Redemption

     Resuming the commentary from yesterday: "Unblinded", I continue with redemption. Today let's look at the word "vail" as lowering as a sign of respect. On the other hand "veil" is a covering. Thus, it seems that vail is the lowering of a veil. The veil, of course, was the curtain concealing the Presence of God in the Holy of Holies. Then vail is the act of lowering the vail and honoring God as He is unveiled.  With those contrasts and similarities explained, I continue with Isaiah's prophecy:

And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isa 25:7-9)

     He (Jesus) will "swallow up death in victory". Isaiah knew the winner of the war for our souls. As God is the author of life, Satan is the reason for death. He caused death, thus Jesus's own death defeated the death of mankind. In other words. God died that mankind might live! God came in the flesh to die in our places.
     God cannot die, but his temporal flesh could. (See my latest book: Killing God: The Tree of Life.) Jesus's birth was when God created the perfect sacrifice: God himself became the Lamb without blemish, entirely innocent, and the first-born of God. No longer was a mere lamb needed each year, but God Himself would sacrifice His own flesh in the place of ours. That is redemption.
     As I was riding my bicycle on a country road, a bumblebee flew right into my mouth and stung my tongue. It was extremely painful for a minute or two, and then the pain subsided. However, I spit out the bumblebee and he would never sting me again! He died soon. I did not die.
     Death is similar to that. It is a mere sting. If I had known that the bee would sting me, I would have feared the sting more than the sting itself. Likewise, as I sit here at my keyboard, I fear dying more than death itself. I don't fear death because if the truth is really truth, and I believe it is, Jesus's death swallowed up death for me.
     The bee is a simile of death. He stung me and it hurt, but instead of swallowing the bee, I spat it out. As I felt the sting of the bee but lived, I also, as a Christian will feel the sting of death, but live on forever. Although, I will feel pain in the first death, there will never be a second death. The reason for that is that God suffered the consequences of the "sting" for me! You might say, God swallowed the bee (death) for me. I revere Him because He never spit death out but swallowed it until it is gone forever! That is redemption: God defeated death for us by providing His own flesh to die in our places although it was us who deserves death! Isaiah knew that because God showed it to him. Just think: Isaiah had the hope of salvation because he understood that God would someday die for him.
     Isaiah wrote: "The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth." Isaiah saw the outcome of redemption: Despair would be wiped off all faces and replaced with joy! After redemption there would be no further need for God to rebuke their sins. The "all faces", unfortunately, are not everyone's faces: it is for those who have "waited for Him" That is the Messiah on whom they must wait - the Savior. 
     Salvation was always about Jesus. It was never about saving ourselves by obedience to the Law. Jesus came not to do away with the Law but to fulfill it. (Mat 5:17). The Law was written not for penalty but to have utility. The Law was not for obedience but to demonstrate love for God (1 John 5:3), and believe it or not, they are not grievous. 
     God doesn't demand that we obey the Law but be willing to revere Him by doing His will which is the Law! One might say, the Law is not love. It is not, but the way Christians are to show God love (1 John 5:2). Thus the only command that Christians have is to love! That should be easy but something stands in the way - our own will. Rather than God being our god, people are their own gods.
     God understands our desire to do our own will. He felt that when he put on flesh. People don't have to sin; it is always a choice. Knowing that our spirits may be willing but or fleshes weak (Mat 26:41) because God experienced the flesh, He was gracious enough to overlook it in those who love Him and others. That overlooking of contrite peoples' sins is called redemption. 
     Those Old Testament "Christians" who waited on the Messiah for salvation were redeemed by their waiting. They were faithful to Jesus's Purpose before the purpose was fulfilled. Jesus's oncoming death would save them just as His accomplished death can save us. They waited for Jesus by looking to the future, and we look back at what he has already been accomplished for us. I contend that having faith in a future event is greater than believing that the event happened. They had great faith - greater than ours!
    Jesus's death would save them. They weren't saved at that time because salvation would be a future event. Jesus saved mankind at his death. However, no one can be saved until they die because that is what salvation is all about - saving from the second death. We all (except two) experience the first death but only those who do not wait on Jesus will experience the second death. On what are we waiting? Death. Death is not only of the flesh but the human will. After the first death, mankind can no longer make choices. All decisions must be made in this life! Now is the time for salvation (2 Cor 6:2); not that we are saved presently but we must be alive to choose eternal life. 
    The Old Testament patriarchs were saved when they died. It was as if Jesus had already died for those who waited on Him; not in body but is spirit. No, God's Holy Spirit had not died, but that waiting was done by those who had great faith or a willing spirit! Only Enoch and  Elijah were saved without dying. Their death was swallowed up in victory without ever feeling the sting of death. That is a demonstration that death is only momentarily in God's time and is no more than sleep for Him (2 Pet 3:4). This is not "soul sleep"  but merely identifies what death appears to be.
     What would Isaiah do knowing that the Messiah would come and save? "Be glad and rejoice in his salvation!" He didn't need to wait until Jesus died for him to rejoice, but to be glad and rejoice knowing that in the end he would be saved as he waited on Jesus. That's the same as us! Isaiah and the other believers weren't saved yet because only by the Name of Jesus could one be saved (Acts 4:12). However, Isaiah encouraged them to be glad and rejoice as if they were already saved as they waited on salvation. Indeed, Isaiah taught the hope of salvation, the same as Paul did. That hope was for those who waited on Jesus to redeem them. Isaiah, with that enlightenment, was already born-again just waiting on Jesus to redeem them. 
     Isaiah trusted in God's redemption so much that it was as if he was already saved and merely waiting on death to accomplish salvation. That faith is the assurance of salvation. It was as if he was already saved although he had yet to be saved from death. There is one doctrine and that is the Doctrine of Christ. What applies to them, applies to us today. Paul called that the mystery of God. Redemption for all was the mystery and when the vail came and the veil lowered the mystery was revealed: it was the mystery of Christ!

   

Unblinded

     Salvation is what Christians await! The Hebrew people did as well; not many, but at least the patriarchs who understood the Messiah much better than we do. Has God spoken to you? Maybe through Divine Inspiration, but certainly not aloud. Prophecy in the Old Testament was a foretelling of future events. Modern-day prophecy is revealing what has already been foretold. Today, we examine Isaiah's prophecy of salvation:

And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isa 25:7-9)

     Firstly, God will destroy the vail that has spread over all the nations.  "Vail" is a woven covering which will be lowered. Where have we read that before? "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom..." (Mat 27:51). The "vail" and the "veil" were the same thing!  That was the veil of the temple which was torn (Mark 15:38). The veil of the temple was the second curtain which covered the Most Holy Place (Heb 9:3).
     In the Old Testament only the ritually clean High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies to offer the annual sacrifice. It was believed to be beneath what is now the Dome of the Rock. Therein was a veil held by four pillars covering the Ark of the Covenant whereon God's presence was between two cherubim. Note that cherubim guarded God just as in Genesis 3:24 so that the "undeserving" could not enter in. Of course no one deserves God, but there is a password to God's presence - the Name Jesus. Not just the Name but Jesus's purpose. Matthew 27:51 was when Jesus's death tore down that veil and anyone, even without a priest, could see and commune with God.
     Isaiah saw God's death on the cross. He saw the vail/veil torn down. Isaiah knew Jesus before Jesus was ever born because he saw his death. It seemed that the vail was to conceal God's presence but it was really a cover to blind the nations.

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (Cor 4:4).

     God's Shekinah was on the Ark of the Covenant. That is His Light or Presence. God had blinded the nations with that vail. They did not see Christ as Isaiah did. God shined His presence on Isaiah, and he (Isaiah) became one of the lively stones of the foundation on which the Church was built with Jesus the Cornerstone: "And are built (fellow citizens) upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephes 2:20).
     In Isaiah's vision, the vail was lowered so that everyone could see the Messiah. I like sacred literature. Isaiah had "bright eyes" because he saw through the vail. Those with bright eyes have "bright natures" because they know and trust Jesus first hand. Isaiah was revealing the source of Light which all men could someday see. Can you imagine how skeptical people interpreted this prophecy? They thought it meant the nation Israel but Isaiah was speaking to all the nations!
     Then Isaiah revealed why the veil was rent in two.  That will be examined tomorrow.

Where is Heaven and Hell?

     People say, "go to Hell" so casually and in vain. Ultimately, desiring that another go to hell is the epitome of hatred. Love is desiring that none should perish. Hatred is wishing that anyone should perish. Thus, the Law of God condenses down to two attitudes: (1) that God should never perish, and (2) that no one else perish. That includes enemies as well.      "Perishing" is going to Hell.  "Salvation", then, is not going to Hell, and hence, never perishing. When someone is born-again, he or she is saved from what? Perishing in Hell. God came into the world to save everyone from Hell. Without Hell there is no salvation. Likewise, without a need to be saved from Hell, there would be no need for a repository from Hell. Both Hell and Heaven are essential and real places for salvation to be real.
     Christians are not saved from the world (physical death), they are saved from Hell which is spiritual death. Adam and Eve failed to understand either the first death (physical) or the second death (spiritual). They likely had a general idea that death was expulsion from the paradise of the Garden, which they were (Gen 3:24). In their naivete they may have had a better concept of death than modern people.
     The second death is eternal dismissal from the Garden. As usual, my contention is that New Jerusalem will be set upon its original foundation - Jerusalem - which is the foundation of peace. As such, that "foundation" is the location of the Garden of Eden and is marked by the "foundation stone", the rock under the Dome of the Rock.
     Heaven will come down (Rev 21:2). We know where Heaven will be! Right now it is in an invisible realm, but just as God took on material from, Heaven will also. What will Heaven be like? The Garden of Eden except it will contain a city -the City of God:

And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God... And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof... And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Rev 21:10,23 & 22:19).

     I rest my case: The City of God in Heaven will come down to its original foundation in Jerusalem. In other words, Jerusalem is the City of God; that's why people want it so badly and many are specifically buried there to be a little closer to Heaven, particularly the Jews. Where is Hell? It is outside the City of God as can be seen in the last verse above. The City of God is the "holy city". Outside of there is the unholy realm which is Hell. Outside the Holy City is Gehenna.
     Just as the Garden is protected by cherubim to keep those cast out from entering back in, The City of God will be guarded as well. Rather than a fence around the Holy City and a Gate, the Garden had a hedge (Job 1:10) with a guarded path perhaps through a "gate" (Gen 3:24). The City of God will have great wall and twelve gates (Rev 21:12), obviously welcoming the  twelve thousand from the twelve tribes of Israel entry (Rev 7:3-8).
     Hell is outside the walls, and there is a chasm between which prevents entry by anyone other than the children of God!
     Now let's take a peek at Hell:

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:22-26).

     Abraham's Bosom is Heaven. Take my word for that for now. "Hell" is from the Greek Hades who was the god of the lower regions, and is the location of departed souls. Thus Hell is the place sinful men die for eternity and is in the lower regions of the earth. Death is not a "sting" or passing over, but forever. Spiritual death is forever dying, and as Abraham described it, Hell is torment.
     In other places Hell is described: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Mat 10:28). The Greek word for "Hell" therein is the Greek word Geenna which is transliterated Gehenna. In the Hebrew language Gehenna was Ge Hinnom - the Valley of Hinnom.  In the Old Testament is found a description:

And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee, And say, Hear ye the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle. Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents; They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. (Jer 19:2-6)

     Gehenna is where worshippers of Baal (the Devil) burned their innocent children in the fire as a burnt offering.  Evil worshippers offered their innocent children to Molech there. That is in contrast to Innocent Jesus being the offering for guilty men. Rather than innocents being burned in Gehenna (Hell) as an offering to Satan, Innocent God "casts" guilty sinners into Hell.
     The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) is the valley around the Old City of David. It is outside the walls of what was once the Garden of Eden, as I understand scripture. It is a place of torment and is where not only child sacrifice had been made in the times of evil kings, but later the garbage dump where it was burned.
     I believe that just as the Garden of Eden ascended unto Heaven it will later descend, and likewise that Gehenna descended into the earth. I also believe that there is an access to Hell on the Temple Mount. Perhaps the route Jesus dumped mankind's sins into Hell. In that scenario, the access to Hell is now covered by the Dome of the Rock, and the foundation stone is the gate to Hell.
     Below that foundation stone is said to be an unexplored abyss, a chasm (like Lazarus saw), which accesses the core of the earth. Down below is molten lava which is estimated to be 10,800 degrees F (6000 C). Fiery furnaces are around 1500 F (about 800 C). You can see from the Celsius temperature that the center of the earth is how hot? Seven times hotter than the fire of a furnace used for pottery! Is that a coincidence or is the center of earth Hell and the place from which Shadrack, Meschach, and Abednego were saved (Dan 3:17).
     The earth was destroyed by water in Noah's time. It is believed that the tsunamis which flooded the earth were from the great oceans beneath the crust of the earth (which were recently discovered to be thrice the oceans of the surface). That abys is the source of destruction, and we know that the next time the earth is destroyed, it will be by fire (2 Pet 3:6). It seems that Hell will come up to the surface and cleanse the world from sin. That may happen on God's eight day. (From the time of Adam until the second coming of Jesus is the six "days" or thousands of years in which God works. The seventh day is when God rested. Using God's calander,1 day = 1 thousand years, Jesus's millennial reign is the seventh day.)
     There was no eight day in the beginning but I believe eternity is the eighth "day". On the eighth day the world will be destroyed and Heaven will come down. Just as Jesus took all the sins of the world down into the abys, the abys beneath the foundation stone will cleanse the earth of sin. Before Heaven comes down, Hell will come up to take Hades' children away. Ornan's threshing floor, the foundation stone, is where I believe the evil will be threshed out, and that evil discarded into the abys.
    Where is Hell? Perhaps it is in the earth; not on it but in it. Where is Heaven? The Kingdom of David which is the Kingdom of God. Jerusalem is that Great Holy City. Before cleansing by fire, it is the harlot Babylon, but with baptism in fire Jerusalem will be the Holy Bride (Rev 21:2)!

Division

     I used Facebook last evening on a "fishing" expedition.  I gave an opinion about a political comment. The question was whether Obama's presidency was good for America. To be honest, Obama seems to be a nice guy, but his M.O. was to divide under the pretense of uniting. I said that in a nice way as bait to expose haters. That exposition was my bait for them to come from out of the darkness unto the light. My desire was to reveal my premise; that Obama had divided the nation.
     The evidence of that came when Trump announced for the presidency and continues until this day. The divisive atmosphere was there long before Trump was ever president. Obama's divisive tactics were in his smooth words, such as: "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations," in reference to working class men in industrial towns." That statement, in a moment when he was caught off-guard, revealed his true feelings about those not elite as himself.
     My commentary is my opinion but I base it on facts. I keep up with the news and read vociferously. I listen to others opinions, not merely seeking out those who validate my beliefs. I seek truth!
     When I listened to Obama what I heard from his own lips were words which divided the nation in two. The presidential election displayed just how divided Americans are. There seems to be two Americas with two very opposite viewpoints about America. Obama did that. The Civil War now exists because of him: it's the blue states in rebellion to the red states; the liberals against the conservatives. The war is not really a political one but spiritual. The armies are gathered:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephes 6:12)

     Obama divided the nation for this war. That is my opinion, and it is mine. In America, diverse people should be allowed their own opinions. Autocracies (dictatorships) do not allow that. It seems right now that the left dictates political norms and enforces their unwritten laws. I don't follow their laws; I follow God's: "With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin" (Rom 7:25). Paul was referring to himself. Non-Christians, though, serve the law of sin, and righteous people the Law of God. The former is the absence of the latter.
     With my Facebook opinion, I exposed my allegation: that Obama divided the nation. Very soon, the haters came out of the closet. In their war of words, there were no arguments, but only cursing and name-calling. Of course, the first discourse introduced the F-word into the discussion. Then came the name-calling: "Trump-tard". Nowhere was there an argument with propositions, supporting data, and conclusions. In effect, their motive was to intimidate me off the discussion. I know that because liberals most often use that tactic. I knew they would!
    The haters validated my premise. They demonstrated to the public how much divided the nation is. I didn't even need to make a strong argument. I merely gave an opinion about Obama's divisive tactics, and they crawled out of their digitally safe caves to duel with me, which I'm sure, they would not do without the shield of distance!
     I don't like this division because it is war. Spiritual warfare uses two types of weaponry. The good guys use the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Ephes 6:17), and the bad guys use hatred. Hatred reveals itself in cursing, name-calling, intimidation, and emotional assault. Even in America, protestors turn to brown-shirt tactics just as they did in Nazi Germany. The righteous seem to stay at home and fight the war using the ballot. The bad guys go to the front and fight the battle with intimidation, lies, insults, and hatred.
     Christians don't like the fight but the rulers of darkness instill rebellion in the hearts of evil people. They enjoy their hatred. Little do they know that they are not fighting for their principles but Satan's will. They are his stooges who create chaos to divide the nation. Discord is evil and is always demonic. Even when Christians are at each others throats, it is the doing of demons. Jesus did not come to bring peace to the world. Are you surprised? "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Mat 10:34).
     Jesus knew that his doctrine was divisive. Why then did he even come? "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27). Jesus came to bring inner peace: the hope of salvation we soon found out. The hatred crowd does not have inner peace. The world is divided between those who hate and those who love! Hatred is spiritual murder (1 John 3:15). Love is he antidote for that. In order to be unified, requires accordance. (Acts 2:1). That is mankind loving one another.
     Satan wants division and his weapon for that is terrorizing Christians with hatred for each other and for the people of the world. Those haters who hide behind Facebook comments are digital terrorists who invoke hatred and name-calling to do Satan's will, thinking it is their own will they are doing! They have been fooled and manipulated by demonic forces who identify themselves in the F-words and name-calling. Christians don't do that, or of they do, they shouldn't. I am ashamed when I get caught up in that attitude because I don't want to be a hater.
     I'll be honest here: I believe the world would be a better place without the haters Maxene Waters and Elizabeth Warren who make no pretense about their right to hate. However disgusting they are, before I became a Christian, I was just as disgusting. I was cleaned up by Jesus's blood but I still have impurities. I wish that I didn't because the very thought that Maxene and Elizabeth deserve death is sinful. I don't like falling into Satan's divisive hatred trap.
     Making America great again is more than a slogan; we must be great by loving one another, not that we were ever perfect, but because we were way ahead of the other countries. Think about it: The Abrahamic Covenant is all about making the nation great again. Of course, the nation is not necessarily America but the Kingdom of God. God's deal was that if we obeyed (love one another), He would make us prosper (greatness). The flip-side of that is if we are not loving toward God and one another, we will be unprosperous. Prosperity, though, is not riches but contentment with the authority of God and accordance with one another.
     Obama's presidency, like it or not, was God's will. Perhaps, he willed that to create the desire for Trump whose presidency is also God's will. Who is the most righteous of the two? Probably neither. Who, however, upholds the Law of God better. Testing by God's Word reveals that Trump's policies are somewhat better without regard to who is the most righteous of the two, which neither seems to be.
    Spiritual warfare is in progress. It will continually get worse until brother will be against brother: "And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death" (Mat 10:21). That is happening and will continue happening until the end because hatred is Satan's weapon and division is his strategy.

Return to Paradise

     Abraham's long range plans and short ones were the same. Abraham was called from Ur to live in Canaan land. Ur means "out of the original" and Canaan means "to be brought into synchronicity" because it was a land of diversity. It's color was deep purple, so it can be concluded that Canaan was a kingdom of some sorts. It turns out that it became the Kingdom of David, and ultimately will be the Kingdom of God. (Note; Without regard to archeology or modern geography, Holy Scripture points to Canaan as the location of the Eden and Jerusalem as its Garden.)

     Hopefully, the reader gets the general idea. Canaan was founded by the son of Ham whose line was cursed and that was about to change! The change would be in four phases: (1) Abraham was to receive the promised land for a time moving from "original" sin, (2) Moses' people would return to the promised land in a return from sin in Egypt, and (3) the Jews would return to it after dispersion into diverse peoples (sin), and finally (4) after Satan is destroyed, Canaan would become the foundation on which Paradise would return. 

     The entire Bible is about Paradise! Canaan, now Israel, whose city is not only the navel of the world, but the center of the heavens. If the reader is unaware, Heaven will come down and New Jerusalem will return to its foundation in Jerusalem. Thus, Holy Scripture is about a return to Paradise! Jesus came "home" to die for our sins, and he will return "home" to rule forever. Israel will be Paradise restored, or the regeneration of God's Kingdom on earth.

     I believe that to understand Holy Scripture fully, the reader must be aware that the Kingdom of David is Paradise and the Garden of Eden is Jerusalem. By the way, Eden means "delightful place" which corresponds well with the Promised Land of Canaan. 

     Not by chance, Canaan is a land of diverse peoples. It's the place where synchronicity (harmony) will be achieved by all those who go there. Abraham did not achieve that, neither did Joshua, David, nor the Jewish people. On the other hand, someday when God rules, diverse people will harmonize there forever. Acts 2 is just a "taste" of that final time! "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1) and "the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language" (Acts 2:6). 

     Synchronicity came on the day of Pentecost as diverse people were of one accord. Abraham saw that! Not only did he see harmony but he knew it would not be in synchronicity with God until after Satan is destroyed! Now let's take a look at Abraham and the fulfillment of God's promise to him:

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Heb 11:8-10)

     Jerusalem means "foundation of peace"'. Therein lies the rock which is the epicenter of creation now protected by the Dome of the Rock. Abraham was looking for that city as can be seen from scripture, and guess what? Those who trust God as Abraham did, are looking for that city whose foundation is peace! 

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Rev 21:1-3) 

     Why do the "people of the Book" fight for Israel and its Holy City? Because they all, even the Muslims, know that Israel is the Promised Land and that Jerusalem is the City of God. It seems that no one understands that the Foundation of Peace cannot be obtained by war, but ironically by peace! To reside in this City of God in synchronicity requires that its inhabitants be of one accord! Heaven is not our destiny but the Kingdom of David is! For Christians that land will be our eternal home! 

     The foundation stone under the dome of the rock  is Ornan's (named after the priest Aaron's) threshing floor. On that stone, God will thresh out the righteous from the unrighteous. The chaff and bad seed will fall down in the abyss under the rock. I believe that abys is the entryway to Hell. Heaven will be on earth, and Hell in the Earth, just as could be expected!

    Examine the Lord's Prayer:

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Mat 6:10-12)

     What essentially is this prayer? Abraham's!  That's why he went to "paradise"! Abraham is the intermediator between to patriarchs and the apostles and between God and mankind! He tithed to Melchizedek. Why so? He was looking at God face-to-face. Melchizedek, was the King of Salem, and is believed to be the King of Heaven and Earth.

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. (Heb 7:1-4)

     Abraham wasn't really seeking peace and harmony in Canaan land as the name and situation implies. Abraham was looking into eternity, and he saw Heaven in Melchizedek's face. Abraham was the vehicle for Jesus whose seed would produce a Priest in the order of Melchizedek. I bet Melchizedek winked at Abraham that day because Abraham saw God face to face and did not die just as mankind saw Jesus but they still live! 

Types of Insurance Policies

      What is salvation? We know from John 3:16 that salvation is from perishing. Satan, Eve and Adam misunderstood: Lucifer had sinned greatly had not died, Eve ate of the fruit and did not die, so Adam ate because God seemed to have deceived them to gain allegiance. Ironically, that was Satan who did the deception. 

     When is salvation? Read what Isaiah wrote thousands of years ago:

And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isa 25:7-9) 

     Initially it can be seen that the world will be defeated as His people are swallowed up in death. Note that "victory" comes wit death! After that, their will be no more tribulation for His people, as "God will wipe away the tears from all faces." Simultaneously the curse of sin will be taken from the earth. Tribulation will end as God's people die a physical death. At death Christians are saved from sinning. And finally,  after death turns to victory, salvation will occur!

     Christians often rejoice with the expression, "I'm saved!" Not yet. The Devil has just begun his attack. A Christians life is not all positive and joyful, although it can be. The walk with Christ to death's door is tribulation. Satan is allowed to test to determine who is really and truly faithful. Salvation occurs when Satan is dead. The Great Tribulation commences when the remaining Christians are finally tested:

But the rest of the dead (those who re not beheaded for Christ's sake) 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. (Rev 20:5-6)

     The second death, the one which God meant back in Genesis 3, is the second one.  It is when Satan's influence is no longer an issue. The second death are for those who do not reign with Christ. That is what mankind is saved from! 

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Rev 21:8)

     That is the second death; when Satan is destroyed and his followers with him! Christians will not suffer the second death! That is the time of salvation:

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Rom 13:11).

     Each day, Christians get nearer to the second death from which we are saved! Of course, after death, there is nothing that can be done about our eternal destiny:

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured the e: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) (2 Cor 2:6)

     Why procure the insurance for something which may be so far away? Because the dead cannot procure insurance; only the living can.
     To ensure our salvation, "behold, now is the day of salvation." Now is the time to procure the insurance, which by the way, won't be needed until the person dies. The Insurer is Jesus. Payment was by the blood of Jesus as he was crucified, and the insurance kicks in immediately; it is whole life permanent insurance which never expires. The only way that insurance can be terminated is by the insured. In spiritual terms, that is apostasy for as long as Christians have faith in the insurance, it is valid, not only until death but until the time of the second death... which by the way, the insured will never suffer. That is the coverage of the policy.
     Having the assurance policy assures salvation. Many are so certain of the coverage, it's as if the award is in hand. That is the assurance of salvation, and it is exemplified by living in safety: doing what God would have His children do. What is that? Simple: love Him and others!
     Others are not as certain. Although God protects them from death from the Adversary, they are free to leave the policy (covenant) at any time. God does not force insurance on anyone as the government does. People are free-agents to procure or not to procure. They are those who have arranged "accidents" each time they are deceived. Satan shoots fiery darts at them, and of they are not under Whole Armor Insurance; one of the fiery darts may take them down. They are safe but still exposed.
     What then is term insurance? It is the policy procured by Christians who believe but are not assured - they have the policy but are still not safe because of little faith. They make themselves vulnerable. It is those Christians who  are insured  but fail to use their policy:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet 5:8)

     Isaiah was a great insurance salesman. He wasn't the one securing the policy but advertising its veracity.  Isaiah was saying, buy the policy now because it is cheap (free to be exact). You may not need it now but eventually you will. Isaiah was betting that you will die. You may be betting that you won't (the second death). Usually insurance companies are betting that you won't die, and you that you will! Which insurance is best? Fools buy physical death insurance but the wise buy whole life permanent policies!
     

Casting Stones

          The approval process of Judge Kavanaugh's nomination reminds me of the following trial:

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. (John 8:1-11)

    The accusation was sexual in nature. That time the accused was a woman. She had committed the sin of adultery of which most people today are guilty. The Mosaic Law required stoning. She was caught "in the very act". The accusers cared little about the woman but wanted to assault Jesus. They were always trying to destroy this honest man's reputation so that he would not be accepted as righteous.
     Jesus was asked to decide her fate, not for justice, but to be trapped. Rather than Jesus condemning the woman, who may or may not have been guilty, he convicted the accusers: "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the first stone at her."  The woman was not convicted but her accusers were! All among them were guilty of sin, and if we know men well, they too had committed sexual sins. The woman had committed adultery with one or more men, and it is likely that some of those same men had bedded her down. If not they had in their hearts. There was none without sin and the woman was condemned no more.
     Do you see the Judge Kavanaugh case in this scenario? Many of his accusers have sins in their life of which they have not been convicted, either by themselves or the law. For instance, Corey Booker in his book, admitted to assault against a woman in his youth. The same crime of which Kavanaugh is accused.
    Diane Feinstein has her sin. So do all the other accusers, but they are throwing stones at a decent man; not perfect but surely of no more than their own! The obvious conclusion is that the accusers of Judge Kavanaugh care little about Dr. Ford's accusation, but just as the Pharisees, their intention is to entrap Judge Kavanaugh. Furthering their injustice, they seek to diminish President Trump for their own elevation. Many of the "stoners" are running for his office in 2020. Howe better to defeat the opponent than destroy his rule? One of their many tactics is to destroy Judge Kavanaugh, and possibly his marriage and family for their own cause.
     The senate Democrats are guilty of assault - the same sin of which Kavanaugh is accused. Rather than raping this man and his family with their genitalia, they are raping him with their tongues! The tongue is as destructive as the penis, and they are aroused for subjection!
     The adulterous woman surely could not prove she didn't commit adultery. It's impossible to "prove" what's real, let alone disprove an allegation! The only man who could have proven without a doubt that she committed the adultery was the one who adulterated with her! He could not do that, as he would be as guilty as her! They said that they had "caught her in the act." That is a mere allegation. The Pharisees had often done many things to discredit Jesus. Jesus was aware of their scheme. He knew that they had surely not "seen her in the act" and cared little if they had. In Jesus, eyes, none are without sin (Rom 3:23).
     I contend that the Democrat M.O. is just like the Pharisees. They are trying to destroy Trump by the destruction of Kavanaugh. Their primary sin is the murder of the innocents, just as Herod had, with their issue of abortion. In effect, Kavanaugh is being gang-raped by a bunch of Democrats so that they can continue to destroy their former slaves. Yes, abortion is mainly black children. I had one liberal honest enough to admit that without abortion, undesirable n_____s  would overrun the nation.
     You see, Democrats are guilty of multiple sins, and like the Pharisees, the legacy has always been injustice, starting with the trail of tears, and now in all sorts of assaults on Jesus. Wake up world! Wake up Christians. The Devil has you if you sleep!
     It is not what a person has done in the past anyway; it is where they are right now! The Democrats did walk away, but not under conviction! They walked haughtily away as if they had never sinned. God has a special place for them at the judgment seat. If we can't get justice, God will!