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Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement: 5781/2020 Days of Awe and the Book of Life

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Fall Feasts, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 26, 2020 by paulthepoke

Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement is celebrated on Tishri 10th. It is the last day of the 40 day period of Teshuvah.

In 2020, it is Sunday, September 27 at sunset on our Gregorian calendar. The holiday is 10 days after the civil new year (Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets) is declared at the sighting of the new moon. The new moon was declared on Friday, September 18 outside of Jerusalem by at least two witnesses.

The ten day period of time from Yom Teruah/Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets to Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement is known as the Days of Awe. The ten day period is also called Yamim Noraim in the Hebrew or the Days of Repentance. This is to be a time of intense reflection of the sins committed during the previous year. The result should be Teshuvah or repentance.

Tradition, not the Bible, says during the Days of Awe, God is keeping His books. God is determining who lives, who dies, who will have a good life or a bad life during the upcoming year. But on Yom Kippur, the decision is made and the books are sealed.

https://www.jewfaq.org/holiday3.htm

Revelation 3:5-6 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The statement is conditional. One must conquer or overcome through Jesus Christ. The result…

…and I will never blot…Jesus is making a promise. As a believer in Him, your good name and character are safe.

This the Greek word ἐξαλείφω/exaleiphó. Defined by Strong’s Concordance, it means: I plaster, wash over; I wipe off, wipe out, or obliterate.

Believers will not be erased, obliterated, or wiped out.

The verb ἐξαλείφω/exaleiphó is used a total of five times in the New Testament. It is utilized in the context of the removal of tears, sin, and debt. See the examples below.

Revelation 21:4a and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; 

Acts 3:19a Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away…

Colossians 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Jesus totally paid for sin once and for all. He is not about to let us be erased from life. He overcame death. And in Him, believers have eternal life.

Erased from what? …the book of life.

The “book of life” is mentioned in five times in Revelation. Scripture tells us the “book of life” has its origins from the beginning of time at creation. The owner of the “book of life” is Christ Himself, the Lamb.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

See also Revelation 21:27 and Revelation 17:8 for origin and ownership of the “book of life”.

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It would appear, we all start with our name in the “book of life”. Moses and the Lord are having a discussion. Sin will remove our name from the “book of life”. And this makes sense considering the wage of sin is death.

Exodus 32:32-33 “But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”

The span of our life is noted to the day in the “book of life”.

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

Every single detail of our life is documented down to the number of tears in the “book of life”.

Psalm 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?

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Revelation 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Please listen. This marks the fifth time Jesus has requested to all members of the church to listen. He is not pleading with the Sardis church only. This is an individual appeal. If you have an ear(s), Christ is talking to you.

You want to be found in the “book of life”. There is a consequence if your sins are not squared away with the Father.

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

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Revelation The Last Letter

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on September 8, 2018 by paulthepoke
Now Available on Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1720136084

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These are the last of words of Jesus before He comes for His bride the Church. Revelation The Last Letter looks at the seven churches in their historical and geographical context in the first century. These were actual churches in actual ancient cities in what is modern day Turkey. What did Jesus actually say to the churches? Please, listen to the good news from Jesus Himself…

 

 

This is a great resource for small group Bible studies. Study questions are provided at the end of each chapter.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Revelation-Last-Letter-Paul-Lehr/dp/1720136084/

 

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Revelation: Sardis, Book of Life

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , on November 12, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:5-6 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

The statement is conditional. One must conquer or overcome through Jesus Christ. The result…

…and I will never blot…Jesus is making a promise. As a believer in Him, your good name and character are safe.

This the Greek word ἐξαλείφω/exaleiphó. Defined by Strong’s Concordance, it means: I plaster, wash over; I wipe off, wipe out, or obliterate.

Believers will not be erased, obliterated, or wiped out.

The verb ἐξαλείφω/exaleiphó is used a total of five times in the New Testament. It is utilized in the context of the removal of tears, sin, and debt. See the examples below.

Revelation 21:4a and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; 

Acts 3:19a Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away…

Colossians 2:14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Jesus totally paid for sin once and for all. He is not about to let us be erased from life. He overcame death. And in Him, believers have eternal life.

 

Erased from what? …the book of life.

The “book of life” is mentioned in five times in Revelation. Scripture tells us the “book of life” has its origins from the beginning of time at creation. The owner of the “book of life” is Christ Himself, the Lamb.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

See also Revelation 21:27 and Revelation 17:8 for origin and ownership of the “book of life”.

 

It would appear, we all start with our name in the “book of life”. Moses and the Lord are having a discussion. Sin will remove our name from the “book of life”. And this makes sense considering the wage of sin is death.

Exodus 32:32-33 “But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”

 

The span of our life is noted to the day in the “book of life”.

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

 

Every single detail of our life is documented down to the number of tears in the “book of life”.

Psalm 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?

 

Revelation 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Please listen. This marks the fifth time Jesus has requested to all members of the church to listen. He is not pleading with the Sardis church only. This is an individual appeal. If you have an ear(s), Christ is talking to you.

You want to be found in the “book of life”. There is a consequence if your sins are not squared away with the Father.

Revelation 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

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Revelation: Sardis, A Victorious Priest

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:5 The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

The one who conquers… This is the Greek verb νικαο/nikao. It is a term for a victorious military hero. Nike athletic shoes and apparel comes from this Greek root word. The grammar states the action is continuous.

We always have victory in Christ. There is not one human being outside of Jesus who can win the day on their own. We prevail by Jesus. As members of the body of Christ, we succeed via the Overcomer. Scripture is very clear. There is only one way to conquer.

1 John 5:4-5 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world…our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

…will be clothed thus in white garments…This is the same type of garment described in the previous verse in Revelation 3:4. The garment is a long, flowing outer tunic. The color is white or λευκός/leukos in the Greek. This is defined as a bright, brilliant white.

We know our future as believers with Christ is that of a king and a priest.

1 Peter 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father–to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

A brilliant white flowing robe is the clothing consistent with a priest. Heavenly, priestly clothing is of linen. That’s the type of cloth Jesus was buried and covered. Before going to Heaven to be at the right hand of the Father, Christ the high priest was buried in linen. Matthew 27:59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth… (see also Mark 15:46, Luke 23:53). The body referenced is Jesus after His death.

Exodus 28 gives instructions for the priestly garments. The clothing for the priest is to be made of linen. Exodus 28:5 They shall take the gold and the blue and the purple and the scarlet material and the fine linen. The concept is stated seven times in Exodus 28. Priestly garments are of linen (Exodus 28:6, 8, 15, 39, 39, 42).

Jesus Christ is setting the stage for His bride to be clothed in Heavenly splendor.

 

 

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Revelation: Sardis, Keep Your Clothes Clean

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , on October 29, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

These are not exactly glowing marks from Jesus to the church at Sardis.

…a few people…And it means exactly that in the original Greek. ὀλίγος/oligos is defined as few, little, or small per Strong’s Concordance.

The Greek word for people is ὄνομα/onoma. Per Strong’s, it can be translated as: name, character, fame, or reputation.

In other words, there were a small amount of people of character and reputation in the Sardis local body.

 

…have not soiled…Those of character have not μολύνω/molunó. In other words, they have not stained, polluted, or defiled.

The Bible is consistent from beginning to end. The books of Leviticus and Numbers are full of examples regarding clothing hygiene. Wash your clothes and keep them clean!

Exodus 19:10 The LORD also said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments…”

 

The issue is keeping clean clothes in Christ. This is not just any garment. The term for garment in the Greek is ἱμάτιον/himation. The garment is a long flowing outer tunic, cloak, or robe (Strong’s Concordance). The color white is indicative of purity.

1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Jesus washes our garments clean with His blood. This is ultimately fulfilled in Revelation.

Revelation 7:14b They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The same concept is implied in Revelation 22:14.

 

…they will walk…The idea is how one lives their life and conducts themselves on a daily basis. It is a matter of lifestyle. Περιπατέω/peripateó is the word.

Manage your daily affairs with character so you don’t stain your robe. The discharge of sin defiles and stains your clothes. Christ paid for your nice, white cloak. Show the Man some respect.

 

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Revelation: Sardis, The Thief is Coming

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , on October 22, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:3b …If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

…If you will not wake up…The implication is the believers at the church in Sardis are asleep. This is the second time believers in Sardis are told to wake up. And if you don’t wake up, a consequence is coming.

Consequence, I will come like a thief. This is not the first time Jesus tells believers He will come like a thief. Other New Testament epistles make the same point. See Paul and Peter.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Revelation 16:15 “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

 

…and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Jesus is beyond fair. He is not leaking new information. Readers of the Bible should know He has spoken this concept before.

Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. -Jesus

Do we think Jesus is kidding? Look at all of the examples given in the writing above. And this is not a comprehensive list. There were other verses expressing the same idea. We have been given fair warning. Get ready. He is coming again.

Luke 12:40 “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” -Jesus

 

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Revelation: Sardis, Keep Your Clothes

Posted in Gospel, Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:3b …If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

This phrase would have a special meaning to priests who stood watch at the Jewish Temple. The night watch was divided into three groups. There were 24 stations at gates and in the courts of the Temple complex. Each station had 10 men for a total of 240 night guards.

During the night, the captain would make his rounds and check on the guards. The catch, no one knew what time the captain would come for inspection. If a watchman was found asleep, he would be beaten or his garments would be set on fire.

Temple insights provided by: Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services, Chapter 7 At Night in the Temple

We should pay attention to the analogy. As believers we will be kings and priests in the future. John makes the point in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 5:10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.

The believer’s position of royalty and priesthood with Jesus Christ is confirmed later in the book.

Revelation 20:6…Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

See also Revelation 20:4.

Consider the course of the priest who was given the responsibility to stand watch. He fell asleep. He lost his clothes to fire. But, he was still a priest. He had to report to his superior naked. It was obvious what had occurred. That had to be embarrassing.

Shame entered the world with nakedness at the fall of man in Genesis 3. From this point forward, nakedness is associated with sin. Two of many examples are noted below.

Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns her face away.

Isaiah 47:3 Your nakedness will be uncovered, your shame also will be exposed; I will take vengeance and will not spare a man.

As believers, do we want to stand naked before Jesus Christ? He shed His blood for us and clothed us in priestly linen garments to cover our sin. He is the High Priest and King. Jesus is our authority. Christ is going to know what happened and whether or not we faithfully stood watch.

Don’t make it obvious by showing up naked.

 

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Revelation: Sardis, “Remember Me.” -Jesus

Posted in Gospel, Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , on July 30, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:3a Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent.

Remember, then, what you received and heard. There are three verbs in the initial part of the verse.

 

This is an appeal to mental faculties. One, remember or keep this information in your brain. Don’t forget it.

Second, the believer in Sardis received or λαμβανο/lambano in the Greek. Per Strong’s Concordance lambano means: to take without the notion of violence; to take what is one’s own, to take to one’s self, to make one’s own; to claim, procure, for one’s self; to associate with one’s self as companion, attendant.

The idea is a person has taken possession for themselves and it does not need to be done again. The item belongs to the individual. The procurement has binding results moving forward into the future. What is claimed is eternal.

Lastly, the information was heard. The person understood what was being said. There was consideration of the message. The message was perceived and comprehended.

What is the focus for the folks at Sardis? It is salvation through Jesus Christ. He is offering the gift of eternal life. Jesus is telling the church He is the object of their attention. The order of the verbs in the verse above is the opposite of their introduction to Jesus. Typically at first, a person hears the good news of Jesus. Second, they have an option to reject or receive the free gift of salvation. Lastly, a believer in Christ is to remember what they have taken as their possession.

 

What are people to do with the gospel message of Jesus Christ? Keep it, and repent.

Keep or τερεο/tereo in the Greek. It means: to attend to carefully, take care of, to guard. This is a consistent mental attitude. Keep or tereo is a present tense verb. It means to continually keep. This is a matter of lifestyle. Always protect and pay attention to our eternal salvation.

And if there are some sins hanging around in your life…Repent. This is the seventh of eight times the word “repent” is used to the churches in Revelation. Change your mind and make a change. Get the junk out of your life and stop it.

 

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Revelation: Sardis…Pay Attention!!!

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , on July 22, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

Wake up…The word is γρεγορευο/gregoreuo in the Greek. Per Strong’s Concordance it means: to watch; metaphorically, give strict attention to, be cautious, active; to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one.

…strengthen…This is the word στεριζο/sterizo. It means: to make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix; to strengthen, make firm; to render constant, confirm, one’s mind.

…to die…The idea is αποτηνεσκο/apothnesko. It is defined as: to die of the natural death of man; of the violent death of man or animals; of eternal death, to be subject to eternal misery in hell.

The call is being made to the church. We need to pay attention. We are called to be a military watchmen on an ancient city wall. We are called to have a mental attitude of resolve and physically act on it. Defend and build on what we have. Take care of what has been given to us. Inactivity is not recommended. We should listen to the warning. If we do nothing, dangerous times will come suddenly and quickly. The kind of death is not a pleasant one whether it is physical or spiritual.

 

for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

Jesus is making an observation. He has “not found”. Christ has been making a thorough search. He is absolutely checking it out. Here is a list of synonyms or other translations for the Greek word ηευρισκο/heurisko: enquiry, examination, scrutiny, observation, experience, see, learn, discover, understand, recognize, or detect.

The effort by the church at Sardis is compared to the filling of a pot. The idea is to make the pot full to the brim or supply liberally. The local body in Sardis did not fill their pot.

Jesus knows all about giving generously. At a wedding in Cana, He provided wine that was water. Those six pots were filled to the brim.

Luke 2:7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

 

And for good measure, the church’s effort does not meet the approval of the Father either. As a reminder, Jesus is making this comment at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. The grammar makes an argument that Jesus states this while looking at the Father.

…in the sight of My God.

 

 

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Revelation: Sardis…”But You Are Dead”

Posted in Prophecy, Revelation with tags , , , , , on July 15, 2017 by paulthepoke

Revelation 3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead…

…you have a name…The Greek word is ονομα/onoma. Strong’s Concordance defines onoma as: the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.

The church at Sardis thought they were a big deal. They had a lofty impression of their local body. Believers in Sardis had a self-proclaimed reputation of tremendous character. Just ask them. The name of Sardis was full of pride.

“This is the church at Sardis! We are hot stuff and welcome to our exclusive Country Club!”

…that you are alive…The church at Sardis was ζαο/zao in the Greek. The syntax of the verse indicates they viewed themselves in a continual state of greatness. They perceived themselves to have an abundant zeal for Christian living and lifestyle. The local body in Sardis thought they were the model church, refreshing with vitality. Humility was not a strong suit.

Zao is defined as: to live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead); to have true life and worthy of the name; active, blessed, endless in the kingdom of God; living water, having vital power in itself and exerting the same upon the soul. Metaphorically: to be in full vigor; to be fresh, strong, and efficient. (Strong’s Concordance)

 

There is how a church or a believer views themselves, then there is how Jesus assesses the situation.

…but you are dead. Jesus said those in Sardis were νεκροσ/nekros. Here is the word defined by Strongs’: One that has breathed his last, lifeless; deceased, departed, one whose soul is in heaven or hell; destitute of life, without life, inanimate. Metaphorically: spiritually dead; destitute of a life that recognizes and is devoted to God, because given up to trespasses and sins; inactive as respects doing right; destitute of force or power, inactive, inoperative.

The church at Sardis viewed itself in a continual state of life and living. Jesus viewed the local believers in a continual state of physical and spiritual death. Jesus saw them as a group who had been turned over to their sins. The two views stood in complete, polar opposites.

The practical application for us as believers is to get over our inflated opinions of self. What Jesus thinks of us is more important than how we see ourselves.

 

 

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