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Predestined With Free Will: Egyptian Civil War

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , on February 24, 2019 by paulthepoke

There are many examples in Scripture where God addresses individual nations. The prophet warn Russia, Turkey, Iran and others in Ezekiel 38-39. Damascus, Syria has a destructive date with destiny in Isaiah 17, Amos 1, and Jeremiah 49. Ancient Nineveh or modern-day Mosul, Iraq is warned in Nahum. Amos 1 warns modern day Lebanon. The Gaza Strip is informed of judgment in Ezekiel 25. Prophecy against Iran is noted in Jeremiah 49. And the list goes on and on and on…

The focus here is the destiny of the nation Egypt. A significant prophecy regarding the future of Egypt is located in Isaiah 19. Like every other nation, Egypt is predestined in their journey through history. God knows the collective choices they will make. God knows literally and figuratively where their road leads. The prophet Isaiah lays out the course of Egypt prior to the coming of the Messiah.

click on the link above for audio/video

Isaiah 19:1 The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

The first observation is that the LORD directly intervenes. God is the one pressing these events. The Hebrew word for “oracle” is massa’. Simply stated, it means a burden or load. This same word, massa’, was also the name of Ishmael’s son (Genesis 25:14). Ishmael’s name means burden. Ishmael’s mother Hagar is Egyptian (Genesis 16:1). Prophetically speaking, Hagar’s offspring were destined to carry a burden.

Photo: Shutterstock

The LORD is coming quickly on a swift cloud. The Hebrew word for “cloud” is `ab. What is not stated in the translation is the type of cloud. It is a dark, thick cloud. The introduction states this is going to be swift, quick, and ominous. It reminds me of a supercell thunderstorm you can see rolling in on the plains.

Isaiah 19:2 “So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians; and they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom…”

This is how God is going to bring the nation of Egypt together and return them to the LORD or Yahweh. God is going to bring about circumstances that will knit them as a unified country and be His people.

The first thing to happen is an Egyptian civil war. God says He will “incite” or cakak in the Hebrew. This word is also translated as “cover” per Strong’s Concordance. This is the same term used repeatedly in reference to the angels’ wings of the Ark of the Covenant. Their wings “covered” or cakak the Ark.

Exodus 25:20 The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat.

See also: Exodus 37:9, 1 Kings 8:7, 1 Chronicles 28:18b.

Figuratively, cakak can be seen as protection, hedge in, or join together.

Will the people choose to fight each other? Yes, the Egyptian people will opt to fight against one another throughout the country. But Egypt will be watched and protected by Yahweh or the LORD. The idea is to intensively, purposely weave together the Egyptians against each other repeatedly.

God is in control regardless of our actions. He can overcome our repeated bad decisions.

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Predestined With Free Will: Pharaoh’s Choice

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Jude with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2019 by paulthepoke

Exodus 5:3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

Look at how Pharaoh was approached by God, Moses, and Aaron. They were respectful. God introduced Himself and was formal. He used His proper name, YHWH. He is known as Yahweh or Jehovah.

Moses and Aaron used their manners and petitioned Pharaoh. They acknowledged his authority and position. The term translated is “Please”. This is the Hebrew word “na”. This is a sincere, humble request. The word “na” is defined as: we pray, we beseech. The majority of time “na” is translated as “please”.

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Pharaoh, in his free will, responds to reverence and respect in the following manner. Nobody made or influenced him to act this way. He was rude and crude all by himself. Pharaoh is the one imposing his will on his servants in the Egyptian government and the Hebrew slaves. Look at Pharaoh’s actions in Exodus 5:6-17.

  1. Pharaoh indicated to taskmasters to stop providing straw to Israel for brick production.
  2. Pharaoh now required to Hebrews to go get the straw.
  3. Pharaoh required more work and expected the same production.
  4. He viewed the Hebrews as “lazy”.
  5. Pharaoh re-emphasized his will to increase the labor demands.
  6. Pharaoh considered the idea of the LORD a lie.
  7. The conditions of finding straw and brick production were restated.
  8. Pharaoh and Egyptian officials continually hounded the Hebrews about brick production.
  9. Israeli leaders were physically beaten for not meeting production quotas.
  10. Egyptians continued to harass the Israeli work force for sustained production.
  11. Pharaoh repeatedly told the Hebrews they were “slackers”.
  12. He blamed their lack of production on God.
  13. Pharaoh closed with restating his expectations and labor demands.
https://pharaohoppressionmosesisraelegyptdynasty.wordpress.com/category/mud-bricks-containing-straw/

This is how Pharaoh responded to decency and manners. Pharaoh was an unrealistic, rigid, and inflexible task master. He made things harder for the Israeli people. Pharaoh did all of this without God’s influence. This is who Pharaoh was all by himself.

At this point, the LORD God had not responded to or influenced Pharaoh. But things were about the change…

Exodus 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.

God is promising to harden Pharaoh’s heart. God has yet to do anything to him. Exodus 7:3 is a prophecy of what God will do. The LORD is about to exert His will.

Exodus 7:4 When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.

Exodus 7:4 is a prophecy of Pharaoh’s lack of response. Notice, God gives Pharaoh a chance to respond positively. He allows Pharaoh to fail before He executes judgment. But, God knows the end result before it happens.

Pharaoh is going to have many opportunities to align his heart and his will with God. The LORD did not make Pharaoh do anything. God appealed to Pharaoh’s heart. We all know how this ends for Egypt.

There are at least 14 examples of Pharaoh’s heart being hardened in the book of Exodus. Every time Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, he responded negatively with actions and attitude. God did not make him respond negatively. That was Pharaoh’s active choice. Pharaoh was the captain of his actions and decisions.

Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:12, 9:34, 9:35, 10:1, 10:20, 10:27, 11:10, 14:8.

God closes with hardening the heart of the Egyptian army at the Red Sea in Exodus 14:17. The Egyptians were all in as they pursued Israel.

How many times have we had the opportunity to align our hearts and our wills with God? How many times have we not responded to God’s plea for good works and deeds? How many times will a person refuse God’s will before He hardens the individual’s heart?

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Straight Talk, Streams of Glory… Rodna Epley

Posted in Rodna Epley with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on February 7, 2019 by paulthepoke

Need a miracle today? Jump into the stream of God’s glory! Here’s how this works…

In Acts 3, Peter speaks to and heals a lame man who was begging at the Gate called Beautiful. But what was also beautiful about this true story is that Peter gives us a clear example of how any son (or daughter) of God is supposed to operate in His kingdom and glory which is now on earth as we live. This is supposed to be the norm for all of us who are “in Christ”. It is not the exception, but the rule. It is not only for those who first knew Jesus Christ, but for us. The atmosphere of the kingdom of heaven is saturated with the glory of the Father. This is the same glory we are being transformed into every day more and more.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Only those who are “in Christ” may operate in His glory. Without Christ we can do nothing.

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

But with Christ nothing is impossible.

Matthew 17:20 He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

The flow of Father’s glory passes through Jesus Christ (the Door) and then through us. Glory’s flow brings healings and miracles like a Living Stream or River that never stops flowing from one person to another.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water. -Jesus

Our Father (our Creator) transforms everything He touches back into His image of perfection and beauty. God’s glory flows from the Father.

~

Follow the flow of glory. The LORD is the source of glory. Just ask Moses.

Exodus 33:18-23 Then Moses said, “Please show me Your glory.”

“I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you,” the LORD replied, “and I will proclaim My name—the LORD—before you. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” And He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.” The LORD continued, “There is a place near Me where you are to stand upon a rock, and when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back; but My face must not be seen.”

The Father gives glory to the Son…

John 17:5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. -Jesus

The Son gives glory to Peter and believers…

John 17:22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one…

From Peter to the lame man…

Acts 3:6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!”

From the lame man to all who witnessed his healing…

Acts 3:8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.

Then by all who witnessed his healing, expected and received their own healing…

Acts 3:10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

And to whomever witnessed and jumped into the flow of all the streams of those healings…

The stream became streams and kept on flowing down through the generations to us living today. We are to keep the stream of His glory flowing just the same. The pattern of the flow is so easy that anyone can receive their miracle right now. Just expect to as you read this. It was written for you. Your miracle doesn’t have to be healing. It could be “whatever you ask” or declare as you remain in the Word. And the Word remains in you.

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Predestined With Free Will: Pharaoh Meets the LORD

Posted in Egypt/Nile River, Jude with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2019 by paulthepoke

Romans 9:16-17 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

The Apostle Paul is quoting Exodus 9:16.

Here is a text book example of a man’s will on display verses the will of God. Pharaoh is representing the nation Egypt. The Apostle Paul is pointing out man’s will or a nation’s will is no match for God’s will. Pharaoh clearly exerts his choices and will towards the Jewish slaves in Egypt. Little does Pharaoh know, he is being used by God.

Critics would say Pharaoh had no choice in the matter. They argue Pharaoh was made for failure. The critic says God is not fair and unjust towards Pharaoh.

Moses has one simple request.

Exodus 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

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Exodus 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

But look at Pharaoh’s attitude when he first encounters Moses the representative of God. Pharaoh clearly understands Moses and Aaron. There is no confusion. Pharaoh does not acknowledge God. He questions His authority and existence. Pharaoh is not interested in playing along with this so-called LORD’s request. Pharaoh will have his way and do what he wants regardless of any request. Israel is going nowhere. Israel will stay under the authority of Egypt. The Hebrew people have work to do for Pharaoh.

God is formal with Pharaoh. He introduces Himself by His proper name. YHWH (scholars refer to this as the Tetragrammaton, Greek for four letters) is the proper name of the Hebrew God of the Bible. The correct spelling is YHWH. Note, there are no vowels in this term. Vowels from the name Adonai were substituted and the term Yahweh emerged. Jehovah is a word that has been translated to English from the Hebrew, Yahweh. The name for LORD is Jehovah. It means the existing one. This name is so sacred, Jews refuse to pronounce it. The name is first introduced in Exodus 3:14 when Moses and God are having a discussion. His name is a statement of existence.

Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

If one is looking for proof that God created or God exists, you are wasting your time. It is assumed. God is eternal and self-existent. God always has been and always will be.

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Trend Update: UN Votes to Divide Israel, Jerusalem, and Golan Heights, December 2016

Posted in Peace Plan, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 1, 2016 by paulthepoke

Joel 3:2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; and they have divided up My land..

Israel…and they have divided up My land. 

November 29, 2016: The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People was observed by the United Nations each year. This is the anniversary of the General Assembly’s 1947 adoption of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.

December 1, 2016: The United Nations (UN) has passed six resolutions regarding Israel, the city of Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, and Palestine. Only six countries voted against the passage of these resolutions. They include: Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, the United States, and Israel. Six countries (Australia, Cameroon, Honduras, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Tonga, and Vanuatu) abstained in voting. And the rest of the world voted for the passage of the resolutions.

The focus of the post is on three of the resolutions regarding Israel, Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.

Israel: The UN indicated Israel “immediately cease all such illegal and unilateral measures” and “a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of the City of Jerusalem should take into account the legitimate concerns of both the Palestinian and Israeli sides.” In other words, stop building settlements in the west bank area.

Jerusalem: The UN stated actions taken by Israel, “the occupying Power,” to impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration on the Holy City of Jerusalem “were illegal and therefore null and void and had no validity whatsoever”. Translation, the Jewish nation has no legal authority in their capital.

Golan Heights: The UN referred to the region as “Syrian Golan”. The UN believes the Golan Heights region should be handed over to Syria and the Assad regime. Language of the resolution stated, “Israel withdraw from all the occupied territory to the line of June 4, 1967 and called on all parties concerned to exert the necessary efforts to ensure the resumption of the peace process.”

Because a majority of the nations voted for these resolutions, this is “a reflection of the longstanding international consensus in favor of achieving a just, lasting and peaceful solution to the question of Palestine,” and “a clear reaffirmation of the international community’s consensus on the two-State solution.”

http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/UN-General-Assembly-supports-resolution-ignoring-Jewish-ties-to-the-Temple-Mount-474107

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/stunning-world-un-passes-6-resolutions-confirming-everything-is-israels-fault/2016/12/01/

President Mahmoud President Abbas of Palestine has made one item very clear. He wants the UN to make it happen.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/12/gaza-abbas-wants-israel-dares-un/

Zechariah 2:8-9 For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye. For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.”

Israel is the apple of His eye. The apple is also known as the pupil of the eye.

The pupil is a vulnerable and important part of the body. Israel is more valuable to God than any other nation. The country is His favorite nation. God’s people are priceless.

Don’t mess with Israel…consequences. God will slap you around and it is going to hurt.

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Millennial Kingdom: Yasha` Yeshua

Posted in Gospel, Millennial Kingdom, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , on May 22, 2016 by paulthepoke

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

The term “victorious warrior” is most interesting in the original language. The Hebrew word for “victorious” is yasha`. It is a verb. The grammar says the warrior is the cause. It means to save, deliver from moral troubles; to give victory to.

The Hebrew word for “warrior” is gibbowr, a strong and mighty man. –Strong’s Concordance

The strong and mighty warrior will be a savior. He will and has delivered from moral trouble or sin. He will give military victory to Israel.

The noun form of yasha` is Yeshua. The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua.

The term for LORD is Yahweh, The Existing One. This is the definitive name for God. This is the proper name of the Hebrew God of the Bible. Jehovah is a word that has been translated to English from the Hebrew, Yahweh. The correct spelling is YHWH (Hebrew font is not available).  Scholars refer to this as the Tetragrammaton, Greek for four letters. This name is so sacred, Jews refuse to pronounce it. The name is first introduced in Exodus 3:14 when Moses and God are having a discussion. God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

The LORD, Yahweh is speaking in this verse in Zephaniah 3.

Yeshua Himself connects the dots in the Book of John. Jesus makes seven statements in the Book of John explaining “I am…”

I am the bread of life (John 6:35).

I am the light of the world (John 8:12).

I am the gate (John 10:9).

I am the good shepherd (John 10:11).

I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).

I am the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).

I am the vine (John 15:5).

Yeshua is Yahweh, The Existing One. He saves. He will have military conquest.

John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.”

Jesus Christ is the victorious warrior. He will dwell or tabernacle with the nation we know as Israel. The verse uses four different terms in Hebrew to describe the excitement and joy of Christ. He too will shout for joy with the introduction of His Kingdom. Yeshua will celebrate.

Good times are coming.

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Trend Update: Mount of Olives, Passover 2016

Posted in Prophecy, Spring Feasts, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2016 by paulthepoke

Zechariah 14:4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

On the Mount of Olives east of the Temple Mount on Monday, April 25, 2016, a Passover sacrifice ceremony was held. Over 400 people attended the event. Multiple public figures and officials stated hope for the day the Dome of the Rock and al Aksa Mosque would be removed from the Temple Mount. They believe the time is now to raze the area and purify the land.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Participants-in-paschal-lamb-ceremony-voice-hope-to-one-day-raze-Temple-Mount-451757

You can bet your last shekel those attending this Passover ceremony know the verse in Zechariah (name means: Yahweh remembers).

The Mount of Olives is roughly 3,000 feet or a little over ½ mile from the Temple Mount. As the crowd looked across to the Temple Mount, they see the Eastern Gate or the Golden Gate. Currently the gate is considered the property of the Muslims. They have sealed it with brick and mortar. In front of the gate is a Muslim cemetery. Little do they know, they are the instruments of prophecy fulfillment.

Ezekiel 44:1-3 Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east. And it was shut. And the LORD said to me, “This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it. Therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD. He shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.”

The prophet Ezekiel was told by the LORD. The Hebrew word for LORD is Yahweh, The Existing One. This is the definitive name of God. And He says only the Prince may enter this gate. This is His gate. It is stated four times in Ezekiel 44:2, the gate is to remain closed to others. Yahweh is in charge of this gate.

Fast forward roughly 500-600 years from the prophets to the ascension of Jesus into Heaven. Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives. He is promised to return in the same manner.

Acts 1:11-12 …and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

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Passover, Nisan 10-13, 33 AD

Posted in Gospel, Prophecy, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 15, 2015 by paulthepoke

Exodus 12:1-6 Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month…

lamb

These directions were given to Moses by God roughly 1,500 years before the birth of Christ. The setting was Egypt prior to the Exodus. Moving forward, the Jewish people are to complete this ordinance every year on these dates.

The focus of this post is the correlation of the dates noted in Exodus 12 and the dates noted in the Passion Week of Christ.

On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves… You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month.

The directions to the Jewish people are straight forward. The first month of the religious year is Nisan. On Nisan 10, take a lamb and inspect it for four days. Make sure the lamb is unblemished. The time frame is Nisan 10, 11, 12, and 13.

Fast forward over 1,500 years, Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The date is Sunday, Nisan 9, 33 AD. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of the Passover.

We know Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday from John 12:1 Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. A Hebrew Calendar of 33 AD tells us Passover was on Friday, Nisan 14. Six days before Passover is Saturday or the Sabbath, Nisan 8. Scripture tells us Jesus is in Bethany on Saturday, Nisan 8. Bethany is east of Jerusalem approximately 1.5 miles. The Mount of Olives sits between Bethany and Jerusalem. He is visiting Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.

John 12:12 On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem… The next day is Sunday, Nisan 9. Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Jesus only looked around the Temple on Nisan 9. He did not subject Himself to criticism or analysis from religious leaders by His actions on this day. Jesus did not enter Jerusalem for inspection on Palm Sunday. He left and went back to Bethany. Mark 11:11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late. If Jesus had cleared the temple on Sunday, He would have been in the “pen” of Jerusalem for inspection five days instead of four days as indicated in Exodus 12. The law would not have been followed.

Mark 11:12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. The next day is Monday, Nisan 10. From this point forward, Jesus was inspected for imperfections. Then He cleared the Temple. He was questioned and tested. He was examined and challenged by religious leaders, other Jews, and Greeks on Monday, Nisan 10 through Thursday, Nisan 13 for four days (March 29 – April 2, 33 AD on a Gregorian calendar). He was found to be without blemish or flaw.

http://www.torahcalendar.com/Calendar.asp?YM=Y33M1

 

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Isaiah 10:12-14 Assyrian Arrogance, Part 2

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , , on October 13, 2013 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 10:12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness.”

This verse brings to a close the judgment on Israel. The series of four judgments began in Isaiah 9:12. God is proclaiming that His current job in Jerusalem is finished. The phrase, In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away and His hand is still stretched out…, has been completed four times and has come to a close.

Adonai is the Hebrew term that is translated “Lord”. It can mean ruler, master, owner, or sovereign. The word is plural. When Adonai is the term for God, it indicates His absolute sovereignty and greatness (The Doctrine of God, Chester McCalley). God is in charge and not the king of Assyria.

God’s punishment will be directed towards the “fruit” or children of the king.

Look at the adjectives and other translations and how they describe the king of Assyria.

The king’s heart is described as prideful and insolent. The pride is great in magnificence and magnitude. His haughtiness and arrogance are described as glorious and splendorous.

Isaiah 10:13-14 For he has said, “By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, For I have understanding; and I removed the boundaries of the peoples and plundered their treasures, and like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants, and my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, and as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; and there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.”

Here is a direct quote from the king of Assyria. God is directly quoting the king. Look at the number of times “my” and “I” are used. “My” is noted three times. “I” is noted five times. This guy is a real team player. He did it all by himself.

The king sees himself as a strong and brilliant leader. There are no boundaries for this guy. He goes where he wants. He admits he steals from others from all of the earth. He brags about conquering and looting. He takes whatever he pleases. No one can contest him as he sees it. This guy is a real leader recognizing the efforts of those around him and supporting him, not!

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Isaiah 6:5 Facing the Lord

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , , , , on November 18, 2012 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 6:5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” 

In the presence of God, Isaiah realizes his personal sin and the sin of his fellow countrymen. He is in the presence of perfection in the throne room of Heaven. There is no comparison.

Peter has the same experience in the New Testament with a record hall of fish. He realizes he is in the presence deity. Luke 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 

Isaiah has Exodus 33:20 in mind when he sees the Lord in person. He feared for his life.

Exodus 33:20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” This is God talking.

Prior to God’s direct revelation in Exodus, this concept is understood by Jacob. Jacob wrestles with the Lord in Genesis 32:30 and has the following response. So Jacob named the place Peniel, for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been preserved.”

The fear of seeing the Lord and subsequent death has been engrained in Jewish culture in the Old Testament. The same concern is expressed by Manoah in Judges 13. Manoah and his wife had encountered the Angel of the Lord. Their response was to bow their faces to the ground. Judges 13:22 So Manoah said to his wife, “We will surely die, for we have seen God.”

Gideon has an encounter with the Angel of the Lord in Judges 6:22-23 When Gideon saw that he was the angel of the LORD, he said, “Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.” The LORD said to him, “Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die.”

As one can see, death does not occur to all who see and are face to face with the Lord. He is merciful and gracious. It is God’s choice. Exodus 33:19b… “and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”

It is clearly a humbling experience to be face to face with the Lord.

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