Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
As of July 30, 2021… Wild fires have broken out across Turkey. There are over 100 wild fires in 30 plus cities and they continue to spread.
Hurriyet News
These events coincided with the finding of the ancient gateway to the temple of Zeus. Archeologists have vowed to rebuild and refurbish the structure as ancient worshippers experienced the temple. This would essentially allow the reinstitution of Zeus worship as the ancients practiced.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s response is being called into question. Erdogan has refused help from Greece. Instead he turned to his prophetic friends as documented by Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39, Russia and Iran. Qatar was also contacted for help.
In light of Exodus 20 and the 10 Commandments…
Exodus 20:3-6 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments.”
Does God really exist? Which god is the real God? Is Zeus real and is Zeus God? Would the God of the Bible really respond in jealousy to a violation of His Commandments? Does any of this really matter? Or is it all coincidental?
Please pray for mercy and grace and these fires be extinguished for the people and environment being affected.
These questions and more are answered on This Week in Prophecy. Click on the YouTube link below.
The context of this series of posts is the course of the Jewish people for the initial 49 years of the 483 year period communicated from the angel Gabriel to the prophet Daniel. The city of Jerusalem has been rebuilt post exile. These events are covered in Nehemiah 8-13. Israel is returning to God’s Law. The focus is Temple worship service. The grain offering has been reviewed. Next, Nehemiah reminds the Jewish people of the Sabbath Offering.
Nehemiah 10:33b…the Sabbaths…
The concept of the Sabbath has its roots in the creation week. The Sabbath is “barak” in the Hebrew or blessed. This day is set apart and clean. Even God rested. He set the precedent. He was not tired. God blessed the seventh day.
Genesis 2:2-3 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
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The Sabbath offering is a bit different than the daily offering.
In both cases, two male lambs without blemish are sacrificed.
What is different is the amount of flour. The daily offering has 1/10 of an ephah. The Sabbath offering has 2/10 of an ephah. As a reminder, an ephah is roughly one bushel or 8 dry gallons or 35 liters or 8 pounds. Multiply x .2. We are looking at 1.6 gallons or pounds or 7 liters of flour.
There is a progression of the amount of flour from the daily offering to the Sabbath offering to the monthly offering. The daily offering has 1/10 of an ephah. The Sabbath offering has 2/10. And the monthly offering has multiple recipes pending the sacrifice being offered. In the case of the monthly offering, more fine flour is offered.
The fine flour is mixed with an amount of oil that is not defined.
There is also an undefined amount of wine as well.
The text is clear with a reminder. The daily offering is different than the Sabbath offering.
Numbers 28:9-10 On the Sabbath day, two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two tenths of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with oil, and its drink offering: this is the burnt offering of every Sabbath, besides the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.
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The Sabbath is unique in that it was created and written before the law. Its foundation is in the creation week. The Sabbath was instituted before the Mosaic Law. If anything the Sabbath law in the 10 Commandments is a reminder.
Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Fast forward roughly 1,440 years from Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai to Jesus. The context of the discussion is a wheat field with the disciples and the religious leaders on the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27-28 And He (Jesus) said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
See also Matthew 12:8, Luke 6:5.
Jesus is the author of the law as given to Moses. The Sabbath was created for man to rest. Jesus fulfilled the law. It is good for us to rest in Him.
Christ is the Creator. Jesus is greater than traditions of men or the Sanhedrin in this context.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
As believers in Christ we have our Sabbath in Him because of His death, burial, and resurrection.
“The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” Exodus 20:21
Like the nation of Israel, we are each called to the mountain of God, but few are willing to pass through the darkness to get there. God wanted to reveal His glory to the children of Israel, but they were afraid to enter into His presence. They only wanted to know about God, rather than know him personally like Moses did. This grieved the heart of God.
Why wouldn’t the people of Israel risk entering the darkness if it meant being in the presence of God? What did the people fear?
Perhaps they had fears like each of us. The fear of the unknown. The fear of what might happen. The fear that God might not like what He sees. Or, perhaps even the greatest fear: the fear of darkness itself and what lies behind that darkness.
Many of us have been satisfied to hear about God from God’s messengers. But there is a greater calling for each of you – a calling to enter into His presence. Sometimes entering into His presence means we enter through an unexpected door – a door that appears to have nothing good behind it.
“Love your neighbor, all of ’em.” -Christine Clarity McDonald
You are subject to the morality of whoever has power over you. You don’t get a choice.
In a dictatorship such as Nazi Germany or a Mexican drug lord, you don’t get the luxury of saying you don’t want to follow the Ten Commandments. And worse than that you don’t get the benefit of others following the Ten Commandments.
If a dictator wants your money, or your labor, or your wife, children and even your life… You don’t have a say so about it.
The Ten Commandments were a gift to mankind. Prior to that, everyone was subject to the whim of a patriarch, or tribal chieftain, or king.
So, the next time an atheist tries to say they think they are moral in themselves, it’s not about your morality. It’s about the morality of whoever has power over you.
So, thank God that this nation chooses to say “One nation under God” and “In God we trust.” Because the morality of God is fair to all.
Exodus 20:1-17 And God spoke all these words, saying,
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Proverbs 25:18 Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.
Leviticus 19:11 You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.
Matthew 19:18 “Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness…”
Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices…
Lying or bearing false witness are never permissible regardless of the circumstances in the Bible. The idea is to absolutely renounce the act of lying.
Lying and Taqiyya
Sharia is Islamic Law. It is the religious legal system that governs the political, social and moral duties of faithful Muslims. It is what is meant by “God’s Law”.
Does Islam permit Muslims to lie? Muslim scholars teach that Muslims should generally be truthful to each other, unless the purpose of lying is to “smooth over differences” or “gain the upper-hand over an enemy”.
There are several forms of lying to non-believers that are permitted under certain circumstances, the best-known being taqiyya (the Shia name). These circumstances typically advance the cause of Islam. In some cases, by gaining the trust of non-believers in order to draw out their vulnerability and defeat them.
Allah does not impose blame upon you for what is unintentional in your oaths, but He imposes blame upon you for what your hearts have earned. And Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing. Quran 2:225
Allah has already ordained for you (Muslims) the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your protector, and He is the Knowing, the Wise. Quran 66:2
Whoever disbelieves in Allah after his belief… except for one who is forced (to renounce his religion) while his heart is secure in faith. But those who (willingly) open their breasts to disbelief, upon them is wrath from Allah, and for them is a great punishment. Quran 16:106
Revelation 22:15 Outside (The New Jerusalem) are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
Genesis 4:8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
The first recorded death of a human being was a murder. The Bible does not state the instrument used in the murder.
Some conjecture Cain used a knife. John tells us in his epistle the death was violent. The Greek word σφάζω/sphadzo was used for “murder”. It means: slay, kill by violence, slaughter, wound mortally. -Strong’s Concordance
1 John 3:12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.
The extra Biblical text of Jubilees 4:31 indicates a rock was used. “He (Cain) killed Abel with a stone.”
Does it really matter the instrument used in the murder? God did not respond by passing a law controlling the use of rocks or knives. He spoke against murdering a fellow human being.
Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.
The violence and mass slaughter at a Florida school this past week were tragic. Seventeen people were murdered. This past week, a gun was used. What will be used in the future? A knife, poisonous gas, missiles, nuclear weapons, whatever…
Politicizing the event with the issue(s) of the day is a distraction and not productive. Until people give a rip for all humanity, this behavior is going to continue to happen.
The issue is the human heart.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
Mark 7:21-23 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” -Jesus
There is an answer.
Love unconditionally. Love unselfishly. Love without expectation. Love without fear. Love with all your heart. Love with your thoughts. Love with your actions. Love in truth. Love is contagious. Love BIG. Love conquers all!
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It (love)does not boast, it (love) is not proud. It (love) does not dishonor others, it (love) is not self-seeking, it (love) is not easily angered, it (love) keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It (love) always protects, (love) always trusts, (love)always hopes, (love)always perseveres.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, sincelove covers a multitude of sins.
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
The game Five Nights at Freddy’s is a horror game that was released on August 8th, 2014. No, this game is not based off of Freddy’s Steakburgers and Custard. And no, it is not based off of Freddy Krueger. Five Nights at Freddy’s takes place at Freddy Fazebear’s Pizzeria. This is a spinoff of Chuck E. Chesse’s but you’re not there during the day. You’re there at night. Why? Because there have been alleged reports of the animatronic characters wandering around at night and killing the guards in the game.
Hang on! The Bible tells us to not kill people.
Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.
The goal of the game is to survive the night from the animatronics who are closing in and wanting to kill you.
Ever since this game was released, five more versions of this game have been launched. The game has become increasingly popular.
How was this concept conceived? Well, the creator Scott Cawthon, had been creating more kid-friendly games such as Chipper & Sons Lumber Co. when he saw a rating that said one of the characters looked like a “scary animatronic animal”. He (Cawthon) then thought that he could create an even scarier, more demonic concept. And, the crazier thing is, he claims to be a Christian! What sort of Christian makes horror games?!
The Bible tells us to stay away from evil!
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from every form of evil.
Now to explain the evil, in the first game, the man on the phone talks about an incident called the “Bite of ‘87”. This is where an animatronic murders a child. In the fourth game, it is revealed that a child is shoved into the animatronic’s mouth by bullies.
Woah! God tells us the punishment for child sacrifice is death!
Leviticus 20:2 Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones.
The “Purple Guy” in the game goes on a child killing spree. The souls of the children possess the animatronic characters. They get their revenge on the “Purple Guy” by locking him in a suit. “Purple Guy” turns out to be the antagonist, Springtrap, in the third game. Springtrap is kept away with a tempting child’s recorded voice.
I could go on and on about these evils. But God wants us to think of better things than these evils.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Revelation 2:15-16 So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
The church at Pergamum had the same issue as the church at Ephesus, worship of Nicolaitan teaching. There is no reliable documentation to confirm the identity of the Nicolaitans. They are suspected to participate in pagan feasts and orgies.
The issue is the relentless assault of false teachers. Pergamum is Satan’s home and throne. People in the local church were following Satan, Balaam, Balak, and the Nicolaitans. They were not following Jesus Christ.
This is in clear violation of two of the first four Commandments in Exodus. God still wants to be worshipped.
Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exodus 20:5 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me.
Notice how God equates worshipping a false god as hatred towards Him. God says worshipping other gods has consequences to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Does God really mean this? Are there really consequences for believing in other religions and their gods? Did God change?
Therefore repent…This is a call to change your mind. This is the third time in Revelation Jesus calls believers to repent. Incidentally, Jesus will remind the churches seven times in Revelation…Completely repent. Rethink what is being taught.
The Greek word for repent is μετανοεο/metanoeo. It means: to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins. –Strong’s Concordance.
The idea of repent in the Hebrew is teshuvah. Prepare and turn to God. People are called to turn away from their sin, repent, and change course. It is a time of inward reflection and sincere self-assessment. The goal is a change in lifestyle away from sin to obedience in God’s word. The Hebrew month of Elul initiates a 40 day period called Teshuvah.
This is a reminder to us today as well. Believers throughout the course of the Bible are warned about false teachers. Do not follow false teachers. Worship and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ who is God the man.
or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
This is the second sword reference to the church at Pergamum. The first sword reference was in Revelation 2:12. I take it they did not repent and Jesus used His sword. The city and church of Pergamum are no longer with us in the 21st century. Today the ancient city is ruins.
FYI: In the last week (February 12, 2017) of the writing of this post, a series of earthquakes has struck approximately 60-75 miles northwest of modern day Pergamum or Bergama, Turkey. The area is back in the news.
Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.
Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
Exodus 20:5-6 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
These are the first three commandments. They are relational to God. Notice, how one relates to God comes before how people relate to each other. God is the priority. Then, He defines how we are to relate to each other.
God states the consequence of the “iniquity”. The Hebrew word is `avon. The word can also be translated as perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt, or punishment (Strong’s Concordance). Idol worship and/or worship of other gods will impact your family tree to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. God takes this quite seriously.
Worshiping or bowing down to idols and/or false gods is equated with hating God.
The critic often says, “Well, the 10 Commandments are in the Old Testament and we live during the Church age in the New Testament. Jesus took care of the Law.”
The Law (10 Commandments) has not gone away. Jesus Himself made this very clear. Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
Granted if one is a believer in Christ, He has you covered literally and figuratively. To the unbeliever, the Law is in full effect whether they believe it or not with consequences defined by God.
Following and obeying the commandments are equated with loving God. This is the case in both the Old and New Testaments. The message is consistent throughout the course of the Bible.
John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
See also John 14, 1 John 2, 1 John 5, and 2 John 1.
The reconstruction of the arch of Palmyra is a direct violation. The arch is a gateway to the temple of Bel. There are idols of Bel. People worship Bel and the arch. Granted, this is not Bel specific. It is any other god(s) other than the Creator God of the Bible.
The Palmyra Arch was redesigned on a smaller scale and placed in Trafalgar Square, London on April 19, 2016. The rebuilding of the arch was done in defiance of ISIS. The arts and antiquities crowd is upset with the terrorists for destroying the original in Palmyra, Syria.
A replica was also to be erected in Times Square of New York City. Due to backlash from the Christian community, the arch was not unveiled in Times Square in April 2016. Segments of Christian society are running around with a hollow victory. The arch is still planned to make its way to New York City in September of 2016.
In the news (July 2015), Planned Parenthood has recently come under scrutiny for their practices with aborted human tissue from the womb. Dr. Mary Gatter, the previous president of Planned Parenthood Medical Directors’ Council discussed compensation for aborted tissue. Dr. Gatter currently serves in leadership and advisory at the local and national level of Planned Parenthood. In the interest of fairness to Dr. Gatter’s comments, see the link below. She articulates her position clearly.
Yes, abortion is a highly controversial topic. The culture has communicated its position on the subject. Elements of the culture and critics state the Bible has nothing to say on the subject. This is incorrect. God has plenty to say in His word.
Next are God’s words. It is acknowledged, His words are offensive to segments of society. Eventually, His words are offensive to all of us if we are honest with ourselves. Please take your complaints and comments directly to Him. He will listen. He is a big boy. He can handle it.
The focus of the post is in regards to the definition of abortion and legal considerations as God states in His word. Here is what God says.
Amos 1:13 Thus says the Lord, “For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four
I will not revoke its punishment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead
In order to enlarge their borders.
The sons of Ammon are modern day Jordan. Back in the day, Ammon wanted to expand their territory at the expense of unborn children. God states judgment is coming because they “ripped”. The Hebrew word for “ripped” is baqa`. Per Strong’s Concordance, it means: to cleave, cleave open; to break through or break into.
A modern day abortion chemically and mechanically breaks through and into the womb invasively.
Abortion is premeditated and not accidental. God makes provision for the unborn child in His Law. Even if the child is harmed in utero and lives to see birth, there are consequences to the offending party. God’s Law accounts for the involuntary manslaughter of an infant in the womb of a mother. He recognizes the baby in the womb as a person and an individual life.
Exodus 21:22-25 “If men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet there is no injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman’s husband may demand of him, and he shall pay as the judges decide. But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
The Hebrew word for “child” is yeled. It is defined as: child, son, boy, offspring, youth, or descendants. God states the life inside the mother is a child.
Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder. Obviously, pre meditated murder is not acceptable.
Hands that shed innocent blood are one of the seven things God hates in Proverbs 6:16-19.
Planned Parenthood and doctors are getting paid and profiting to murder innocent lives. Others profit from the removed tissue. They are not even taking a bribe. It is a series of business transactions. Our tax dollars fund this process.
Deuteronomy 27:25 Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Here’s the problem of moral relativism.
