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Friday, January 22, 2021

Beloved, the time has come: Social Media changes will take place for this Blog. Hope you all will find me at our new locations...

 ©2020, David E. Robinson, A search for Messiah and At the gates of Yerushalayim Ministries

 

…A Special Announcement

Concerning Lessons from the Wilderness

And all Other Posts…

 


2 Corinthians 6:14-7:3 (AMP)
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith].

 For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness?

Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?

15 What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

17 So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor, 18 And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. 

1 THEREFORE, SINCE these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God.

2 Do open your hearts to us again [enlarge them to take us in]. We have wronged no one, we have betrayed or corrupted no one, we have cheated or taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to reproach or condemn [you], for I have said before that you are [nested] in our hearts, [and you will remain there] together [with us], whether we die or live. [1]

 

My beloved, the time has come. As of 12:00am 01/23/2021, I will be off Twitter and Facebook for good. I will delete my accounts and no longer be posting lead-ins to any of my blog posts on these platforms of hate, censorship, and of all that is unholy. These platforms have become tools of satan, and while there are good people still using them, my immediate and extended family included, I can no longer be a part of these tools that divide us, that mock our G-d and His Messiah, that seek to harm the Constitution and the Bill of Rights of a nation that was to be born of G-d. We can ask ourselves have we failed in this endeavor, to be a nation who in G-d we trust? Yes, but we have also strived at correcting our wrongs and trying to bring ourselves back in line with G-d, but these platforms in particular deserve not one of us to participate in their sins. Come out of them, o believer! They are not the place we need to be to lift up our G-d. Yes, Yeshua dined with the sinner - sometimes we have to get muddy to seek the lost. I am convicted in my soul though, that we can no longer support the Godless with our presence on these platforms. To do so says we not only acknowledge their sins, but approve of it also. There is no place on them for the believer. Will the new platforms be better? Time will tell, but I am leaving and I encourage all to do so also. We can be a force for that which is good and holy, if we make these new platforms our homes for social interaction. What becomes of them, is largely up to those who will use them as tools for G-d and country. FB and Twitter are no longer tools of light, but of darkness and we must take a stand. This far and no more; the time has come.

 

I can now be found at the following sites:

 

My Blog site: https://www.asearchformessiah.net/

I will be posting lead-ins and announcements to new blog posts at:

https://gab.com/David_seedofabraham under @David_seedofabraham

and at https://mewe.com/i/davidrobinson1546

You can also find my post lead-ins at my new pages, https://mewe.com/p/atthegatesofyerushalayimministries.

https://www.wespeak.com/read-b....log/6770_at-the-gate

I will also be posting at https://mewe.com/p/asearchformessiahtruthattheendoftheage  a new page where I will share thoughts with you and pray that we can engage in thoughtful and meaningful discussions centered around Yeshua, YHVH, the Torah, and the Messianic Writings.

 Through these pages and new venues, let us all start conversations that will glorify and exalt the Living G-d of Israel.

 Hope you join me.

 May you all find peace and may YHVH richly bless you all , my beloved.

Amein and Amein

 



[1]  The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

 

Monday, January 18, 2021

Here is Part 9 of our study in Revelation: I know... another LONG post...

 

©2021 David E. Robinson  www.asearchformessiah.net, At the Gates of Yerushalayim Ministries

Go to Part 8 

Go to Part Ten

 Lessons from the Wilderness, Volume 33

  …A Study in Revelation… Part 9

A Search for the Truth at the end of the Age

 …An Addendum…[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]


Figure 1 https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F9pzQmy5MTos%2Fhqdefault.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9pzQmy5MTos&tbnid=V7RVPuf7_nkaCM&vet=12ahUKEwiauLrliKHuAhXOBzQIHd8ADIEQMygAegUIARCDAQ..i&docid=MsSP50

 

MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN



     5     Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the 1back of the hand that did the writing.     6     Then the king’s 1aface grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his bhip joints went slack and his cknees began knocking together. 

     7     The king called aloud to bring in the aconjurers, the 1Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, “Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be bclothed with purple and have a cnecklace of gold around his neck and have authority as 2dthird ruler in the kingdom.”

     8     Then all the king’s wise men came in, but athey could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.   9     Then King Belshazzar was greatly aalarmed, his 1bface grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed.

     10     The queen entered the banquet 1hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, “aO king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your 2face be pale.

     11     “There is a aman in your kingdom in whom is 1a bspirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father 2cthe king, appointed him chief of the 3magicians, conjurers, 4Chaldeans and diviners. 12     This was because an aextraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named bBelteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned, and he will declare the interpretation.”

     13     Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the 1aexiles from Judah, whom my father the king bbrought from Judah?

     14     “Now I have heard about you that 1a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. 15     “Just now the awise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they bcould not declare the interpretation of the 1message. 16     “But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its ainterpretation known to me, you will be bclothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the 1third ruler in the kingdom.”

     17     Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “1Keep your agifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.

     18     1O king, the aMost High God bgranted 2sovereignty, cgrandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father.

     19     “Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every 1language feared and trembled before him; awhomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled.

     20     “But when his heart was alifted up and his spirit became so 1bproud that he behaved arrogantly, he was cdeposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him.

     21     “He was also adriven away from 1mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the bwild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the cMost High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.

     22     “Yet you, his 1son, Belshazzar, have anot humbled your heart, 2even though you knew all this,

     23     but you have aexalted yourself against the bLord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the cgods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see, hear, or understand.

But the God din whose hand are your life-breath and all your eways, you have not glorified.

     24     “Then the 1ahand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.

     25     “Now this is the inscription that was written out: 

1MENĒ, 1MENĒ, 2TEKĒL, 3UPHARSIN.’

     26     “This is the interpretation of the 1message:

MENĒ’—God has numbered your kingdom and aput an end to it.

     27     “ ‘TEKĒL’—you have been aweighed on the scales and found deficient.

     28     “ ‘PERĒS’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the aMedes and 1Persians.” [7]


MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN

 A warning for today. Many have made use of these passages from Scripture, mainly to chastise or warn others of their actions. Some have used these words, MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN, as a warning to America, its leaders, and its citizens, that our time as a free nation is at an end. What do these words really mean?

 “…In the text the Aramaic is not given at all. As we have already seen, the verse which corresponds to ver. 25 here is really the latter part of ver. 17 of the Septuagint, “This is the writing: It hath been numbered; it is reckoned; it has been carried away.” In the verses which are appended to the beginning of the chapter, we have the Aramaic words, but given in a different order, and without the repetition of the first word: “Mane, Phares, Thekel. Mane, It has been numbered; Phares, It is carried away; Thekel, It has been set up.” Here not only is the order different, but the meaning assigned to phares is singular. פְרַס means in Syriac, “spread out.” It would seem that ἐξαίρω meant “stretched out” as well as “carried away.” It is still more difficult to understand how thekel can mean “set up,” unless the words, ἐν ζυγῷ, “on the balance,” are understood. The Septuagint of the best version is briefer than the Massoretic, though less so than it is in some of the other passages, “Numbered is the time of thy kingdom; ceases thy kingdom; cut short and ended has been thy kingdom; to the Medes and the Persians has it been given.” The word interpreted is not repeated as in the Massoretic text, and תְקִל is derived from קְלַל, which in some of the conjugations means “destroyed,” whereas in ver. 17 it is rendered κατελογίσθη, “it is reckoned,” a rendering of תקל which makes it mean “weigh.” The Septuagint rendering of the first clause is an evident attempt at explaining the numbering implied. The Massoretic reading involves a pun in both the last words; there is a play between תְקִל (teqel), “to weigh,” and קְלַל (qelal), “to be light,” although the introduction of שכח rather conceals this. In the last the play is between פרס, “to divide,” and פרס, “a Persian.” Theodotion avoids the repetition of the first word, otherwise he is in somewhat close agreement with the Massoretic text. “Mane, God hath measured thy kingdom; Thekel, It is set on the balance, and found wanting; Phares, Thy kingdom is cut asunder, and given to the Medes and the Persians.” The Peshitta is in close agreement with the Massoretic text. The actual meaning of the words, taking them as they appear in the Massoretic text, as Aramaic words, is, to give English equivalents, “a pound, a pound, an ounce, and quarters;” hence the impossibility of interpreting the words…”[8]

 “…a pound, a pound, an ounce, and quarters…” Simple words, interpreted by Daniel as meaning the Babylonian kingdom of Belshazzar had reached its end, he had been found wanting, lacking in weight and stature before God, and all he had was to be stripped away. The words in Aramaic are puns, a play upon sounds, unknowable by any but Daniel with the leading of the Spirit of God. Such as they are for us today, not only in America, but the world at large.

 So, now you may say, what does all this have to do with a study on the Book of Revelation? Why have I spent so much time (now on the ninth part of our study and we have not even touched the Book yet!) bringing all this up? Well, short answer is that the world is aflame. Just look around you. We see it in every country. Unrest, hate, discontent… The poor are poorer, the rich do not give a wit about them, the politicians are in bed with murderous regimes that oppress their own and want to bring that style of oppression unto our shores here in America. You want the Truth? These are JUST the beginnings of the birth pains of trouble and tribulation! O believer, you here in America have not even tasted the pain of persecution yet. Few of us here (in America) have suffered unto blood in the struggle against sin:

Hebrews 12:1-29 (ESV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and wsin which clings so closely, and xlet us run ywith endurance the race that is zset before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, awho for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising bthe shame, and cis seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 dConsider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or efainthearted.

4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

f “My son, gdo not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.

6  For hthe Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. iGod is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, jin which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to kthe Father of spirits land live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, mthat we may share his holiness. 11 nFor the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields othe peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore plift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and qmake straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint rbut rather be healed. 14 sStrive for peace with everyone, and for the tholiness uwithout which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one vfails to obtain the grace of God; that no w “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is xsexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that yafterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

 18 For you have not come to zwhat may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and athe sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words bmade the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, c “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, dso terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to eMount Zion and to the city of the living God, fthe heavenly Jerusalem, and to ginnumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to hthe assembly1 of the firstborn who are ienrolled in heaven, and to jGod, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, kthe mediator of a new covenant, and to lthe sprinkled blood mthat speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For nif they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time ohis voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, p “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates qthe removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving ra kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus slet us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

29 for our tGod is a consuming fire. [9]

 Will we be found wanting, a lack of faith and determination?

 

 MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN

“…a pound, a pound, an ounce, and quarters…”

 The reason for all this long introduction is to get you to understand what is at stake. It is the struggle against sin in our lives, in this world that we cannot be found wanting, if we are to be conformed to the image of our Messiah.

 We struggle, we agonize.  These words are not to taken lightly or just tossed about.  We cannot use these words “agonize” or “conformed to His image” if we are not fighting and winning.  So, how do you know you are winning?  When you struggle within yourself over anger, over the slip of the tongue.  When you find yourself out of patience or that curse word slips out from your mouth and your heart rends.  When you strive to put down the temptations, when you have to draw deep from your wellspring to find joy in pain –when you are forcing yourself to do right- then you are winning.  I am not talking about a major win, a flag-waving, triumphant parade win; I am talking about the day to day, minute by minute victory.  Not just the one that lasts a moment, but the one that after being hard won is sustained through continual searching and holding on, enduring till the end.  Friends, these words are not easy for me.  My battles seem to take place inch by inch.  At times I wonder if I have made any progress at all.  But I can look back, see I have gained ground and praise Him for it.  Then it begins all over again.

 Repentance does not just “rain down” upon us, instantly changing us into a creature that won’t sin.  We are saved from the curse of sin, slave to it no more, yet sin we will.  Make no mistake here.  Yahveh will send fire upon us, trial after trial, trouble upon trouble, till He, for lack of better words, “beats” the sin up in us to the point we are finally sick of ourselves; this then is the turning point.  We try and try to hang on to whatever it is we call “our life”, till one day we just quit and say, “This doesn’t work.”  Yahveh will use life to wear us down, till we cry, “That’s it, I surrender, I quit!”  You see, “I” is the problem.  When “I” is removed, He steps in.  We come to this place where we say “This word of Yahveh is true.  I’m tired and I cannot live without it any longer.”  We look upon our covetousness, our affections, our wants, our hopes, our dreams and lay them down.  Now we can say in truth to those we love: “Mom, Dad, sister, brother, son, daughter; I have prayed for you and tried to intercede for you.  I have done my best to live by example a life that shows you Yahveh is real.  But I am tired.  I cannot pray you into heaven; I cannot change you.  I must just tell you the truth.  You either have to repent and turn from your sin or die in it.”

 Do you think this boldness will be well received or even appreciated?  No, you will agōn.  But it must be done.  Favoritism or partiality exists in us all, and it is a hindrance to judging righteously.  We all suffer from it.

 1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)
13There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [10]

The temptation here is to withhold Yahveh’s pronouncement of sin according to His Word.  We fight this impulse, we struggle for this stronghold is mighty indeed, yet it must fall if we are to become like Messiah.  When we let go of those we have favored, we learn something about them – or more likely, about ourselves. Perhaps we are not who we thought we were, and this is usually the hardest lesson of all. 

 I hope you can see that in our journey through Yahveh’s word, we have to put aside what we know, what we favor and exchange this for Yahveh’s terms and definitions.  I know that this was a long explanation of “seeing clearly”, but so many of us have muddled vision today, we just can’t get beyond what we think we know, what our favorite “truth” is, this little box we carry Messiah and the Ruach Ha’Kodesh in.  The Truth demands to be heard, and it is here in the corner we find ourselves backed into, when we say to Yahveh, “No more of myself Lord, what is Thy pleasure, what will You have me to believe?” 

 With this humble and contrite spirit, He can then begin to teach us, and that is gift priceless beyond measure.  Let us then let the Lord define things for us as we continue our study.

 We are back now to the glossary looking at what Yeshua wants us to see.  It sometimes is hard to get the feeling for what it is we miss when we just glance over a passage without really seeing what there is to see in the words used.  Sometimes I wonder about that.  We are only on the third or fourth verse of chapter one, yet here it has taken us nine parts to get here…  That is how deep Yahveh’s word is: He can say so much with so little and it takes us silly humans’ volumes to try to make sense of it.  There is a something about that, this digging into the word, which gives me pause.  Faith is what we live by; we take Yahveh at His word, trusting Him that what He tells us is true:

 1 John 5:14-15 (NLT)
And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. 15 And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. [11]

 Is there a stumbling block in learning?  Yes and no.  If the learning takes the place of Yahveh and becomes the focal point of our relationship to Him, then all that is learned is in vain. What good is it to gain all knowledge and lose Yahveh in the process?  The other side of that coin is to take at face value all we see and hear and are taught, and to never question the teachers.  This is where heresies creep in, and we risk in believing in another gospel, another Jesus, and lose Yahveh in the process.  True learning, true teaching, will always lead us back to Messiah, and to what His message to us is: that Yahveh did not and does not need us, He was perfect in the beginning, He was complete as the Master and Creator.  The message of Yahveh is that He wanted us.  He has no need of any of us, His plans will be carried to their end with or without us, but because He is YHVH, (יהוהH3068 ), merciful and compassionate, He wanted us as His family.  For this reason, we can now enter into His presence, and call Him ‘Abba [Father]’, and He allows us to learn of Him, so that we can ἀγαπάω agapaō (ag-ap-ah'-o) [love] Him. 

“ἀγαπάω agapaō” is not what we perceive it to be: agape love was to walk in the commandments of a King or in the willing obedience to the Father of a family.  We have been taught over and over again that it is “unconditional love”, yet the Bible clearly points to this “willing obedience” as the type of “love” Messiah expects from us:

Exodus 20:5-6 (CEV)
5 Do not bow down and worship idols. I am the Lord your God, and I demand all your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations. 6 But if you love [אהב    אהב 'âhab  'âhêb aw-hab', aw-habe'][12]

me and obey my laws, I will be kind to your families for thousands of generations. [13]

 Deuteronomy 5:9-10 (KJV)
9Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love [14] [אהב    אהב 'âhab  'âhêb aw-hab', aw-habe'] me and keep my commandments. [15]

 Psalm 91:14-16 (KJV)
14Because he hath set his love [חשׁק châshaq khaw-shak'] [16] upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. 16With longc life will I satisfy him and shew him my salvation. [17]

John 14:21 (KJV)
21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth* me: and he that loveth* me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love* him, and will manifest myself to him. [18]

(*All these translate as ἀγαπάω agapaō [ag-ap-ah'-o])

 

In all of these examples, a condition was placed upon the love, the affection of Yahveh and the Son:

 

  • Do not bow down and worship idols.…
  • obey my laws…
  • Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them…
  • keep my commandments…
  • hath set his love upon me…
  • because he hath known my name…
  • …hath my commandments, and keepeth [keeps, guards] them…

 For us to love Yahveh, we must obey Yahveh.  To obey Yahveh is to keep His commandments and what are His commandments?  His Word.  His Torah.  His instructions and HIS definitions, His clearly defined way of interpreting His law.  This understanding helps to explain another of the most misunderstood parts of Scripture, the Sermon on the Mount. 

 I would like to take the time to go into this, but we would never get through Revelation, so, we will save it for another time.  This is why we study though… to understand Who Yahveh is, and what His intent is through His words in order that we love [willingly follow and obey] Him.  We cannot keep His commandments if we truly don’t understand them, and the only way to know them, is to know Him. 

 I realize that when you take a look at this study, it goes so much farther than you were probably expecting; my hope is that you see the value in going so deep.  Yahveh’s love is unsearchable; I can only try to scratch the surface of it, to prayerfully bring you to a place where you hunger for more of Him, that you just do not stop at what you see, but that you get yourself fully immersed in Him and the majesty of His word and His Son.

       This is what I mean when I say that Chapter 1 of the Revelation is a glossary. The term glossary comes from the Greek word “glossa” (γλῶσσα).  Below is a brief explanation of the history of the term:

 “…Gloss, Glossary. A gloss is a note appended to any word or phrase for the purpose of interpretation or illustration. “Sacred glosses” are such notes appended to words or phrases occurring in the Scriptures. A glossary is a collection of such explanatory notes properly arranged.

The word gloss is borrowed from the Greek γλῶσσα. But in the sense above explained it has no support from classical usage. The process, however, by which the word passed from its original meaning to that in which it was used by mediæval writers, and in which it is now used, may be traced. The Greek word γλῶσσα, meaning tongue or speech, came to be used by the Greek grammarians in the sense of a word requiring to be explained. In process of time words often become obsolete or come to be used in senses different from those in which they were originally used; new words are introduced; and words frequently have special meanings attached to them of a professional or technical character, familiar only to a portion of the community. To the multitude such words need to be explained; and such words the Greek grammarians called γλῶσσαι. Thus, Plutarch speaks of certain expressions in the poets which were not commonly understood, and which belonged to the idiotisms of particular regions or tribes, as τὰς λεγομένας γλώττας (De audiend. poet. c. 6). Galen applies the same name to the antiquated words of Hippocrates and explains the term thus: ὅσα τοίνυν τῶν ὀνομάτων ἐν μὲν τοῖς πάλαι χρόνοις συνήθη ἦν νῦν δὲ οὐκ ἔτι ἐστί, τὰ μὲν τοιαῦτα γλώσσας καλοῦσι (Exeges. Gloss. Hippocrat. Proem.). Aristotle applies the same term to provincialisms (De arte poet. c. xxi, § 4–6; xxii, 3, 4, etc.). And, not to multiply quotations, a scholiast on Dion. Halicarn., quoted by Wetstein on 1 Cor. 12:10, expressly says γλῶσσαι· φωναὶ ἀρχαῖαι καὶ ἀποξενίσμεναι ἢ ἐπιχωριάζουσαι. Quintilian also says of the synonymous word glossemata, “Id est voces minus usitatas” (Inst. Orat. i, 8, 15; comp. also i, 1, 35).

The next step was from calling a word needing explanation a gloss, to apply this term to the explanation itself. These explanations at first consisted merely in adhibiting the word in common use (ὄνομα κύριον, Aristot.) to the obsolete and peculiar word; and thus, the two viewed as one whole came to be called a gloss; and ultimately this name came to be given to that part which was of most interest to the reader, viz. the explanation…”[19]

                 We can see that the practice of creating a “glossary” of terms is well established.  “Sacred Glosses” have existed since the 1200’s, with a dearth of them being produced from the 1500’s through the 1700’s.  Many of these were formed from the marginal notes those that were studying Scripture.  John Wesley’s Geneva Bible of 1587 is a prime example of this, as it was published along with his marginal notes.  Notice what they called the gloss in the old days: the explanation.  This definition of “gloss” is where we get the term “Hermeneutics” from, as explained by McClintock and Strong:

 

 “…Hermeneutics (from ἑρμηνεύω, to explain), the technical or scientific name of that branch of theology which consists in exposition in general, as distinguished from exegesis (q. v.) in particular. Reserving for the more usual and equivalent title Interpretation (of Scripture) the history and literature of the subject, we propose to give in the present article only a brief view of those principles or Canons which should be observed in the elucidation of the meaning of the sacred text.

I. The first and most essential process is to apply the natural and obvious principles of a careful and conscientious exegesis to the passage and all its terms. This may be called the philologic-historical rule. It embraces the following elements:

1. The diligent and discriminative use of an accurate and judicious Lexicon.

2. The painstaking and constant reference to the best Grammars.

A well-grounded knowledge of the language is implied in these prescriptions, yet the interpreter needs to confirm or modify his judgment by these independent authorities.

3. An intimate acquaintance with the archæology involved, including geography, chronology, and Oriental usages.

4. The context should be carefully consulted; and the general drift of the argument, as well as the author’s special design in writing, must be kept in mind.

5. Especially is a cordial sympathy with spiritual truth a prerequisite in this task. A deep religious experience has enlightened many an otherwise ill-instructed mind as to the meaning of much of Holy Writ…”[20]

 

While there is more to the study of hermeneutics, you can see from this portion of McClintock-Strong that this is the method that we are employing here in our study.  That is why we seek to establish a glossary from Chapter one, for without it, we would be truly unable to understand the subsequent parts of the Book.  What we are doing now is making a “Sacred Gloss”, as we study His word, as we seek His Truth.  As we go on, write down those words and terms that the Holy Spirit leads you to do.  Study them, let the true meanings sink into your heart, for is this not why we study after all?

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
15Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth. [21]

As we build our definitions base, there will be many things that we will look at, such as:

Candlesticks:

  • Revelation 1:20
  • Matthew 5:14-16

Clothing:

  • Isaiah 11:5; 61:10
  • Ephesians 6:14
  • Revelation 19:8

White Head and hair:

  • Daniel 7:9
  • Matthew 17:1-2
  • Acts 22:6-8
  • 2 Peter 1:16-18
  • Revelation 22:5

Eyes of fire:

  • 2 Timothy 1:7-8
  • Hebrews 12:29

Feet of brass:

  • Proverbs 1:24-28
  • Isaiah 48:4
  • Luke 13:25-27

Voice of many waters:

  • Daniel 10:6
  • Revelation 14:2-3; 19:6

Seven stars:

  • Daniel 12:3
  • Malachi 2:7
  • Revelation 1:20, 12:1

Two-edged sword:

  • Ephesians 6:17
  • Hebrews 4:12

Keys:

  • Isaiah 22:20-22
  • Matthew 16:19; 28:18
  • Luke 11:52
  • Revelation 3:7; 20:1
  • John 20:22-23
  • 1 Corinthians 12:4, 8[22]

 We will touch on each of these subjects and more.  What I cannot promise you is a linear study.  As we touch on the many aspects of the Revelation, you will find that we have to jump ahead, go backwards, maybe even sideways (just kidding… or not…).

 There is a thread that runs through Scripture, a thread that weaves throughout the pages stitching together a story that has no beginning and no end, each part just as valuable as the whole.  To comprehend each part of the amazing quilt that has been sewn together by the Hand of Yahveh there will be times we must follow the thread back to its source.  This is what I mean by not being able to do a linear study.  We have to examine the illustrations John has given us in light of all Scripture, for did not Messiah say in John 5:39 (1901 ASV):

 “…Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life,

and these are they which bear witness of me…” [23]

 What less then can we do?  The answer does not lie solely within the book of Revelation, but in the BOOK, the whole Word of Yahveh.  Revelation is the sum of the total of Scripture.  Have you ever pondered the Apostle John?  Read what Matthew Henry wrote of him:

 

“…John was the beloved disciple. He was, under the New Testament, as the prophet Daniel under the Old, a man greatly beloved. He was the servant of Messiah; he was an apostle, an evangelist, and a prophet; he served Messiah in all the three extraordinary offices of the church. James was an apostle, but not a prophet, nor an evangelist; Matthew was an apostle and evangelist, but not a prophet; Luke was an evangelist, but neither a prophet nor an apostle; but John was all three; and so, Messiah calls him in an eminent sense his servant John…”[24]

 

When we understand the scribe that Messiah picked to write out the dictates of the Spirit concerning the final chapter of man’s history then we will begin to look at his words a bit differently, maybe with more care and caution.  Care because here was Messiah’s beloved disciple, entrusted with the manifest words and vision of the resurrected Savior; caution for to understand these words, we must not let ourselves think that we do not have the ability to understand them.  The Book of Revelation was written for us, but not to us. It was written to the Jewish brethren of Messiah, but as such, all the words and symbolism contained within the Book of Revelation are defined for us within the Scripture itself.  Revelation will come through the Holy Spirit and in the entirety of Scripture will the Truth be known to us.  This is why we study, this is why we let the context and the words define themselves, this is why we search, turning page after page, pouring over line upon line, precept unto precept, for this is our legal food.

 “Legal food?  What are you talkin’ about teacher?”

Messiah said to satan in the wilderness:

Matthew 4:4 (1901 ASV)
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. [25]

He also said:

John 6:48-58 (KJV)
48 rI am that bread of life. 49 s Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. 50 t This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread u which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the v bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore w strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except x you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 y Whoso eats of my flesh, and drinks of my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is 2 meat indeed, and my 3 blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eats of my flesh, and drinks of my blood z, dwells in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so, he that eats of me, even he shall live by me. 58 a This is that bread which came down from heaven: b not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead: he that eats of this bread shall live forever. [26]

 You will see in the footnotes to the above passages the translations found in the NU (Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies)  text of true food and true drink.  This is what I mean by legal food.  Cows eat cow food.  Horses eat horse food.  And sheep eat sheep food.  Let me say this; you will never make a sheep angry if you feed it legal food.  What did Yeshua say about His sheep?

John 10:1-16 (NKJV)
10     “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by aname and leads them out.

4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

5 Yet they will by no means follow a bstranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6

Yeshua used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

7 Then Yeshua said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came 1before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

9 cI am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 d“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a 2hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and eleaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and fI know My sheep, and gam known by My own.

15 hAs the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; iand I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And jother sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring,

and they will hear My voice;

kand there will be one flock and one shepherd. [27]

             

The sheep know His voice and will follow.  Friends and brethren, I am not here to convince you to think the way I do.  I am not here to change your beliefs or your interpretations of Yahveh’s word.  If you are His sheep and if what I present to you is legal and true food, then you will hear His voice and follow the Truth no matter where it leads.  I cannot make you angry if you hear His voice, for you will know the truth is being spoken.  If on the other hand, you hear these words and they bother you, well, think about that for a moment, if you will.

The word of Yahveh is our legal food.

 Truth is legal.  When Messiah spoke in Matthew about “binding and loosing” (see Matt. 16:19 and Matt. 18:18) what He meant was this: “to bind” was to declare “illegal” and “to loose” was to declare legal.

 “…Bind (represented by numerous Heb. words). To bind and to loose (δέω and λύω) are figurative expressions, used as synonymous with command and forbid; they are also taken for condemning and absolving (Matt. 16:19). Binding and loosing, in the language of the Jews, expressed permitting or forbidding, or judicially declaring anything to be permitted or forbidden (comp. John 20:23; 16:13). In the admission of their doctors to interpret the Law and the Prophets, they put a key and a table-book into their hands, with these words; “Receive the power of binding and loosing,” to which there seems to be an allusion in Luke 11:52. (See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb. in loc.) So, Christ says, “I am not come to destroy,” to unloose or dissolve, “the law, but to fulfil it,” that is, to confirm and establish it (Matt. 5:17). The expression “to bind the law upon one’s hand for a sign,” etc., is figurative, and implies an acquaintance with it, and a constant regard to its precepts; but the Jews construed the phrase literally, and bound parts of the law about their wrists; hence the custom of wearing phylacteries. Rolls or volumes of writing were tied up; hence the expression in Isa. 1:8, 16…” [28]

Illegal food, that is the Word of Yahveh twisted and contorted to fit man’s interpretation, binds the ekklesia today.  David was troubled by this:

Psalm 56 (ESV)
1 To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths.

A Miktam of David when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me; all day long an attacker oppresses me; 2 my enemies trample on me all day long, for many attack me proudly. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil. 6 They stir up strife, they lurk; they watch my steps, as they have waited for my life. 7 For their crime will they escape? In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossing; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? 9 Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, 11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God; I will render thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. [29]

 Peter warned about it in 2 Peter 3:14-18 (KJV):


14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Messiah.

To him be glory both now and forever.

Amen. [30]

 Now, I can only pass on legal food to sheep.  They are the only ones who will hear it and recognize the shepherd. That is why we cannot convince anyone of the Truth of what we say.  You have to be born again, γεννάω [gennaō ghen-nah'-o] ἄνωθεν [anōthen an'-o-then], which means to be begat from above, which is the providence of Yahveh, and not man as stated in John 1:13 (KJV):

 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God… [31]

  Without the new birth no one can be convinced of the things of Yahveh, as Paul said in Romans 8:5-9 (NKJV):

 5 For hthose who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, ithe things of the Spirit. 6 For jto be 2carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because kthe 3carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God,

lnor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Messiah, he is not His.  [32]


                A goat cannot be convinced he is a sheep, just as a sheep cannot be convinced he is a goat.  Only the sovereign will of Yahveh can affect the change that is required to hear His voice.  Thus, Truth becomes our legal, true food.  Messiah said that He is the Truth, the Life, and the Way, so this is what He meant when He said “…
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him…”

 For me to come before you and argue about the true doctrines of the Bible would be foolishness on my part.  It is not my office to convince anyone; my calling consists of the laying out of the food and whosoever will, will eat thereof.  A farmer does not go out and argue with the chickens about whether or not they are chickens, or whether or not they ought to lay eggs; so then, a teacher does not argue about doctrines and truth.  Those that are Yahveh’s hear His voice and will respond to the Truth and eat the legal food.  Those that are not will cling to their “Jesus”, their “God” and will turn away from the Truth, for it interferes with the path they have chosen and are destined to follow.  The lies of satan are many and manifold, yet they are attractive because they hold just enough of a shadow of truth to deceive the many. All I am speaking on now will tie into Revelation, on one word found in Rev. 1:3, a word we need to add to our glossa.  Let me continue in my thoughts though…

 The pride of satan was his downfall.  Let us look at this in Scripture:

Isaiah 14:3-23 (Tanakh)
3 And when the Lord has given you rest from your sorrow and trouble, and from the hard service that you were made to serve, 4 you shall recite this song of scorn over the king of Babylon: How is the taskmaster vanished, How is oppression ended! 5 The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked, The rod of tyrants, 6 That smote peoples in wrath With stroke unceasing, That belabored nations in fury In relentless pursuit. 7 All the earth is calm, untroubled; Loudly it cheers. 8 Even pines rejoice at your fate, And cedars of Lebanon: “Now that you have lain down, None shall come up to fell us.” 9 Sheol below was astir To greet your coming— Rousing for you the shades Of all earth’s chieftains, Raising from their thrones All the kings of nations. 10 All speak up and say to you, “So you have been stricken as we were, You have become like us! 11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, And the strains of your lutes! Worms are to be your bed, Maggots your blanket!”

12 How are you fallen from heaven, O Shining One, son of Dawn! How are you felled to earth, O vanquisher of nations! 13 Once you thought in your heart, “I will climb to the sky; Higher than the stars of God I will set my throne. I will sit in the mount of assembly, On the summit of Zaphon: 14 I will mount the back of a cloud— I will match the Most High.”

15 Instead, you are brought down to Sheol, To the bottom of the Pit. 16 They who behold you stare; They peer at you closely: “Is this the man Who shook the earth, Who made realms tremble, 17 Who made the world like a waste And wrecked its towns, Who never released his prisoners to their homes?” 18 All the kings of nations Were laid, every one, in honor Each in his tomb; 19 While you were left lying unburied, Like loathsome carrion, Like a trampled corpse [In] the clothing of slain gashed by the sword Who sink to the very stones of the Pit. 20 You shall not have a burial like them; Because you destroyed your country, Murdered your people. Let the breed of evildoers Nevermore be named! 21 Prepare a slaughtering block for his sons Because of the guilt of their father. Let them not arise to possess the earth! Then the world’s face shall be covered with towns. 22 I will rise up against them—declares the Lord of Hosts—and will wipe out from Babylon name and remnant, kith and kin—declares the Lord— 23 and I will make it a home of bitterns, pools of water. I will sweep it with a broom of extermination—declares the Lord of Hosts. [33]

Look at the portion in bold.  satan did not say “I’ll establish for myself a kingdom of devil-worshippers, running around in calf-leggings and goat horns!”; he said “…I will mount the back of a cloud— I will match the Most High.”

  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 (NKJV):

12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, sthat I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13 For such tare false apostles, udeceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Messiah. 14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into van angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, wwhose end will be according to their works. [34]

There are many who profess the name of Jesus but it is a “Jesus” of their own making, a ways and means of gain:

1 Timothy 6:1-5 (NKJV)
6     Let as many abondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. 2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things. 3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to bwholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Messiah, cand to the 1doctrine which accords with godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 2useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

3From dsuch withdraw yourself. [35]

Paul also warned in 2 Tim. 3:1-9:

3     But know this, that ain the last days 1perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, 2unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 btraitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 chaving a form of godliness but ddenying its power. And efrom such people turn away! 6 For fof this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able gto come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 hNow as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: imen of corrupt minds, jdisapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, kas theirs also was. [36]

 Notice that it is not sinners and unbelievers Paul is warning us of; it is those who call themselves “brethren” and “believers”!

 There is so much to cover, so much that needs to be explained before we can even start a study of this type. I think that you are beginning to see that this is not like any studies you have run across; look with me again at the title of this epistle (way back there on page one…) “…A Search for Truth at the end of the Age…”  To find the Truth we have to be ready to confront all that hinders us, expose the darkness in our lives and bend our knees to Him who sits upon the throne.

                 Many have taken the broad path that leads to destruction, many that profess the name of Messiah.  Many wrest the scriptures, failing in their vain attempts to make them say and justify the winds of doctrine that blow all around us, the doctrines of man that bring to none affect the doctrines of Yahveh.  The daily dying of self, the godly sorrow that brings the meat of repentance, the mortifying of the flesh; these are concepts ignored in most “churches” today.  Being Messiah like does not always “feel” good – sometimes it hurts.  It feels good before Yahveh, but not before men.  Paul knew this.  That is why he could sing while chained in prison (Acts 16:25).  That is why Peter and the other apostles could rejoice after being beaten for preaching Messiah Yeshua (Acts 5:41).  This is the contentment the Apostles understood – being content before Yahveh in His peace and His presence.  It was not the contentment of the world, with its pleasures and its riches.

 1 Timothy 6:9 (KJV)
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [37]

 Do we not see this, my brethren?  Just look at the economic and political mess that not only the United States is in, but the whole world roils in.  Powerful interests, by lust for money and power, have served themselves and the result has been to try and bring this nation to its knees, something many of its enemies have tried but could never accomplish throughout its 300+ year history.  Those that wanted more, be it power or money, allowed their souls to be corrupted and it troubled them not who was hurt in the outcome.

Foolish, hurtful destruction.


 MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN

“…a pound, a pound, an ounce, and quarters…”

The end is not yet upon us as millions of Americans alone have lost trillions of dollars, and in the desperation of those that have been charged with the public good in a futile attempt by theft or deception to regain what power they had thought they lost, the future legacy of this nation, nay, the world, is drowning in debt and sin – exactly as Yahveh’s word has predicted…

 Revelation 18:1-19 (NKJV)

18     After athese things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, band the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried 1mightily with a loud voice, saying, c“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and dhas become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and ea cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations fhave drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, gand the merchants of the earth have become rich through the 2abundance of her luxury.”

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, h“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 iFor her sins 3have reached to heaven, and jGod has remembered her iniquities. 6 kRender to her just as she rendered 4to you and repay her double according to her works; lin the cup which she has mixed, mmix double for her. 7 nIn the measure that she glorified herself and lived 5luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as oqueen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come pin one day—death and mourning and famine. And qshe will be utterly burned with fire, rfor strong is the Lord God who 6judges her.

9 s“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her twill weep and lament for her, uwhen they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, v‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city!

wFor in one hour your judgment has come.’

11 “And xthe merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 ymerchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and zsouls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have 7gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, athat great city bthat was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

17 cFor in one hour such great riches 8came to nothing.’

dEvery shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 eand cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, f‘What is like this great city?’

19 g“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth!

hFor in one hour she 9is made desolate.’ [38]

 It is interesting to note, that back in the space of one hour in the crash of September 2008, the financial troubles of the United States erupted when over 500 billion dollars was taken out of mutual fund markets by parties yet undisclosed.  It was this initial one hour run that started the melt down of Wall Street and the banking system.  Now with no end in sight of this problem, it will only be those whose lives are turned to the L-rd, in simplicity and trust, that will be spared in what is to come. In 2021, more will come, for evil has stolen an election, looted, and burned cities across the land for months and those who worship Moloch have seized power.

 1 Timothy 6:10 (KJV)
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erredc from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. [39]

Notice also what type of merchandise was sold: it included the bodies and souls of men.  Do we not slave after the wealth and power, and do not our souls become corrupt for the lust of the flesh?  The term “love of money” is the Greek word φιλαργυρία philarguria fil-ar-goo-ree'-ah [Strong’s number G5365] , which also means avarice or greed.  Now where have we seen that definition before?  Look back to the word πλεονεξία pleonexia  pleh-on-ex-ee'-ah [G4124].  This is “covetness”.  Look again at the root of the word.  “Philarguria”  (or in some texts ‘philigyria’) comes from:

‘Phil-arguria’

 ‘philos’                                                ‘arguros’

                      …love, befriended, an affection for…                 …silver or shining…

         “…A love or affection for silver…”  What do we set our eyes upon?  Remember “to serve what we see”?  O brethren: do you not see how all the words, thoughts, and precepts of Yahveh tie in with one another? 

           When our affections turn to silver and from Yahveh, then goes our own ties, our circumstances, our relationships.  Then do we “err from the faith” and are “pierced through with many sorrows…”  Are we always to be looking for “a piece of the action?”  For the affection for silver or something “shining” (be it material goods or a ‘name’ for ourselves…) we turn away from the agōn for that which is temporal and away from that which is eternal, the likeness of Messiah.  How many ministries have fallen because of “philarguria”?  How many have “erred from the faith” for the shining – the spotlight, the power, the fame, the name, the wealth of the faithful of Yahveh – turning the saints away from Yeshua Messiah toward themselves in cults of personality?  We sacrifice Yahveh’s principles to be that “shining” beacon in the eyes of others, not realizing that if we do not preach the full council of Yahveh then we have done no one any favors – despite our attempts to garner that self-same favoritism.

                IF – and it is a big IF – we believe the word of Yahveh – that every word in the Bible has meaning and purpose, and that every word is true (based upon Yahveh’s interpretation, not our own), then we must hold to the doctrine of pre-destination, that salvation is of Yahveh given out to those He has chosen from before the foundation of the world.  Those that we are showing favoritism toward, the ones we hold back from the conviction of the Holy Spirit (by telling them what is pleasant to hear and not the truth), we are in essence saying we do not believe the word of Yahveh.  If we truly believe Yahveh’s word, then we must believe this: that if they are His, they will be saved, so we have no reason to hold back the truth.  If they are not His, chosen to be vessels of honor, but elected to be vessel of wrath, then nothing we do will matter.  That should never deter us from speaking the Truth, for we don’t know who His are, and who are not. 

                One thing is certain though:  a truth we have to face is to that quite possibly someone we care about may be destined to be lost. All we can do is to be true to Yahveh and speak His words – the rest is up to Him.  I cannot save my family; I hold fast to His words and promises, yet I do no good by withholding Truth from them –

“Repent! For the kingdom of Yahveh is at hand! REPENT! Or perish in the wrath to come…”  

                Do I love them more if I speak these words to them, or if I do not?  I will never stop praying for the saving knowledge of Messiah to come upon them, but the truth is I might not see them on the other side of eternity.  Does this mean I compromise?  So that I can curry their favor on this earth, should I tone down the message of the Gospel?  Nay, I must continue to agōn, no matter what, for as I am conformed into the image of the Son, I know not who is brought along also – so I must keep moving, ever pushing for the prize in hopes that by my life I might convince others.

                The hard thing then is to know what to do and do it.  There are those (and we all know someone who fits this description) that we are to shake the dust off our feet and move on.  For those that are our mothers and brothers, sisters and fathers are those who do the will of the L-rd.   These ones are the family we have now.  The others?

 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJV)

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Messiah with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. [40]

 Now, how do we reconcile this?  Beloved, this has to be one of the most painful decisions we will probably make.  We are torn by our natural affections, between our families on earth and our Father in heaven.  It is only when we make the decision whether to follow Yahveh or not that we reconcile this.  We can only be content when we follow Him and surround ourselves with those that do the Father’s will.   I am not saying that we stop reaching out to the lost, for if we did that, we are most wretched among people, but understand no matter what we do, we will never convince an unbelieving family member that Messiah is the only way.  For one reason, it is not our place anyway.  Our place is to speak the Truth, to tell them that they will die in their sins if they do not repent.  If they are elect of Yahveh, then this will not chase them away; it could quite possibly be the catalyst needed in their lives to help them call upon the L-rd.  If they are not of the elect, nothing will ever change them.  Yahveh will continue to  present opportunity after opportunity to repent into their lives, and they will not take it.  He knows their heart – whatever happens, Yahveh will see to it.  We are to come out from among them, to be separate.  Yes, this is hard, but what is harder?  Walking away from them, or Yahveh?  To stay loyal to them is to say “no thanks” to Yahveh.  There are only to choices – we are loyal to unbelievers, yoked to them, or we let the dead bury their dead and follow Him.

 Matthew 8:21-22 (KJV)
21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. [41]

 Luke 9:57-62 (NET)
57 As they were walking along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 Jesus said to another, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” [42]

               What I am about to say is hard, but understand Yahveh only loves His family, the family, and people He has chosen from before the foundation of the world.  Do you have family in rebellion?  Does our favoring them change the election of Yahveh which He has ordained from the beginning?  We have to let them go.  If they belong to Yahveh, He will get them; if they do not, He will not. 

                Friends, how will we win them?  They are not ours to win.  Our favoring them, excusing their sins does no good. How can we justify letting them slide in their sins when Yahveh will not?  This is tough folks.  But in the face of it, we have to be objective, and the Truth is always objective.  The Bible is what it is – the true inspired Word of Yahveh in the original autographs – there is no arguing about it.  We either decide to believe it, and that means every word, every precept and every line or we do not.  When we pick and choose “cherry-picking’” our way through it, keeping only the good or those things that appeal to our world view, then we are making a “god” that fits the desires we have of a “god” that is what we want it to be.  My brethren – and I know of no kind way to say this – if this is what we do then WE ARE NO BETTER THAN THE HEATHENS AND WE ARE LOST.  Only when we bow our knees and agree with Yahveh and His Word and His Son and His Spirit – do we live and find contentment.  It is what it is.  Do I favor man and displease Yahveh, or do I displease man and do Yahveh’s will?  That is the agōn.  O how we will suffer for His righteousness sake.  There is no other way. 

                 Beloved, some of us struggle because we had followed different paths till Yahveh pulled us from the mire.  Now, on looking at these paths, we can see the damage our sinful ways inflicted upon those we love, and it is easy to rationalize and say they are what they are because of us.  Do you know what I say?  LIES – from the father of lies.   O child of Yahveh – you were ordained to walk the path you walked.  Yahveh ordered your footsteps [Ps. 37:33]; your heart may have thought it controlled your path, but you were directed by Yahveh every inch of the way [Pro. 16:9].  At just the right place and time Messiah saved you [Rom. 5:6-8] and you now tread the narrow path Yahveh always intended for you to be on.  There was nothing you could have done differently, for Yahveh had planned it and carried it out.  So how can you blame what you had no choice in?  Hold on to Yahveh’s words – claim them – live with the salvation of your family in your periphery but stop looking back.  Embrace the new family Yahveh has given you.  Caring for the lost is one thing.  Being lost pre-supposes that you can be found – praise Yahveh for His mercy and grace!  Caring for the unrepentant is something else entirely.  The unrepentant are called [G279] ἀμετανόητος ametanoētos am-et-an-o'-ay-tos, [see Rom. 2:1-10] or impenitent.  The literal sense of the word is “without change of mind”.  This is the direct opposite of “metanoia”, the “after-mind” or repentance.  The point is that to be unrepentant involves a conscious decision to reject grace.  Now, I know, this seemingly contradicts the role of pre-destination, but it truly does not.  I know this, for I was one of the unrepentant.  I had offer after offer put before me and pushed grace aside.  When the time was right, Yahveh used the things of the world to beat me into submission (and beloved, this is the only way I can describe it – Yahveh’s tough love…), where my only cry could be “Yahveh help me”.  He elected me to this grace, for His reasons, for His pleasure.  If it pleased Him to make His Son suffer, then, I have to assume that it was His pleasure to wound me before He choose to call me to salvation.  Why me and not another?  Only Yahveh knows the answer to this, but it is His choice to make. 

 The unrepentant turns from grace because they are ordained to; Yahveh turns the unrepentant because He knows that is what they want to do – they want to reject His grace.  That is the Sovereignty of Yahveh.  What place do you have in such a situation?  Seek out the ones that do His will to call them mother or brother or sister.  I must say this again – we HAVE to come to the place where we do it by the BOOK, the Living Word of Yahveh and give no place to the devil [Eph. 4:27]!  For whose son or daughter are you?  Whose will do you follow?  Will it be like that of the Pharisees [John 8:44] or that of Messiah’s [John 8:55]? 

                 Let us go back to 1 Tim. 6:10.  Remember we defined “love of money” [philarguria] as an affection for silver (or shining), or the simpler “to serve what we see”.  This “root of all evil” does not have to be money though money is invariably tied to it.  It can be fame, power, things, the desire for glory or the hunger of ambition.  These things can and will cause the believer as well as the unsaved to “err from the faith” and cause them to be “pierced” “…with many sorrows…”  What are we admonished to do then?  (vs. 11) “…flee these things…”  Now, some “scholars” like Scofield[43] believe “these things” means simply “the love of money”.  Unless though we take this unnatural affection deeper into ALL desires of the flesh, are we truly crucifying it?  If any part of self remains, that leaven will spread and ruin the entire batch – it must all be dealt with.  Paul mentions in verse eleven of 1 Tim. 6 six things we need to pursue:

  

1.    Righteousness: to conform to Yahveh’s will in action, word, and deed

2.    Godliness: reverence and obedience to Yahveh’s commandments

3.    Faith: our trust in Him

4.    Love: the Greek word (G26) ἀγάπη agapē ag-ah’-pay best defined by Vine as: “…Christian love has Yahveh for its primary object and expresses itself first of all [emphasis mine] in implicit obedience to His commandments…” [44]

5.    Patience: perseverance (Long-suffering)

6.    Meekness: gentle, quiet strength [humbleness – brokenness toward Messiah]

 

We obtain these by:

(v12) “Fight the good fight of faith…” 

"Fight" =

                ἀγωνίζομαι agōnizomai ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee        "fight"= ἀγών agōn ag-one’

 

Struggle.  Agon.  Daily dying to self; mortifying the flesh; crucifying the flesh; carrying our cross.  Repentance, not just turning but the returning to where we came from – Yahveh. Hardships, adversities, trials, tribulations, troubles, heartaches, weeping between the porch and the altar:

 -WARFARE-

 Warfare with ourselves, for the crown of Glory, Messiah Yeshua.

The struggle for the inner man; is He {God} winning?  Or does the outer man rebel and insist upon his way?  Inch by inch the inner man should progress, peeling away the layers that make up the outer man.  As we agōnizomai the agōn, we lay ahold of eternal life – our salvation, our σώζω sōzō sode'-zo, the journey from death to life, to glory at the side of our L-rd Yeshua.  As we win, we (G3528) νικάω nikaō nik-ah'-o: that is, we overcome, we triumph.  Overcome [nikaō] comes from the Greek word (G3529) νίκη nikē nee'-kay meaning victory. And what is the victory that overcomes the world? (1 John 5:4)  Is it not our faith?  For if we’ve overcome the world then we are dead to sin through faith in Him who was crucified for our sins; therefore we have died to SELF!  Agōn!  Agōnizomai!  SELF is our enemy, SELF is our demon, our devils…FIGHT to cast them out, to cast them away! If we do not, then we know what awaits…

MENĒ, MENĒ, TEKĒL, UPHARSIN

“…a pound, a pound, an ounce, and quarters…”

                Remember the sin of satan:  I will mount the back of a cloud— I will match the Most High.”

satan is not coming at the elect of Yahveh as an evil sulfur-smelling creature from the pit of Hades; he is coming as a minister of light, speaking smooth words, and promising all to those who will bow down and worship him and his version of Yeshua.  This is probably the foremost reason we have to know the Truth of Yahveh’s word, so that when we hear these words, we can reject them for we know the Truth, and it is He who sets us free.   What the whole purpose of discourse is about is to get those who hear it to reconsider their previous convictions, to see things in a new light.  Webster puts it this way:

 "...Discourse

DISCOURSE, n. Discors. [L., to run.]

 1. The act of the undertaking, by which it passes from premises to consequences; the act which connects propositions and deduces conclusions from them. [This sense is now obsolete.]

2. Literally, a running over a subject in speech; hence, a communication of thoughts by words, either to individuals, to companies, or to public assemblies. Discourse to an individual or to a small company is called conversation or talk; mutual interchange or thoughts; mutual intercourse of language. It is applied to the familiar communication of thoughts by an individual, or to the mutual communication of two or more. We say:

I was pleased with his discourse, and he heard our discourse.

The vanquished party with the victors joined, nor wanted sweet discourse, the banquet of the mind.

3. Effusion of language; speech.

4. A written treatise; a formal dissertation; as the discourse of Plutarch on garrulity; of Cicero on old age.

5. A sermon, uttered or written.

We say, an extemporaneous discourse, or a written discourse.

DISCOURSE, v.i.

 1. To talk; to converse; to but it expresses rather more formality than talk.

He discoursed with us an hour on the events of the war. We discoursed together on our mutual concerns.

2. To communicate thoughts or ideas in a formal manner; to treat upon in a solemn, set manner; as:

 to discourse on the properties of the circle; or

The preacher discoursed on the nature and effects of faith.

3. To reason; to pass from premises to consequences.

DISCOURSE, v.t. To treat of; to talk over; to discuss. [Not used.]

 Let use discourse our fortunes..." [45]

 “To reason; to pass from premises to consequences…”  Where have we heard this before?

 

Isaiah 1:10-20 (KJV)
10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. 11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goatse. 12 When ye come to appearf before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquityg, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieveh the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:

though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. [46]

 “Reason” used here is the Hebrew word (H3198)  יכח  yâkach yaw-kakh' defined by Strong as:

“…A primitive root; to be right (that is, correct); reciprocally to argue; causatively to decide, justify or convict: - appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correct (-ion), daysman, dispute, judge, maintain, plead, reason (together), rebuke, reprove (-r), surely, in any wise…”[47]

 Here in this passage from Isaiah, Yahveh is challenging Israel to a trial, to a justification of its ways before Yahveh.  “…willing and obedient…” must they become to live; otherwise, they perish.  It is no different for us today. The way we reason with Yahveh is to hear, to ‘shema [hear and obey].  No conversation is one-sided.  We have to be willing to hear from the other’s point of view.  How many of us do that with Yahveh?  How many of us have already formed our opinions, have garnered our “facts”, and stand ready to justify our positions before the Sovereign L-rd of the universe? This is why I have taken such pains to bring out the fact that we have to shed our ideas and our pre-conceptions and approach the Word of Yahveh with trembling hands. 

“…A solemn manner…” said Webster; that is what we approach in Revelation, a solemn matter.  I hope you are still with me, but we cannot approach this subject unless we agree upon the method.  That is why such a lengthy discourse has been necessary, to prepare each of us for the new look, to agōnizomai, to prepare our hearts for the plan of Yahveh, not just what we think it has to be, but what He has always intended it to be.  We will begin again in Revelation, but understand, there is so much to cover, that it takes this type of approach to take it all in, may Father Yahveh lead us all in the Truth…

                 We can now approach the Revelation with a better understanding of what is required of us, namely that we must:

  •      Shed ourselves of our own interpretations of Scripture
  •     Open our eyes to Yahveh’s…
  •    Prepare our hearts to ‘shema…
  •    Rid ourselves of favoritism… 
    •    Of what we think we know… 
    •    Of what we want to believe that the Word says… 
      •   For in this vein, we need to let go and let Yahveh show us His intent…

 We favor our idea of Yahveh – yet if this “ideal” Yahveh does not square with what the Scriptures [and Yahveh Himself] say who He is, then we have actually built for ourselves an idol – a golden calf.  This is partially the reason that Yahveh had Moshe (Moses) record for us the illustration of the golden calf in Exodus 32…

 “…Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me." (Exodus 32:2)

When we attempt to "do religion" without first consulting God's instructions, we end up with golden calves. The Torah tells the story of the golden calf in juxtaposition to the instructions for the building of the Tabernacle. The Tabernacle represents God's way of doing spirituality. The golden calf represents man's way of doing spirituality. God and Israel were both striving for the same end: they were each attempting to create a medium whereby Israel could worship God and celebrate their relationship with Him. Their methods of accomplishing that end were very different, though.

 The golden calf was a poor substitute for the glory of the Tabernacle. The Torah tells about the work of making the golden calf to contrast it against the work of the Tabernacle.  Aaron did not know that God had chosen to make him the high priest over Israel. When the people asked him to make an idol for them, he took the role of priesthood himself. If he had waited for Moses to return, he would have learned that God had chosen to install him as a priest in the Tabernacle.  The people did not know that God had ordered them to raise a contribution of gold and precious materials for the building of the Tabernacle. If they had waited, Moses would have told them. Instead, Aaron told them to donate the gold of their jewelry for the idol.

 The people were to fashion the furnishings of the Tabernacle of gold. Instead, Aaron fashioned the idol "with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf" (Exodus 32:4). The people were to build a bronze altar for burnt offerings and a golden altar for incense. Instead, we read that "he built an altar" (Exodus 32:5) for the idol. The people were to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar in the Tabernacle. Instead, we read that the people "offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings" (Exodus 32:6) to the idol. The Tabernacle was to be a resting place of God's divine, invisible presence. Instead, the people made a visible, idolatrous representation of God. All the things that Israel desired, God had already planned to give them…”[48]

 Notice the high-lighted portion of the previous commentary: “the people made a visible, idolatrous representation of God”.  Beloved, how is this possible?  When Scripture is plain, when the words of the L-rd explain to us clearly Who He is, how do we fall so easily for less than what it is we so desire? 

    The answer lies above in the simple statement “if they had waited…”  If we wait upon the L-rd, all that yearns within our hearts will be so; if we do not, then we open ourselves to the vain imaginations of our minds and our wants.  The two results may be similar but only one can succeed, and that is the one that has Yahveh in it.  What does it matter if I can achieve the same goal my way, but without Yahveh?  What have I achieved?  What does it matter if I interpret Scripture and all hail me as some bright scholar, yet my interpretation falls just a little short of Yahveh’s?  What it means is that I have spoken falsely about His word, and the consequences of that may be I have contributed to making one of His into a child hell-bound, instead of a child glorious.

     This much I have to say:  I am not a great scholar.  I agōnizomai over this word of Yahveh, I struggle with what I seek to give to you.  At times I go for days without writing a single word because I do not feel His presence near me, guiding my hands.  When I do write, I carefully read, look, and search out the information that in my soul I know the L-rd has led me to share with you, yet I still tremble, for the question is always on my heart “Did I hear Him correctly?”  This is why in my, for lack of a better explanation, in my insecurity I always say to you, study, search Yahveh’s word for yourself!  Do not take my word or anyone else’s as truth; I just might get something wrong. I cannot be presumptuous and think that all I say and do is straight from Yahveh; I am just a man looking for truth and hoping to be counted worthy enough to pass it on.  I wait; I pray; I repent daily, for I know that within me no good thing dwells unless the Messiah is present.  Do you understand?  Do you see why it has to be this way, this long journey to the truth?  I want you to know the same Yahveh I know; to feel the presence of the Son and the Spirit the way I have felt them.  I can only paint you pictures with words; I cannot bring you into that place of fellowship – no one but He can.  What I am humbled by is that He has allowed me this chance to speak to you and hope that what you hear stirs up a hunger within yourself for the legal food, the manna from heaven, the true Bread, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.

 We have been at this a long time now, so here we will stop.

Until next time:

May Yahveh richly bless you all, my beloved.

Amein



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[3] Author’s note: This site is for education only and is not affiliated with any institution, organization, or religious group. It is the sole production of its editor. Use of information from Jewish-themed websites (or any other source material) should not be construed as these sites endorsing or confirming any thesis introduced by the author of this epistle. I present the information from their respective sites for instructional purposes only and/or to aid in the readers understanding of the subjects discussed.

[4] Author’s note:  Throughout this study I will be using the NET Bible® and the NET Notes®: within the notes you will see symbols like this: ( א B Ψ 892* 2427 sys). These are abbreviations used by the NET Bible® for identifying the principal manuscript evidence that they (authors and translators of the NET Bible®) used in translating the ancient Covenants. Please go to https://bible.org/netbible/ and see their section labeled “NET Bible Principals of Translation” for a more complete explanation on these symbols and other items pertinent to the way the NET Bible uses them.

[5] Author’s Note: In these studies, I have used the notes that come along with the passages I cite from the sources that I cite: these need a bit of a disclaimer though. As in all things, not everything that is footnoted is something that I necessarily agree with, especially if it contradicts what I believe pertains to any matters of the Torah or the commandments of God. I give you the notes as they are written by the authors of the material I cite from, so that you can see the information contained within them. It truly is not my place to edit, correct, or criticize them; if they state anything that is in opposition to what I teach, then so be it. I will address these issues if requested. That is not to say I should not challenge something I believe, in my humble opinion, might contradict the truth of God’s word; that I will do in the main body of my epistles for that is where my gentle dissent belongs. Most (but not all) of the differences will come when I quote from a source that displays a decidedly Western/Greek mindset, as opposed to a Hebraic perspective. I have to be intellectually honest – I am biased toward the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and His son, Yeshua the Messiah. I pray then we all can find common ground as we study the Scriptures.

1  Or palm

1  Lit brightness changed for him

a  Dan 5:9, 10; 7:28

b  Ps 69:23

c  Ezek 7:17; 21:7; Nah 2:10

a  Is 44:25; 47:13; Dan 4:6, 7; 5:11, 15

1  Or master astrologers

b  Gen 41:42–44; Dan 5:16, 29

c  Ezek 16:11

2  Or a triumvir

d  Dan 2:48; 5:16, 29; 6:2, 3

a  Gen 41:8; Dan 2:27; 4:7; 5:15

a  Job 18:11; Is 21:2–4; Jer 6:24; Dan 2:1; 5:6

1  Lit brightness was changing upon him

b  Is 13:6–8

1  Lit house

a  Dan 3:9; 6:6

2  Lit brightness be changed

a  Gen 41:11–15; Dan 2:47

1  Or possibly the Spirit of the holy God

b  Dan 4:8, 9, 18; 5:14

2  Or O king

c  Dan 2:48

3  Or soothsayer priests

4  Or master astrologers

a  Dan 5:14; 6:3

b  Dan 1:7; 4:8

1  Lit sons of the exile

a  Ezra 4:1; 6:16, 19, 20; Dan 2:25; 6:13

b  Dan 1:1, 2

1  Or possibly the Spirit of God

a  Dan 5:7

b  Is 47:12f; Dan 5:8

1  Lit word

a  Gen 40:8

b  Dan 5:7, 29

1  Or triumvir

1  Lit Let...be for

a  2 Kin 5:16

1  Lit You, O king

a  Dan 4:2; 5:21

b  Dan 2:37, 38; 4:17

2  Or the kingdom

c  Jer 25:9; 27:5–7

1  Lit tongue

a  Dan 2:12, 13; 3:6; 11:3, 16, 36

a  Ex 9:17; Job 15:25; Is 14:13–15; Dan 4:30, 31

1  Lit strong

b  2 Kin 17:14; 2 Chr 36:13

c  Job 40:11, 12; Jer 13:18

a  Job 30:3–7; Dan 4:32, 33

1  Lit the sons of man

b  Job 39:5–8

c  Ex 9:14–16; Ps 83:17, 18; Ezek 17:24; Dan 4:17, 34, 35

1  Or descendant

a  Ex 10:3; 2 Chr 33:23; 36:12

2  Lit inasmuch as you

a  2 Kin 14:10; Is 2:12; 37:23; Jer 50:29; Dan 5:3, 4

b  Dan 4:37

c  Ps 115:4–8; Is 37:19; Hab 2:18, 19

d  Job 12:10

e  Job 31:4; Ps 139:3; Prov 20:24; Jer 10:23

1  Lit palm of the hand

a  Dan 5:5

1  Or a mina (50 shekels) from verb “to number”

1  Or a mina (50 shekels) from verb “to number”

2  Or a shekel from verb “to weigh”

3  Or and half-shekels (sing: perēs) from verb “to divide”

1  Lit word

a  Is 13:6, 17–19; Jer 50:41–43

a  Job 31:6; Ps 62:9

a  Is 13:17; 21:2; 45:1, 2; Dan 5:31; 6:8, 28; Acts 2:9

1  Aram: Pāras

[7]  New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[8] H. D. M. Spence (Editor), Joseph S. Exell (Editor). The Pulpit Commentary. Vol. 12. Vol. 12 of 23 vols. Homiletic by Spence, H. D. M. (1909);  Daniel (p. 171). London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company n.d. Electronic Edition, Logos Software Ver. 9 ©2020.

w  See Eph. 4:22

x  See 1 Cor. 9:24

y  See ch. 10:36

z  ch. 6:18

a  Luke 24:26; Phil. 2:8; [Isai. 53:11]

b  Ps. 22:6, 7; 69:19; Isai. 53:3

c  ch. 1:3

d  [Matt. 10:24; Rev. 2:3]

e  Gal. 6:9

f  Cited from Prov. 3:11, 12

g  Job 5:17

h  Ps. 94:12; 119:67, 75; Rev. 3:19

i  Deut. 8:5; 2 Sam. 7:14; [Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 23:13]

j  [1 Pet. 5:9]

k  See Num. 16:22

l  [Isai. 38:16]

m  [2 Pet. 1:4]; See Lev. 11:44

n  [1 Pet. 1:6]

o  James 3:17, 18

p  Cited from Isai. 35:3; [Job 4:3, 4]

q  Prov. 4:26, 27

r  James 5:16; [Gal. 6:1]

s  See Rom. 14:19

t  1 Thess. 4:7

u  Matt. 5:8; [2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 21:27; 22:4]

v  ch. 4:1; [2 Cor. 6:1; Gal. 5:4]

w  Deut. 29:18

x  ch. 13:4; Gen. 25:33

y  Gen. 27:34, 36, 38

z  Ex. 19:18; 20:18; Deut. 4:11; 5:22; [2 Cor. 3:9]

a  Ex. 19:16, 19

b  Ex. 20:19; Deut. 5:5; 18:16

c  Cited from Ex. 19:12, 13

d  [Ex. 19:16; Deut. 9:19]

e  Rev. 14:1

f  See Gal. 4:26

g  Jude 14

h  [Ex. 4:22]

1  Or church

i  Luke 10:20

j  Gen. 18:25

k  ch. 8:6; 9:15

l  See ch. 10:22

m  ch. 11:4; Gen. 4:10

n  See ch. 2:3

o  Ex. 19:18

p  Cited from Hag. 2:6; [Hag. 2:21]

q  See Ps. 102:26

r  Dan. 2:44

s  ch. 13:15

t  Cited from Deut. 4:24; See 2 Thess. 1:8

[9]  The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

[10]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[11]  Holy Bible : New Living Translation. 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.). Wheaton: Tyndale House.

[12] Translated as ἀγαπῶσίν [agapaō] in the Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English by Sir Lancelot C.L. Brenton, pg. 96; first ©1851, 12th printing by Hendrickson Publishers, ©2007

[13]  The Contemporary English Version : With Apocrypha. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[14] Translated as ἀγαπῶσίν [agapaō] in the Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English by Sir Lancelot C.L. Brenton, pg. 238; first ©1851, 12th printing by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. ©2007

[15]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[16] Translates here as meaning “longing for”; “desired”; “delighted in”;  from The Englishman’s Hebrew Concordance of the Old Testament, by George V. Wigram, ©2006, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

c  long...: Heb. length of days

[17]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. ©1995 (Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[18]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. ©1995 (Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

 

[19] McClintock, J., & Strong, J. (1891). Gloss, Glossary. In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. 3, p. 888). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.

q. v. quod vide = which see.

[20] McClintock, J., & Strong, J. (1891). Hermeneutics. In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. 4, p. 205). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.

[21]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (Electronic edition of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[22] THE CONCISE BIBLE COMMENTARY: A CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE OVERVIEW OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME. By JAMES M. GRAY, D.D., AGES Software Albany, OR USA, Version 1.0 © 1999

[23]  American Standard Version. 1995 (Electronic edition.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

151 Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, by Matthew Henry; ©1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.

152  American Standard Version. 1995 (Electronic edition.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

r John 6:33, 35 [Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3,4]

s John 6:31, 58

t John 6:51, 58

u John 3:13

v Heb. 10:5

w John 7:43; 9:16; 10:19

x Matt 2:26

y John 4:14; 6:27, 40

2 NU ( Nestle-Aland/United Bible Societies Text) true food

3 NU true drink

z 1 John 3:24; 4:15, 16

a John 6:49-51

b Ex. 6:14-35

153  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

a  John 20:16

b  [2 Cor. 11:13–15]

1  M omits before Me

c  [John 14:6; Eph. 2:18]

d  Gen. 49:24; Is. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23; [Heb. 13:20]; 1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4; Rev. 7:17

2  hired man

e  Zech. 11:16, 17

f  Is. 40:11; Nah. 1:7; Zech. 13:7; John 6:64; 2 Tim. 2:19

g  2 Tim. 1:12

h  Matt. 11:27

i  Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; [John 15:13; 19:30]; 1 John 3:16

j  Is. 42:6; 56:8; Acts 10:45; 11:18; 13:46

k  Ezek. 37:22; John 11:52; 17:20; Eph. 2:13–18; 1 Pet. 2:25

[27]  The New King James Version. 1996, ©1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[28] McClintock, J., & Strong, J. (1880). Bind. In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. 1, p. 814). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.

[29]  The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

[30]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. ©1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[31]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. ©1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

h  John 3:6

i  [Gal. 5:22–25]

j  Gal. 6:8

2  fleshly

k  James 4:4

3  fleshly

l  1 Cor. 2:14

[32]  The New King James Version. ©1996, ©1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[33]  Jewish Publication Society. (1997, c1985). Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures : A new translation of the Holy Scriptures according to the traditional Hebrew text. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society.

s  1 Cor. 9:12

t  Acts 15:24; Rom. 16:18; Gal. 1:7; Phil. 1:15; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 2:2

u  Phil. 3:2; Titus 1:10

v  Gal. 1:8

w  [Phil. 3:19]

[34]  The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

a  Eph. 6:5; Titus 2:9; 1 Pet. 2:18

b  2 Tim. 1:13

c  Titus 1:1

1  teaching

2  NU, M constant friction

3  NU omits the rest of v. 5.

d  2 Tim. 3:5

[35]  The New King James Version. ©1996, ©1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

a  1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Pet. 3:3; 1 John 2:18; Jude 17, 18

1  times of stress

2  irreconcilable

b  2 Pet. 2:10

c  Titus 1:16

d  1 Tim. 5:8

e  Matt. 23:3; 2 Thess. 3:6; 1 Tim. 6:5

f  Matt. 23:14; Titus 1:11

h  Ex. 7:11, 12, 22; 8:7; 9:11

i  1 Tim. 6:5

j  Rom. 1:28

k  Ex. 7:11, 12; 8:18; 9:11

[36]  The New King James Version. ©1996, ©1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[37]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. ©1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

a  Rev. 17:1, 7

b  Ezek. 43:2

1  NU, M omit mightily

c  Is. 13:19; 21:9; Jer. 51:8; Rev. 14:8

d  Is. 13:21; 34:11, 13–15; Jer. 50:39; 51:37; Zeph. 2:14

e  Is. 14:23

f  Jer. 51:7; Rev. 14:8

g  Is. 47:15

2  Lit. strengths

h  Is. 48:20

i  Gen. 18:20

3  NU, M have been heaped up

j  Rev. 16:19

k  Ps. 137:8; Jer. 50:15, 29

4  NU, M omit to you

l  Rev. 14:10

m  Rev. 16:19

n  Ezek. 28:2–8

5  sensually

o  Is. 47:7, 8; Zeph. 2:15

p  Is. 47:9; Jer. 50:31; Rev. 18:10

q  Rev. 17:16

r  Jer. 50:34; Heb. 10:31; Rev. 11:17

6  NU, M has judged

s  Ezek. 26:16; 27:35

t  Jer. 50:46; Rev. 17:2; 18:3

u  Rev. 19:3

v  Is. 21:9

w  Rev. 18:17, 19

x  Ezek. 27:27–34

y  Ezek. 27:12–22; Rev. 17:4

z  1 Chr. 5:21; Ezek. 27:13

7  NU, M been lost to you

a  Rev. 17:18

b  Rev. 17:4

c  Rev. 18:10

8  have been laid waste

d  Is. 23:14

e  Ezek. 27:30

f  Rev. 13:4

g  Josh. 7:6; Job 2:12; Lam. 2:10; Ezek. 27:30

h  Rev. 18:8

9  have been laid waste

[38]  The New King James Version. 1996, c1982. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

c  erred: or, been seduced

[39]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

 

[40]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[41]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[42]  Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.

[43] “…Scofield believed that between creation and the final judgment there were seven distinct eras of God's dealing with man and that these eras were a framework around which the message of the Bible could be explained. It was largely through the influence of Scofield's notes that dispensationalism and premillennialism became influential among fundamentalist Christians in the United States…  Dispensationalism is a theological system which developed from a twisted, theological interpretation of Scripture that dates from the late nineteenth century. Before that time it was not know as a theological system. The first record of Dispensationalism in the USA is 1864-65, when J.N. Darby twice visited the country…  Dispensationalism contradicts the fundamental tenants of the Christian faith, namely:  the inspiration of the Scriptures; the virgin birth of Messiah; the bodily resurrection of Messiah; the miracle of Messiah; and the substitutionary atonement…  Scofield Dispensationalism brought a new kind of fundamentalism into many churches. This new dispensationalism in its unscriptural, unreformed, and uncalvinistic teaching came on the religious scene to fill a vacuum-a vacuum which existed because of liberalism. The churches had drifted away from the doctrinal roots expressed in the old confessions and creeds. Many of the best schools and seminaries had been taken over by liberals and modernists-beginning in the colleges and seminaries and spreading to the pulpits and the pews.  This vacuum which Liberalism created in the churches provided a prime opportunity for the establishment and spread of the new Dispensational teaching…  This resulted in the independent church movement, the independent Bible conference movement and the Bible school movement. Those who participated in them were almost all carrying Scofield Bibles and their leaders were predominantly Dispensational in their views…”  (From the article “A History of Dispensationalism in America” by Ernest Reisinger )

[44] Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, by W.E. Vine, © 1981 by Fleming H. Revell Company

[45] Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, ( electronic edition of the 1828 version), e-Sword®, ver. 9.5.1,  copyright ©2000-2009 by Rick Myers

e  he goats: Heb. great he goats

f  to appear: Heb. to be seen

g  iniquity: or, grief

h  relieve or, righten

[46]  The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[47]  Strong’s Dictionary,( electronic edition), e-Sword®, ver. 9.5.1,  copyright ©2000-2009 by Rick Myers

[48] From Mar. 09, 2009 PO Box 649, Marshfield, MO 65706-0649 USA