that he, not only saved mankind, but made a covenant with man. The agreement was sealed with the rainbow.

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Likewise, as a Christian, we are a covenant with Christ. God seals us! He's said that he would never leave us nor forsake us! We're not alone. God is with us! The invisible God we have with us is our comforter the Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us to be righteous. He reminds us of the “Light” we have as a result of salvation. (As always with seals, only two are authorized to break the seal... the king who sends the document and the recipient himself).

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Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

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Like the rainbow appearing in the light after the end of washing and the lifting of darkness, God gave us a spiritual light which is there after we're washed by the blood (signified by Baptism) and made a new man. That hope (signified in the days of old by the rainbow) is the Light which resides in us after the washing away of our sins!

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One note: As Noah wasn't saved by the water, it was by the grace of God. It's not the water which saves us, but faith in the vicarious death of Jesus! Redemption is only by the blood!

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Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

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Didn't God have a great plan? Do you think that the flood is just punishment for a disobedient people and that some were saved by a boat? God in his wisdom was showing mankind that we must be righteous. Noah couldn't save himself by faith only! He put his faith in action. He worked and built a boat. Likewise, God's grace saves us! However, we must do something. As Jesus stands at the door and knocks, we must open the door. The ark symbolizes that door! The ark is the saving grace of Christ. It is his gift of faith!

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Likewise, Noah sealed the ark with pitch. It wouldn't leak! Likewise, we are to put on the full armor of God so the contaminated waters of the world won't destroy us. We're to look at that rainbow (Light) and remember that the Light saved us. In doing so we are assured of our righteousness by the works we do. If we find ourselves falling into sin, the best thing to do is to remember that Jesus is the Light and we will do what Jesus would want us to do!

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(There are many other “pictures” of Jesus in the story of Noah. Look for them yourself!)

A Long Time Ago!

We study the Israelites quite often because that's the line of Jesus! Israel (Jacob before God renamed him) was the son of Isaac, the son of the man of faith, Abraham. All Abraham's descendents are Shemites (Semites) because Abraham was of the line of Noah's son, Shem. What other peoples are Semitic? The Arab nation. Most of those now affiliated with Islam. Cousins through Abraham fight to this day and it started a long time ago!
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(All ESV)

Genesis 16:11 “And the angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen." “
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Ishmael was the first son of Abram and Haggai, the Egyptian servant to Sarai (Sarah) who became Abram's (Abraham's) concubine. Ishmael was half Egyptian and although the firstborn, lost his rights he had as the eldest heir. Isaac became the heir to Abraham and it still causes war!

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Ishmael was to be like a “wild donkey” (“ass” for you into KJV). This description is given in Job 39:5 "Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey, 6 to whom I have given the arid plain for his home and the salt land for his dwelling place? 7 He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver. 8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing. “

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This description befits the Bedouin Warrior which was Ishmael and his descendents. Bedouins herd livestock and are transient, moving with the herd and the seasons. They still make up about 10% of the Arab people. But, the Bedouin is only the prototypical descendent of Ishmael. Most Islamic peoples of today fit the “wild donkey” description. God promised Haggai that he would multiply her peoples as well, and he certainly did! Ishmael's line in early times occupied all the area east and south of the Dead Sea. The following sons of Ishmael have become Arabs of today (their history is difficult to trace):

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Genesis 25:12 “ These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.”

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Nebaioth's line was to become “Nabataeans”, an Arab group living in the southeast of Canaan. Kedarites were tent-dwelling nomads living in the Syrian area desert who were Arab war-mongers. Dumah's line were Arabian Arabs called “Adummatu” by the Assyrians. Hadad or Hadar became part of the Edomites. They were Arabs as well. They lived west of the Dead Sea in what's now Saudia Arabia. Tema is in northern Arabia. The line of Jetur lived on the west bank of the Jordan River, waged war against the Israelites and were defeated. King Saul wiped out the Naphishites who lived on the Transjordan. (God had commanded that all tribes be wiped out). The Kedemah were another Arabian Tribe. Surely the Arab nation was prophesied with the following words Job 39:6 “to whom I have given the arid plain for his home and the salt land for his dwelling place? 7 He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver. 8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing. “

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You can see that almost all the present-day Arabs are descended from Ishmael and if we look at the Egyptian mother, that includes Egypt and the Nubians as well. These people are today the Muslims which give the world so much trouble! They are surely as “wild donkeys”!

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Why does the battle still rage? It's for that strip of land the size of Delaware which has all types of terrain: snow capped mountains to deserts from thriving waters to the Dead Sea. It's the land of milk and honey, but has no oil! It just seems that God had a plan and we know he did. Eternal ownership of that land will be decided in one great battle called the Battle of Armageddon. The forces of Christ will forever claim ownership!

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The fierce Muslim was described early on by God in Genesis 16:12b”... his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” God allowed it to happen. It's part of His plan for mankind. Two peoples, cousins, will wage war throughout history for that tiny strip of land sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Who owns it? It belonged to the descendents of Abraham Genesis 1:7 “And he said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess." “ Unfortunately, that means Jews and Arabs, but then there's the birthright! God bestowed the birthright to the line of Isaac. It continued on through Jacob's (Israel's) line and Joshua who in later days, entered Canaan Land, defeated the squatters and took possession of the land granted to the Jews by God.

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Although Arabs were squatters, Palestine never had possession. Palestine was never a nation. Palestine is just an unfulfilled dream. Palestine was always a description applied to the various races who occupied that area of the world. It was ruled by Assyrians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, and Ottomans, but never Palestinians. The “Land of Milk and Honey” belongs to the rightful owners... the Jews, who've returned to their homeland and made a great nation in 1948. Now the prophecy of Revelation can be fulfilled!

Killing

Genesis 9:6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”
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We were first introduced to the concept of murder in the killing of Abel by Cain Genesis 4:8 “Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” Cain was incited to kill by jealousy. Abel had the favor of the Lord. Cain's own pleasure in making an offering was snuffed because his heart was in the wrong place. We don't know exactly why God was angry with Cain's offering, but somehow Cain must have known that blood is the only acceptable sacrifice. Furthermore, Cain's heart was in the wrong place with his offering.

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The shedding of blood by Cain was sinful. Cain was more worried about his own feelings of discomfort than he was about the value of his brother's life. There was absolutely no just cause in the killing of his innocent brother! He must have rationalized his action by thinking “Now everything will be alright!” There were consequences Cain paid for the murder of his brother: He was cast out by God and endured great obstacles in life. He suffered for his sin, the sin of taking an innocent life!

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Cain got off “easy” as we can see from Genesis 9:6. Thereafter, the penalty for the shedding of blood was death. That penalty has never been revoked by God! (That doesn't mean that the condemned cannot be spiritually redeemed, but it is justice to suffer the consequences of one's actions).

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Now where am I heading? Specifically, I want to address the issue of abortion, the taking of the life of an innocent baby... a man or woman in the early stages of development. One can argue that the “fetus” is not yet a person, but God begs to differ from you! You are rationalizing your belief based on lies. You choose to believe the deceit of Satan over the truth of God!

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Referring to Jeremiah, God said: Jeremiah 1:5 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”” God set Jeremiah apart as sacred. When was this done? Before he was born! Jeremiah was Jeremiah in the womb and God ordained him there! The unborn Jeremiah was made a prophet by God to all nations. Please note that God appoints people, not things! Our knowledge of the sanctity of life before birth doesn't end there.

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Luke 1:41 “And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

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Elizabeth was pregnant with John (the Baptizer) and Mary was pregnant with Jesus (our Lord). As Mary approached and greeted Elizabeth, Baby John “leaped in her womb”. John was excited by the presence of his own Savior before either were ever born! Then Elizabeth blessed Jesus (the man-God)

recognizing the unborn baby as her own Savior!
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God made man a spiritual person from conception. An embryo and then a fetus are just stages of development of people. They aren't aliens or things, they are precious life! What if?

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What if Jeremiah had been aborted? God's plan for Jeremiah's life would have been terminated. He would never have become a prophet. The conditions that allowed Jesus to have been born would never have come about! Worse yet, what if Jesus had been aborted? We would never have received an acceptable sacrifice for our sins! Jesus died voluntarily for us! If he had been murdered in the womb, he would never have had a ministry. We would never believe that the unborn Jesus, killed in the womb, by a cold-hearted “doctor” was our intended Savior!

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Mother Teresa was asked one time, “Why doesn't God send someone to cure cancer?” She replied “God did. He was aborted!” That's certainly hypothetical, but entirely plausible. When we circumvent God's plan by killing our young, we suffer the consequences, plus we rebel against God. At the time of Noah God warned mankind not to kill. Later, God commanded it again in the set of laws he provided for our obedience” Exodus 20:13 "You shall not murder.” Note that God doesn't say “You shall not murder adults.” His command referred to all life!

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God even offered a penalty for the taking of unborn life by accident when a woman is injured in anger!

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Exodus 21:22 “"When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, “

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The penalty for killing an innocent unborn baby, even by accident, is death! God's penalty doesn't change from time to time nor is it inconsistent. Exodus 21:22 is in harmony and is consistent with Genesis 9:6 and with the sixth commandment.

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Arguments used by society are sinful. Christians who are “pro-choice” are accomplices. Respect for life is tantamount to respect for God! If a person fails to respect life God is denigrated and that person has no honor. He or she has lost their moral credibility in all things. I would never even consider voting for any candidate for office of any party who is “pro-abortion” or even what they term “pro-choice” because death results either way. If I did vote that way I would be as much to blame for the deaths due to policies as were the people who turned their head to genocide under Hitler. Those people, many who were Christians, traded their love for life in exchange for a chicken in the pot. Such people are just like Cain. What's important to them is their own pleasure and welfare!

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If you're a Christian and you claim to be the politically correct “pro-choice” you will be held accountable. With God ignorance is no excuse! Cain may not have been aware that the offering was to be by blood. He was penalized by God anyway even in his ignorance. Cain, just as pro-choice people do, rationalize their sin because of self-interests or poor excuses. What I'm getting at is that life is precious in all cases! The person who is poor is as happy as the wealthy. The child who is a victim of rape do live normal content lives. Babies with birth defects are loved and happy. Black babies in large families are happy black babies (abortion is often used to control the so-called “undesirable” people). Babies who are adopted are as happy as those in biological families. Don't lie to yourselves. Respect life!

Evil from Our Youth

Some say “I'm going to heaven... I've been good!” Have you, though?
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(All ESV)
Genesis 8: 21 “And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, "I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.””
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When do we commence sinning? Immediately! From our youth... even as a toddler! “Don't call my precious little baby a sinner!” you say. The first thing a child does is lie: “No I didn't break that toy.”, for instance. Yes, a child sins, but isn't held accountable. We know that we are to be as little children. Jesus told us so. That doesn't mean that little children are exempt, but accept truth more readily.

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The Jews have placed the age of accountability (AOA) at thirteen years old. At their Bar Mitzvah they are confirmed and held accountable (Bat Mitzvah for girls). The age of accountability is from the Talmud (Mishnah: Avot 5:21), the Talmud being the ancient Jewish writings (i.e., not scripture). Christians believe that children are accountable to God when they pass the age of innocence... a different age for each person (those retarded are exempt from accountability). Catholics hold a child accountable who have learned the catechism (teachings) at age 12 or 13.

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Our beliefs are effected by tradition! I remember in my childhood and per-pubiescence that I wanted to sin (have pleasure) as much as I could throughout my twelfth year to get in all the fun I could. The age that I started rationalizing in that manner I was accountable! For me it was about six years old! I was an unsaved sinner at six!

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Searching scripture, the most valid verse I could find to support the AOA is:

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Deuteronomy 1:34 ““And the LORD heard your words and was angered, and he swore, 35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land (Canaan Land) that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the LORD!’ 37 Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there. 38 Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall enter. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. 39 And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.”

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As you see God allowed the righteous and the little children go into the Promised Land. Because Canaan land is a “picture” of salvation, the implication is that God allows the little children to go to heaven if they die! I'm sure they do, not because of Canaan Land, but because of his grace. Theologians account grace as the reason an infant is resurrected! God's grace means that a loving God would not punish those without the ability to understand the consequences of sin. The minute we realize that God doesn't want us to do wrong is when we must repent. We can't play games with age.

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Acts adds a degree of support to the “grace” interpretation: Acts 16:31 “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”” While it is likely this means that as religious leader of your house, if you're saved, by instruction, your family including your children, will share your faith, and by example. Infants MAY BE included because they aren't old enough to form a belief. However, God's grace is sufficient to cover the innocent.

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If you're old enough to read this. You are accountable for your own salvation. If you're not saved, consider:

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Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

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ALL includes children, adolescents and adults, both women and men... all races, and I must not leave out those of different sexual persuasions and confused gender identities. We all need salvation!

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God's grace is sufficient for all us if we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus. Aint God good?

Death Becomes Her: About the Tree of Life

I watched it. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did. I watched “Death Becomes Her” the other night with Merle Streep and Goldie Hawn. Two beautiful women were reaching middle age and fretted about growing old. Both fell into deep depression. A sorceress provided the answer: an elixir which would restore and prolong beauty for another ten years. The side effect: If you take this elixir you shall never die! Of course the deceitful sorceress never provided that information until after the elixir was consumed.
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Almost immediately revenge, jealousy and anger took their toll. Ms. Streep was pushed down the stairs in anger. She was mortally injured, her bones were shattered, her heart quit beating, yet she lived! In her own anger she shot Ms. Hawn in the gut with a shotgun at close range. One could see right through her abdomen, but yet she lived. They were the living dead. They were told to take care of their bodies for the elixir to maintain their beauty. In their anger and jealousy they failed to. As their body peeled and fell part, it was restored by the plastic surgeon/embalmer husband of Ms. Streep.

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The good doctor had the opportunity to live eternally for the purpose of maintaining the women's beauty. He chose temporal life having the wisdom of what eternal life would mean. Hence, the women were left to paint up their own bodies. Within a short time the miserable women had literally fallen apart and their attempts at mutual restoration were amateurish and futile. They were miserable with an eternal life with an imperfect body, whereas the good doctor went on to be successful and happy in life!

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What's my point? Think about it. Consider our forebears, Adam and Eve: They had a youthful, perfect body with no flaws, no stress, no jealousy, no anger and all they needed (provided by God) to live an eternal life. (Even after the sin of Adam he still lived 930 years). Here's what God said:

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(All ESV) Gen 2:8 “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.... 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." “

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There are several points here: 1) God planted the garden, 2) God put Adam in the garden because he had created him to be in friendship with Himself, 3) God made the garden prolific and planted all that was needed for sustenance, aesthetics and health, 4) there were two types of trees in the middle of the garden, 5) Adam was to work the garden (an easy job since there was no tares and it was watered by a mist), 6) Adam was to “keep” the garden (he was not to abuse what God had given him), 7) God allowed Adam to eat of every tree of the garden, including the “tree of life”, and 8) Adam was not to eat of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” or he will die (we find out later that not only will his body die, but for those who are unrighteous they will die spiritually).

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Along came the tempter who lied to Eve:

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Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" 2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.””

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The serpent was a good lawyer. His argument involved a technicality. Words have meaning and he twisted God's word... and Eve's thinking. Eve didn't intend to disobey, but still did. That's how Satan works! We are still responsible for our actions although we are tricked. We are without excuse!

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The serpent was just like the Pharisees who tried the same tricks on Jesus. Whereas, Jesus is all-knowing and wise, Eve was not. She was human and fell for “words” in rationalizing her behavior. (We still do that today).

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First off, Eve wasn't told anything about the garden by God. (She wasn't even created yet!) Adam was given the instructions on how to tend the garden and the do's and don'ts (Gen 2:15). Eve was presumptuous in her role. Adam was to be the leader and Eve the helper (Gen 2:18). She placed herself above her role by assuming the authority of Adam. (Feminists today should be reminded of roles assigned by God for each gender). Eve misquoted what God said because she got it wrong. She failed to listen tentatively to the instructions Adam had passed on to her from God. Adam's role was to protect them both from the serpent. He was the spiritual leader... not Eve.

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Talking to the serpent was allowing temptation. Eve was placed in a position of her own accord where she was subject to sin. The right response was to “flee” (James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”). Instead of fleeing, Eve responded and was thus tricked. She never had the wisdom and discernment that Adam had and it paid off... for the serpent.

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There were two trees in the midst of the garden. God didn't say “Don't eat of either tree in the midst.” He did say “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat”. Eve got that wrong too! Likewise, God didn't tell Adam to “not touch” the tree. He said to “not eat” of the tree! Eve was wrong again and this shows the results of “having ears to hear, but not listening”. Finally, God did say " the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”. Outsmarting Eve, the serpent did say “"You will not surely die.” He lied or was just plain ignorant of the wisdom and power of God. Satan (the serpent) had rebelled, yet he was still living!

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Although, Satan yet lives, Jesus will destroy him in the end. Yes, Satan will surely die! What's more, death is much more than our lifeblood flowing from us, it's the death of our soul! Satan never told Eve anything about that! Just as the sorceress lied in “Death Becomes Her” Satan lied to Eve. Whereas, the sorceress never told them about the death inside them, the serpent never told Eve about spiritual death.

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Adam had permission to eat of the “tree of life”. It was a good tree, probably having all the ingredients necessary for health and age-prevention. However, God must allow free will! He gave mankind a choice: eternal life or pride (knowledge of good and evil). Eve chose pride, tempted Adam and unlike the “good doctor” Adam did eat. Adam lost immortality as did Eve and both died spiritually. (That's where the sacrificial blood of Jesus is that “tree of life”).

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Now let's resume with the “Death Becomes Her” analogy: If Eve (and Adam) had obeyed God they would have lived forever, both physically and spiritually. They would have retained youth forever as well as communion with God. By disobedience in eating of the wrong tree, their days were numbered and both died spiritually. Not only that, their disobedience caused our own short lives and spiritual death.

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Ms. Hawn and Ms. Streep, as a result of falling to temptation, died physically the moment they succumbed. They died physically because inside they died spiritually. Their evil pride caused them to destroy others and themselves. For awhile they were beautiful on the outside, but ugly as sin on the inside. That's just like all of us who suffer original sin (due to Adam) and have failed to eat of the “tree of life” (Jesus). We may smile and look great on the outside, but we're the walking dead... just like Hawn and Streep. In their misery they will live forever physically. Unsaved sinners will die physically, but their soul will on! Like Hawn and Streep, it'll be a miserable existence. It will be one of hate and torment.

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It may be that Adam and Eve were made righteous by God for he blessed them. God has grace. God has the grace to call us to righteousness, if we use that same free will to choose as Adam and Eve, but choose correctly. If she makes the wrong choice, that pretty lady you see out there, all painted and partying, without Christ is the “walking dead” just like Hawn and Streep. Surely “Death Becomes Her”! Eat of the “tree of Life”.

The Meaning of Passover

What does Exodus (or the Old Testament) have to do with Christianity? We look for Jesus in the OT.
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Exodus Chapter 11 (ESV except where indicated)

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Exodus 11:1 “The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.”

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God gave the people (Jews) favor: grace-divine love and protection. He protected them from sin!

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How much does grace cost? (gift of God)

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Romans 3:23 “...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. “

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In scripture what does Egypt always represent? Egypt represents sin (deleavening represents cleansing from sin)

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1 Corinthians 5:6 (Speaking of Days of Unleavened Bread) “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

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Sin-old leaven (malice and evil) Clean -Unleavened (sincerity and truth)

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Who was the Passover lamb? Jesus.

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Exodus 11:3b “Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.”

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Who is Moses a picture of? Jesus (He was an emissary of God-He delivered the people from sin)

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Exodus 11:4 “So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.”

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Who does the firstborn represent? Jesus: Here all the firstborn died. With Jesus he died for all of us!

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Matthew 1:25 (KJV) “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.”

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Colossians 1:13 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Preeminence of Christ 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He (Jesus) is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.”

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Exodus 11:6 “There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.”

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Why does God make a difference between Egypt and Israel? (Egypt represents sin. Israel redemption)

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Isaiah 44: The LORD Redeems Israel “21 Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. “

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Exodus 11:8 “And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land. “

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In the NT what were the “wonders” a picture of? (Miracles of Jesus-Moses as a picture of Jesus performed miracles as Jesus did)

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What does Pharoah represent? The anti-Christ (opposed to Christ, a representative of Satan) (Satan will be defeated by Jesus just as Moses (Christ's picture) defeats Pharoah.

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(Pharoah means “Great House”. Pharoah was a False God- who was worshiped as a god-His name has the same entymology as the Egyptian god “Horus”, a “Solar Diety”, the son of Osiras and Isis. Whereas, Jesus is the son of the true God, Horus was the son of a false god)

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What does the expression “(Pharoah) did not let the people of Israel go out of his land”? (Slavery to sin).

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We become servants to Pharoah, the emissary of Satan, who makes every attempt to retain us in bondage to sin. The Jews in Egypt represents “bondage to sin”.

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Exodus 12

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The Passover

Exodus 12:1 “The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you. “
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The Jews believe the world began with the month of Tisri. Now signficance is put on the month of Abib.

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What was the significance of the Lord changing the month for the Jews?

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(A new beginning for the Jews, just as Christ's sacrifice was a new beginning for mankind).

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Exodus 12:3 “Tell all the congregation of Israel that on the tenth day of this month every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers' houses, a lamb for a household. “

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What does the lamb represent” (Jesus) John 1:36”and he (John) looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!””

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Exodus 12:4 “And if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his nearest neighbor shall take according to the number of persons; according to what each can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old.”

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What significance is “without blemish”? (Pure-without sin) Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest (Jesus) who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

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Exodus 12:5b “You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.”

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What is the signficance of twilight? (When the sun is over the horizon) Jesus was killed when the sun was out (3:00 pm), but it turned dark creating twilight conditions. The lifting of twilight means a new day. Jesus sacrifice created a New Covenant or a New Day.

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Exodus 12:7 “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.”

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And the significance of blood? (Blood purifies-Jesus shed His blood for us) Hebrews 9:22 “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

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Hebrews 9:13 “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

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What does the two doorposts and lintel represent? (The doorpost was the doorjambs. The lintel is the top member which spans the door). The lintel would portrude beyond the doorposts making a sort of wooden cross. This was the door through which death would enter. The blood signified that the Jews (redeemed) were inside, so were to be saved (passed over) by God. They wouldn't suffer the penalty of death, just as those who believe of Jesus sacrifice on the cross will never suffer death. The cross of Jesus defeated spiritual death just as the doorposts proetected the Jews from physical death.

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Exodus 12:8 “They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs (hyssop) they shall eat it.”

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What does unleavened mean again? (Without sin-there is no yeast in it. Yeast is impure).

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What's the signficance of bitter herbs (hyssop in KJV)? It represents the crucifixion. Jesus was given hyssop (KJV-bitter herbs) along with his vinegar to drink at his crucifixion. Also, the Jews used hyssop (the bitter herb) as a means of sprinking the blood sacrifice. (See Deuteronomy).

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John 19:29 (KJV) “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

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Exodus 12:9 “Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted, its head with its legs and its inner parts. 10 And you shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste.”

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This is the only place that the meal was to be eaten in haste. This represents the “Last Supper” which we “do in remembrance of Him”. To eat the blood of an animal was disrespectful to God. Likewise, to take the symbolic blood of Jesus with a wrong heart is disrespectful.

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1 Corinthians 11:29 (KJV) “For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”

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Exodus 12:11b “It is the LORD's Passover. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.”

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“The blood shall be a sign for you”. What does this mean about your own life? (Covered by the blood)

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Plague is death. What does it represent to us? (Spiritual death-We avoid spiritual death by the blood).

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“I will pass over you” Any significance there for you? Since you're covered by the blood you will be passed over for eternal punishment.

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Exodus 12:17 “And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt.”

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“Brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt” Any thoughts? Delivered us (all) from sin.

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What's the entomology of “sin”? (Sin is one of the chief gods of Assyria and Babylon and as the moon god it's seat of worship was Ur, the birthplace of Abraham. He was the lord of calendar and wisdom. Obviously, if you disobeyed the true God you were in “Sin”).

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Exodus 12:19b “If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.”

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leavening means sin: Matthew 16:6”Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.””

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What was wrong with the Pharisees and Sadducees? Theirs was a false religion... not heartfelt, but one of works. There was little love nor grace.

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In the NT on what occasion do we eat unleavened bread? The Eucharist. What we call “Communion”.

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Matthew 26:26 (At the Last Supper). “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,”

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On what occasion was the “Last Supper”? The Feast of the Passover. The bread must be unleavened.

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Then, what significance is the meal at the Jewish Passover? It was a picture of the Lord Jesus' Last Supper.

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The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn

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Exodus 12:29 “At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead. 31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said. 32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

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What does the Lord striking down represent? Eternal punishment.

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1 Thessalonians 5:2 “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

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The Exodus

Exodus 12:33 “The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.”
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What does the Exodus from Egypt represent? Salvation. Deliverance from sin (Egypt).

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Who saved the Jews? Jesus... He IS GOD!

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Jude 1:5 “Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.”

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Exodus 13

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Consecration of the Firstborn

Exodus 13:1 “The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”
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What does consecrate mean? (Set apart as sacred. This is the start of the OT Church the foreunner of the New Testamant Church.)

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Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

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The Feast of Unleavened Bread

Exodus 13:14 “And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery.”
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This is a picture of the NT:

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Who saves us? Jesus. What did he save us from? Our sins. We're slaves to sin.

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Galatians 1:4 “who (Jesus) gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”

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Pillars of Cloud and Fire

Exodus 13:21 “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.”
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What is this a picture of in the NT? Jesus is the light!

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John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” “

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And lastly, what significance is “did not depart from before the people”? Jesus will always be there for you. Hebrews 13:5b “I (Jesus) will never leave you nor forsake you.”