Gathering all the chief priests and elders he inquired about this king of the Jews. Matthew 2: 1-12.

 If you were hoping for a continued foray into the book of Romans, I must apologize because I am an obsessive multitasker. I had been feeling like I needed to do as I started almost twenty years ago, to read through the New Testament slowly while writing down my thoughts and questions as I went. I really did not want to disrupt your lives if you should be meticulously following me, but since everything in scripture is connected, just as the “New Testament” could NOT exist without the supporting words found in the Old. To my Jewish friends (I wish,) the Torah and Tenach. So it should all be good.

I also know that what I write includes so much of my heart and a strong disgust for religious zealots who add to the law, distort it, and impose their traditional teachings, merely because that is the way we have always taught some portion of scripture. Sadly, this is how I was taught and why I write, so that you and I can hopefully see the truth. 

On a humorous note, there is an old story where on a particular family holiday, one of the younger daughters, helping in the kitchen, asked the great-grandmother why they cut the ends off the roast before putting it in the oven? The reply changed everything that day as great-grandmother replied, I did it because my oven was too small. I will leave you to think about that.

 The next thing we encounter in Matthew’s gospel is,

The Visit of the Wise Men

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
(Matthew 2:1-2 NASB)

Magi, what did they want and why were they demanding answers from Herod?

One brother in Christ, who is very skillful in the Word of God, explained that one of the roles of the Magi was to be kingdom changers, (Consider that this knowledgeable man had to look at other information, not contained within the pages of the Bible to make his valid assertion. I only point this out because a “brother in Christ” verbally lashed out at me, saying I do not believe that we should use extra-biblical texts and information to form our thoughts about God and scripture.) The Magi were the group of men that Daniel, as a young man, had been assigned to and eventually became the head of, while remaining a captive in Babylon.

Seeing the size of the entourage and perceiving a threat to his power, Herod went into panic mode and called the chief priests and elders before him to tell him what they knew about this situation.

“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.”
(Matthew 2:3-4 NASB)

“When Herod the king heard this.”

What did he hear?

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

Since when has the Middle East changed so that you can merely gather up a large, armed crowd and go rolling up to another kingdom’s gates unannounced and immediately expect an audience with a king known to live in fear? It hasn’t, and so I don’t expect that was the case here, but the word was received and taken to the king. 

Now, what does the fearful man, Herod, do? 

He consults the people who most likely know the answer, the Jews, as they should know the prophecy.

All prophecy, like a criminal court case, must have two or three witnesses, one of those witnesses is found in the Book of Daniel. It is not likely that Herod, being a half-Jew, would have studied Daniel chapter seven, as it plays a significant role in testifying to what the angel declared to Mary as he explained the function of the child that she carried.

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have” no end.”
(Luke 1:32-33 NASB)

So, no, Herod would not know these words that we see in Luke’s gospel, as they were written long after Herod’s death, and that makes his fear and the lack of reaction by the elders even more peculiar.

The Magi, on the other hand, may have read Daniel's words with intensity.

“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away, And His kingdom is one Which will not be” destroyed.”
(Daniel 7:13-14 NASB)

The reply of the elders is alarming to me.

“So they, “told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
(Matthew 2:5-6 TLV)

They knew the answer to the question, but do we have any record that they went there and bowed before this new king?

Not at all. Herod responds to this by double-checking. Perhaps because even Herod could see that these magi are taking this king being born seriously and he calls them in to speak with them.

“Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem “and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child. And when you have found Him, bring word back to me so that I may come and worship Him” as well.”
(Matthew 2:7-8 TLV)

With terminology such as “determined from them the exact time,” Herod now has a ballpark idea of how old this new king is; and nothing will happen until they come back to Herod and give him the word of exactly where to find the child. Watch what the magi do.

“After listening to the king, they went their way. And behold, the star they had seen in the east went on before them, until it came to rest over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with” great gladness.”
(Matthew 2:9-10 TLV)

These magi had not yet found the child but they will. They will not go back for the child's protection. Notice where the family is now living.

“And when they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Miriam; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another way.”
(Matthew 2:11-12 TLV)

Never once do you see the number three, what you do see are three specific names: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A key word here is treasures, as the quantity may have been great and enough to sustain the family for several years. We, because of the age bracket that Herod ordered killed, would logically assume the age of Yeshua to be about two as they take off to the safety of Egypt.

“Now when they had gone (the magi), behold, an angel of Adonai appears to Joseph in a dream (so he has had a couple of these over the last few years), saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to kill Him.” So he got up, took the Child and His mother during the night, and went to Egypt. Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of Adonai appears to Joseph in“a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the Child, to kill Him.” So he got up, took the Child and His mother during the night, and went to Egypt. He stayed there until Herod’s death. This was to fulfill what was spoken by Adonai through the“prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My son.” Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became furious. And he sent and killed all boys in Bethlehem and in all its surrounding area, from two years old and under, according to the time he had determined from the magi.”

(Matthew 2:13-16 TLV)

Astronomy.com tells us that “On the morning of August 12 in 3 B.C ., Jupiter and Venus would’ve sat just 1/10th a degree apart in the dawn sky. That’s one-fifth the diameter of the Full Moon. (The December 2020 conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn will have an identical separation, albeit in the evening sky.) That wasn’t the end of the show, either. Venus and Jupiter continued their dance over most of the next year before finally appearing to merge into a single star in June.”

So approximately August of C.5 Christ was born.? (I am still not clear. If time is based on this dramatic change called Jesus birth, all I wanted or needed was a solid time frame that I could start with. If this is based upon Christ, it would seem that this timeline information puts the starting point at five months. An obvious fact is that He was NOT born at six months old, we also know that the shepherds were with their flocks, and that tends to put His birth far enough into the season for shepherds to be working the flocks comfortably in the hillsides.) At the age of two, his family takes him to Egypt to protect him. History, (and I must admit this is rather sketchy), records that Herod died around April 4 B.C., therefore it would seem that the family was only in Egypt for slightly over a year. The presumption then is that Jesus was brought back to Nazareth when He was four or five.

Why is this information important?

First, this has never been clear in my head, and that may be because no one ever talked about it. Secondly, questions occasionally arise about Jesus from toddler to maturity, which in the Jewish culture seems to be about age 13, a time when the sons are required to step up and learn their father's trade. Three, I made the mistake of reading Kahlil Gibran's book Jesus the son of Man. The title alone should tell you something about the lack of understanding and possible disrespect the man had for Jesus. A point that Mr. Gibran tried to make was that Jesus may have been a malicious brat, as he allegedly injured animals and then healed them. Sorry, but that did not sound right then nor does it sound right now. 

After the incident where the family, while in Jerusalem, had to go looking for Jesus, a 12-year-old child, they found Him in the temple where He had been for two days discussing with the Jewish leaders the scriptures. Remember, all they had were the law and the prophets, and they were precious and expensive scrolls, that only the richest of synagogues had copies. So learning the scriptures was almost exclusively through repetitious hearing.

A problem with this entire process. If your child had a disability would you focus on that, merely enabling that they lean upon that disability, or would you focus on their ability? In Jesus' case, He, by those who knew about His birth, would have been called a mumzer – an illegitimate child; and those same people had a long history, based on the law, that allowed them to treat a child like this poorly. As far as I can see, Jesus, had He been known, would have been violently expelled from the temple. An answer to this lies in the outer courts of the temple, as these were accessible to even the gentiles.

The final thought on this tells us that after His parents found Him, and I am sure expressed their displeasure at Him being lost, is that Jesus submitted Himself wholly to their wishes until He was old enough, able to take care of Himself and act on His own accord. I am thinking now of Mary. As the eldest son Jesus would have probably been the one to care for her after Joseph died. Keep in mind that Mary continued to have other children and several of them, including sisters, may have taken that role.

We, don't see support from the other family members, nor do we hear anything about siblings until the day that they came to restrain Him – so to speak.

“When His family heard about this, they went out to take hold of Him; for they were saying, “He’s out of His mind!” 

(Mark 3:21 TLV)

He conflicted with the 600+, additional Jewish laws, but He was amazingly kind to the down and out while excoriating the scribes and the“Pharisees.

“Then His mother and brothers come. Standing outside, they sent word to Him, summoning Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they tell Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking at those sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.” 

(Mark 3:31-35 TLV)

If Mary (Miriam) had not been the surrogate mother of Jesus we would probably never hear of her either.

I decided to post this, even though it is not, in my mind, done. 

I do not elaborate like this merely to convince you to think negatively about Jesus, just the opposite is true. If you happen to be one that thinks that every God aspect was little more than some high-speed download, I think that is illogical and works in opposition to His mission here on earth. Remember, He came as man and defeated Satan, as a human.

We have learned that Joseph, "his father," was a righteous man, some translations refer to Joseph as a good man. To be deemed a righteous man indicates that he was known among the synagogue crowd, as one that took notes (just kidding) and paid attention. Because of this he fastidiously practiced the scriptures with Jesus. 

So, how did Jesus become so knowledgeable? 

Joseph, his foster father. Let that sink in. 

If you do not know my Jesus He is as close as your breath. Merely submit yourself to the greater power and ask Him into your life, then watch the changes begin to happen because the Holy Spirit has now entered, permanently, and will begin teaching you all things and showing you things to come. 

If the rapture has come, there is no denying when that happened. (Yes, I know that the government has put it off on aliens taking the "bad" Christians off the earth.) 

If the church is gone all hell will begin to break loose. 

Constant rioting in the streets and death will come from multiple directions. Those you thought would be on your side and protect you, will be trying to kill you. Injections will be mandated that are intended to kill you. Efforts to monitor your every move will be demanded. The earth and the water supplies will be poisoned. The oceans will be filled with death. Commerce will come to a halt. The economies will become digital and tightly controlled, but will all, in a matter of time, will collapse. This time on earth, as seen in Revelation six and beyond, will include God's anger against unbelieving humanity and the Jews who rejected God. 

Within days of the Church being removed the antichrist persona will come to the forefront. If you have access to a Bible (it will be a forbidden book,) you can read about the emergence of the antichrist.

"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and (then) that that man of sin be disclosed, even the son of perdition,"                     (2 Thessalonians 2:3 Geneva)

Yes, I Americanized the old 15th-century wording, and yes, most translations use the phrase falling away. Just this morning, 3/11/23, I saw that the Church of England is now teaching four-year-old children, in their Sunday school class, about transitioning and perverted sex education. Try to convince me that we, the church, have not fallen over the cliff already. 

There is only one hope; it is Jesus, and if nothing else, make your life with Him personal. 

Trust me, once He touches your heart you will want to tell someone about Him.

Dies ist der letzte Blick auf und die Kritik von Pete Garcias Beitrag, Wie alles endet.

 

Poste drei von drei.

Das Original hatte lediglich acht Aufzählungspunkte ohne Erklärungen. Hier fahre ich fort, während ich Punkt Nummer fünf betrachte.  

5. ( Das ) „Schaf-und-Ziege“-Gericht (Mt 25:31-46).

   Wenn Sie mich nach dem Schaf- und Ziegengericht gefragt hätten, hätte ich Sie zunächst dorthin verwiesen. Es ist das gleiche Szenario wie das Gericht über den großen weißen Thron in Offenbarung 20, Verse 11-15, jedoch zeigt Matthäus uns Jesus, während Offenbarung 20 den Richter als Gott zu zeigen scheint. Denken Sie daran, wenn Sie die Offenbarung lesen, es ist eine Offenbarung von Jesus Christus. Es gibt sehr genaue Gründe, warum ich sagen möchte, dass sie dieselben sind, und wir können hier auf einige von ihnen eingehen.

   In Matthäus 25 sehen wir das.

   „Aber wenn der Menschensohn in seiner Herrlichkeit kommt und alle Engel mit ihm, dann wird er auf seinem herrlichen Thron sitzen.“ (Matthäus 25:31 NASB)

   Es ist der Menschensohn, der auf Seinem glorreichen Thron sitzt. Sie sollten zu diesem Zeitpunkt wissen, dass das gesamte Gericht in Jesu Hände gelegt wurde.

   „Alle Völker werden vor ihm versammelt werden, und er wird sie voneinander scheiden, wie der Hirte die Schafe von den Böcken scheidet“ (Matthäus 25:32 NASB)

   Hier in Matthäus sind alle Nationen vor Ihm versammelt.

   Können Sie beurteilen, ob die Versammelten leben oder tot sind?

   Wir erhalten diese Informationen nicht.

   Kannst du in Gottes Augen tot definieren?

   Der Tod ist nur eine Trennung von Gott.

   Beachten Sie, dass es Jesus ist, der die Gruppen erstellt und die Menschen in die entsprechende Gruppe einordnet

   „ Und er wird die Schafe zu seiner Rechten stellen und die Böcke zu seiner Linken. „Dann wird der König zu denen zu Seiner Rechten sagen: ‚Kommt, ihr Gesegneten Meines Vaters, erbt das Königreich, das für euch bereitet ist von Grundlegung der Welt an .‘“
   ( Matthäus 25:33-34 NASB)

   Der König, das ist Jesus, macht die Ankündigung an die Gruppe rechts – die Schafe, kommt, ihr Gesegneten Meines Vaters, erbt das Reich, das seit Grundlegung der Welt für euch bereitet ist.“

Bedeutet das nicht vor Grundlegung der Welt, dass ihre Namen die ganze Zeit über in diesem Buch geschrieben standen?

Wenn das der Fall ist, warum wurden sie dann nicht zum Wegreißen der Kirche berufen?

Ich kenne die Antwort darauf nicht, aber dies spricht zu mir von den religiösen Urteilen, die mir unangemessen beigebracht wurden.

Vielleicht haben diejenigen, denen Gottes Barmherzigkeit gezeigt wird, die gleichen Fragen, weil Jesus mit einer Erklärung zu antworten scheint.

„ Denn ich war hungrig, und du hast mir zu essen gegeben; ich war durstig, und du hast mir zu trinken gegeben; ich war ein Fremder, und du hast mich hereingebeten; “ ( Matthäus 25:35 NASB)

Wow, jemandem etwas zu essen oder zu trinken zu geben scheint nicht wirklich viel zu sein. Aber in Gottes Augen handelt es in der Natur und im Charakter des Sohnes. Sein Wesen und Charakter ist LIEBE, falls du es nicht wusstest. Dieser Austausch von Fragen und Antworten geht über vier weitere Verse weiter.

"Der König wird antworten und zu ihnen sagen: 'Wahrlich, ich sage euch, in dem Maße, wie ihr es einem meiner Brüder angetan habt, selbst dem geringsten von ihnen, habt ihr es mir angetan.'
( Matthäus 25:40 NASB)

„ ... In dem Maße, wie du es einem meiner Brüder angetan hast, selbst dem geringsten von ihnen, hast du es mir angetan.“

Haben Sie darüber schon einmal nachgedacht? Er, Jesus, projiziert, und zwar angemessen, Seine Persona auf diese.

Wenn wir es hier beenden könnten, wäre das genug für mich, aber NEIN, er muss weitermachen.

„Dann wird er auch zu denen zu seiner Linken (den Böcken) sagen: ‚Geht weg von mir, Verfluchte, in das ewige Feuer, das dem Teufel und seinen Engeln bereitet ist‘.
( Matthäus 25:41 NASB)

Vers 40 gilt auch für diese Menschen, nur im Gegenteil. „ In dem Maße, wie du es einem meiner Brüder angetan ( NICHT getan ) hast, selbst dem geringsten von ihnen, hast du es mir ( NICHT angetan ).“

6. Tausendjährige Herrschaft Christi auf Erden (Jes 2:2-4, 9:6-7, 11:1-10, 65:22-25, Off 20:1-10) gerecht (außerhalb der Kirche) auferstanden, ungerecht von alle Zeit nicht auferstanden bis zum Ende.

   Erstens ist das Tausendjährige Reich die 1000-jährige Herrschaft Christi über die Erde. Es ist auch die Zeit, in der Satan für tausend Jahre in den Feuersee geworfen wird, wo er niemanden von uns in der Außenwelt stören kann. Wow, wenn das der Fall ist, wie erklären Sie dann, was wir in Offenbarung 21 sehen, wo es um das Neue Jerusalem geht?

   „ und nichts Unreines und niemand, der Gräuel und Lügen verübt, soll jemals hineinkommen, sondern nur diejenigen, deren Namen im Lebensbuch des Lammes geschrieben stehen.“
   (Offenbarung 21:27 NASB)

   Es scheint, dass Gott den freien Willen zugelassen hat, und basierend auf ihren Handlungen würde ich sagen, dass sie sich entschieden haben, Jesus nicht nachzufolgen.

   „ Nun wird es geschehen, dass in den letzten Tagen der Berg des Hauses des HERRN als das Haupt der Berge errichtet und über die Hügel erhoben wird; Und alle Nationen werden zu ihm strömen. Und viele Völker werden kommen und sagen: „Kommt, lasst uns hinaufgehen zum Berg des HERRN, zum Haus des Gottes Jakobs, damit er uns seine Wege lehre und wir auf seinen Pfaden wandeln.“ Denn von Zion wird das Gesetz ausgehen und von Jerusalem das Wort des HERRN. Und er wird richten zwischen den Völkern und wird Entscheidungen treffen für viele Völker; Und sie werden ihre Schwerter zu Pflugscharen und ihre Speere zu Rebmessern schmieden. Nation wird nicht gegen Nation das Schwert erheben, Und nie wieder werden sie den Krieg lernen.“ ( Jesaja 2:2-4 NASB)

   Interessant, auf wie viele Verwendungen sich der Ausdruck „ letzte Tage “ bezieht. Es kann die Rückkehr Jesu für seine Gemeinde, die sieben Jahre des Zorns Gottes, die vielen als die große Drangsal bekannt sind, und die tausendjährige Herrschaft Jesu bedeuten. Hier, bei Jesaja, wird von der tausendjährigen Periode gesprochen.

   Der Berg des Hauses des Herrn wird errichtet . Es gibt Schriftstellen, die davon sprechen, dass Satan aus dem Himmel geworfen, seiner Macht beraubt und alle Macht dem Sohn gegeben wird. Mit Aussagen wie diesen würde man meinen, dass wir, die Nachfolger Christi, in Kraft und Sieg umhergehen würden; aber wir nicht, oder? Die tausendjährige Herrschaft ist, wenn dies tatsächlich geschieht.

   „ Damit er uns seine Wege lehre und wir auf seinen Pfaden wandeln können .“ Leider hatten Sie diese Gelegenheit, seine Wege zu lernen und die ganze Zeit auf seinen Pfaden zu wandeln.

   Während der 1000 Jahre wird  Er (wir nehmen an, dass dies Gott ist, aber nein, das ganze Gericht wurde dem Sohn, Jesus, gegeben) zwischen den Nationen richten und (Er) wird Entscheidungen für viele Menschen treffen.

   Und als Ergebnis dieses Gerichts werden sie (die Nationen) Hämmer , ihre Schwerter werden in Pflugmesser verwandelt und ihre Speere in Weinmesser.

   Die BBE-Bibel macht auf diese Weise Schluss.

   „ Die Nationen werden ihre Schwerter nicht mehr gegeneinander richten, und das Wissen um den Krieg wird für immer verschwunden sein .“

   Endlich Frieden.

   Können Sie sich vorstellen, wie viele Menschen in ständiger Angst leben?

   Was für eine Erleichterung wäre so ein Leben.

   Es ist ein wunderbarer Gedanke, und er wird mit einem endgültigen Gericht enden.

7. Das Gericht des Großen Weißen Throns (Offb 20:11-15)

   Dies ist das gleiche Gericht, das Sie gesehen haben, als wir über das Schaf- und Bockgericht sprachen. Ja, es scheint Unterschiede zu geben, so wie hier in Offenbarung 20 davon gesprochen wird, wie Er (wir nehmen an, dass es hier Gott ist) die Nationen vor sich ruft. Während in Matthäus Bericht Er (in diesem Fall ist es der Hirte – worunter wir Jesus verstehen) die Toten vor sich ruft.

   Da unsere Geister für immer weiterleben, ist irgendjemand wirklich tot?

   Der Tod ist nichts weniger als deine dauerhafte Trennung von Gott, und deshalb gibt es eine Hölle.

   „Dann sah ich einen großen weißen Thron und den, der darauf saß, vor dessen Angesicht Erde und Himmel flohen, und kein Platz für sie gefunden wurde. Und ich sah die Toten, die Großen und die Kleinen, vor dem Thron stehen, und Bücher wurden geöffnet, und ein anderes Buch wurde geöffnet, das ist das Buch des Lebens, und die Toten wurden gerichtet nach dem, was in den Büchern geschrieben steht, nach ihren Taten, und das Meer gab die Toten heraus, die darin waren, und Tod und Hades gaben die Toten auf, die in ihnen waren, und sie wurden gerichtet, jeder von ihnen nach seinen Taten. Dann wurden Tod und Hades in den Feuersee geworfen. Dies ist der zweite Tod, der Feuersee. Und Wenn jemandes Name nicht im Buch des Lebens geschrieben gefunden wurde, wurde er in den Feuersee geworfen. ( Offenbarung 20:11-15 NASB)

8. Die ewige Ordnung (Offb 21-22:5)

   Ich habe keine Ahnung, wovon Herr Garcia spricht, und ich werde Ihnen sagen, dass ich das noch nie in der Kirche gepredigt gehört habe. Mal sehen, was die Passagen sagen, und sehen, ob wir daraus einen Sinn machen können.

   „ Dann sah ich einen neuen Himmel und eine neue Erde; denn der erste Himmel und die erste Erde sind vergangen, und es gibt kein Meer mehr.“ (Offenbarung 21:1 NASB)

   „ Ein neuer Himmel und eine neue Erde.“ Mir wurde kürzlich von jemandem gesagt, dass sie genau über diese Kapitel sprechen wollten. Ich habe sie mehrmals gelesen und fand sie sinnvoll. Sofort kam mir eine der Fragen in den Sinn, die mit dem Verbrennen der Erde zu tun hatte. Bei dem Versuch, eine Antwort für diese Person zu finden, habe ich eine umfangreiche Suche durchgeführt. Das ist ungefähr alles, was ich finden konnte.

   2 Petrus 3:4-7 NASB „und sagen: „Wo ist die Verheißung seines Kommens? Denn seit die Väter eingeschlafen sind, geht es weiter, wie es seit Anbeginn der Schöpfung war.“ (5) Denn wenn sie dies behaupten, entgeht ihnen, dass durch das Wort Gottes vor langer Zeit die Himmel existierten und die Erde geformt wurde aus Wasser und durch Wasser, (6) durch die damals die Welt zerstört wurde, mit Wasser überflutet, (7) aber durch sein Wort werden die gegenwärtigen Himmel und die Erde dem Feuer vorbehalten, bewahrt für den Tag des Gerichts und Vernichtung gottloser Menschen."

   Ich und einige andere werden Ihnen sagen, dass die Offenbarung ein jüdisches Buch ist, das in das Alte Testament eingetaucht ist, und die Prophezeiung an die Juden basiert auf Wiederholung. Ich finde nichts in der Schrift, das mir zeigt, dass die Erde vom Feuer verzehrt wird, außer in 2. Petrus 3. Sollte ich dann alle Anspielungen auf die alte Erde, die verbrannt und ersetzt wird, zurückweisen ? Ich glaube nicht, schon aus keinem anderen Grund, als die Erde von ihrer Verschmutzung zu befreien; und ich kann Verschmutzung auf zwei Ebenen sehen – Satans und die von Menschen verursachte.

   Wenn Herr Garcia versucht, einen Punkt zu machen, liegt der Punkt vielleicht in der chronologischen Reihenfolge der Dinge . Albert Barnes, der seine Kommentare um 1847 veröffentlichte, sagt uns, dass John dem, was diese beiden Kapitel vermitteln, keinen Zeitrahmen zuwies. Ich bin mir also nicht sicher, ob eine chronologische Reihenfolge funktionieren wird.

   Wenn, wie der Apostel, Petrus uns sagt, dass alles dem Feuer vorbehalten ist, wie schafft es Gott dann, den Menschen, die während der Jahrtausende leben, Barmherzigkeit zu erweisen?

   Meine Frage ist im biblischen Verständnis verankert, dass Ungläubige in die tausendjährige Herrschaft eintreten; und da diese Menschen weiterhin mit der Freiheit der Wahl leben werden, unter ihren eigenen Leuten, außerhalb des Neuen Jerusalems, werden die Geburten weitergehen und jedem Einzelnen muss Gottes Barmherzigkeit gezeigt werden, was sie hoffentlich zu Jesus Christus führt. Sie können sie nicht einfach verbrennen, und wir sehen reichlich Gelegenheit für sie .

   In Offenbarung 21:2 sehen wir die Heilige Stadt, 1500 Meilen im Quadrat, herunterkommen. Damit dies auf einer ebenen Fläche landet, muss es ein enormes Schütteln gegeben haben, und das sehen wir, wenn wir die Schriften lesen. Ich habe mir immer vorgestellt, dass die Heilige Stadt während der gesamten tausendjährigen Herrschaft bestehen würde. Ein Beweis dafür kommt aus dieser Aussage, auf die Herr Garcia Sie nicht hingewiesen hat.

   „Selig sind, die ihre Kleider waschen, damit sie das Recht auf den Baum des Lebens haben und durch die Tore in die Stadt eintreten können . Draußen sind die Hunde und die Zauberer und die Unzüchtigen und die Mörder und die Götzendiener, und alle, die das Lügen lieben und praktizieren ." ( Offenbarung 22:14-15 NASB)

   Wenn wir die Heilige Stadt erst nach dem Schaf- und Ziegengericht sehen, wo die Ziegen in den Feuersee geworfen werden (um ewig zu brennen), wie kommt es dann, dass solche Menschen außerhalb der Stadt Gottes herumlaufen?

   Eine weitere Frage stellt sich. Wie konnte ein gerechter Gott zulassen, dass diese Menschen in das tausendjährige Königreich eintreten und mit solch schrecklichen Wünschen fortfahren? Vielleicht liegt die Antwort in Seiner Barmherzigkeit.

   Wir haben einen weiteren Hinweis darin, dass Satan nach den 1000 Jahren freigelassen wird und er die Nationen verführt; Sie wiederum, getrieben von seiner Leidenschaft, Gott zu töten und seine Macht zu übernehmen, greifen die Heilige Stadt an. Gott stoppt diesen Unsinn, indem er sie verbrennt . Satan wird dann dauerhaft in den Feuersee geworfen, während all diese neuen Tode sich den anderen beim großen weißen Throngericht anschließen können. Dies ist dasselbe Gericht wie in Matthäus 25, wo die „Böcke“ ins Feuer geworfen werden. In jedem Fall ist unter den Büchern, die zum Richten verwendet werden, das Buch des Lebens . Der bloße Gedanke, dass Gott die Bücher durchkämmt, um zu sehen, ob es einen Grund gibt, denen vor Ihm das Leben zu schenken, sollte Sie nachts wach halten.

   Wenn also die Heilige Stadt auf der Erde säße, wenn Gott die Himmel und die Erde verbrennt, würde sie dann auch im Feuer verzehrt werden?

   Ich vermute, dass Gott alles tun und bewahren kann, was ihm gehört. Offenbarung 21:4 sagt uns, dass es keinen Tod, kein Leid und kein Geschrei mehr geben wird, denn das Erste ist vergangen.

   Ach, aber wann passiert das?

   Geschieht es für die Gemeinde bei der Entrückung – der Entrückung?

   Jenseits der Entrückung sollten die gemarterten Heiligen, die während der Zeit des Zorns ermordet wurden, sich nicht länger mit Tod, Trauer oder Weinen auseinandersetzen müssen, und doch sehen wir sie schreien, wie lange Herr, bis der Rest heimkommen kann, fast so, als ob sie sind sich immer noch der Trauer bewusst. Ich bin mir also nicht sicher, ob dieser Denkprozess funktioniert, um die Ordnung des Himmels zu definieren.

   Vielleicht hat dies mehr mit dem Beginn der tausendjährigen Herrschaft zu tun  , denn es scheint, dass unmittelbar nach dem Erscheinen Jesu Frieden einkehren wird . Ich habe mein ganzes Leben lang darum gekämpft, diesen Frieden zu verstehen, da ich mich mit Mobbern auseinandersetzen musste, genau wie viele von Ihnen.

Schauen Sie, die „Ordnung des Himmels“ ist irrelevant, da Gott tun wird, was Er beabsichtigt, und Seine Absicht ist es, uns die Welt und die Beziehung zurückzugeben, die Adam vor dem Sündenfall mit dem Vater hatte. Kein Satan mehr, also kein Anspornen mehr zur Sünde. Für die Gläubigen werden wir Unsterbliche sein, unempfindlich gegen Schmerz, Tod und Altern. Und eine andere Sache, die ich gerne verstehen möchte, ist die Gesellschaft eines so mächtigen Gottes. 

This will be the last look at and critique of Pete Garcia's post, How it all ends.

Post three of three.

The original merely had eight bulleted points with no explanations. Here, I continue as I look at point number five.  

5. (The) "Sheep and Goat" judgment (Matt 25:31-46).

   If you had asked me about the sheep and goat judgment, this is where I would have initially directed you. It is, the same scenario as the great white throne judgment of Revelation twenty, verses 11-15, however, Matthew shows us, Jesus, while Revelation 20 seems to show the judge as God. Keep this in mind as you read the Revelation, it is a Revelation of Jesus Christ. There are very precise reasons I feel comfortable saying that are the same, and we may touch on some of them here.

   In Matthew 25 we see this.

   "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” (Matthew 25:31 NASB)

   It is the Son of Man sitting on His glorious throne. You should know at this point in time, that all judgment has been placed into Jesus' hands.

   "All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;” (Matthew 25:32 NASB)

   Here in Matthew, all nations are gathered before Him.

   Can you make an assessment as to whether those gathered are alive or dead?

   We are not given that information.

   Can you define dead, in God's eyes?

   Death is only a separation from God.

   Notice that it is Jesus that creates the groups and places the people in their appropriate group

   “and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
   (Matthew 25:33-34 NASB)

   The King, that's Jesus, makes the announcement to the group on the right – the sheep, Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Before the foundation of the world, doesn't that imply that their names were written in that book this entire time?

If that is the case why wouldn't they have been called up in snatching away of the church?

I don't know the answer to that, but this is speaking to me of the religious judgments that I have been inappropriately taught to make.

Perhaps those being shown God's mercy, are having the same questions because Jesus seems to respond with an explanation.

'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in;” (Matthew 25:35 NASB)

Wow, giving someone something to eat or drink doesn't really seem like much. But in God's eyes it is acting in the nature and character of the Son. His nature and character is LOVE, in case you did not know. This exchange of questions and answers goes on for four more verses.

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
(Matthew 25:40 NASB)

“...To the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Have you ever given that any thought? He, Jesus, is projecting, and appropriately so, His persona upon these.

If we could end it here that would be enough for me, but NO, He has to go on.

"Then He will also say to those on His left (the goats,) 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;”
(Matthew 25:41 NASB)

Verse 40 applies to these people as well, only in the opposite. “To the extent that you did (NOT do) it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did (NOT do) it to Me.”

6. Millennial Reign of Christ on earth (Isa 2:2-4, 9:6-7, 11:1-10, 65:22-25, Rev 20:1-10) righteous (outside of the Church) resurrected, unrighteous of all time not resurrected until the end.

   First, the millennial is the 1000 year reign of Christ over the earth. It is also the time when Satan gets thrown into the Lake of Fire for a thousand years, where he cannot bother any of us in the outside world. Wow, if that is the case, then how do you explain what we see in Revelation 21 where it is talking about the New Jerusalem.

   “and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.”
   (Revelation 21:27 NASB)

   It would seem that God has allowed for free will, and based on their actions, I would say they have chosen not to follow after Jesus.

   “Now it will come about that In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. And many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths." For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war.” (Isaiah 2:2-4 NASB)

   Interesting how many usages the phrase “last days” refers to. It can imply Jesus' return for His church, the seven-years of God's wrath, known to many as the great tribulation, and the millennial reign of Jesus. Here, in Isaiah, it is speaking of the thousand-year period.

   The mountain of the house of the Lord will be established. There are scriptures that speak of Satan being tossed from heaven, stripped of power, and all power being given to the Son. With statements like this, you would think that we, the followers of Christ, would walk about in power and victory; but we don't, do we. The millennial reign is when this actually happens.

   “That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.” Sadly, you have had this opportunity to learn His ways and walk in His paths all along.

   During the 1000 years, He (we assume that this is God, but no, all judgment has been given to the Son, Jesus,) will judge between the nations, and (He,) will render decisions for many people.

   And, as a result of this judgment, they (the nations,) will hammer their swords will be turned into plow-blades, and their spears into vine-knives.

   The BBE Bible puts the end in this manner.

   “No longer will the nations be turning their swords against one another, and the knowledge of war will be gone for ever.”

   Finally, peace.

   Can you imagine how many people live in a constant state of fear?

   What a relief a life like this would be.

   It is a wonderful thought, and it will end with a final judgment.

7. Great White Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15)

   This is the same judgment that you saw when we talked about the sheep and goat judgment. Yes, there seem to be differences, such as here in Revelation 20 it talks how He (we assume it's God here,) calls the nations before Him. While in Matthew's account, He (in this case it is the shepherd – which we understand to be Jesus,) calls the dead before Him.

   Since our spirits live on forever, is anybody truly dead?

   Death is nothing less than your permanent separation from God, and hence, that is why there is a hell.

   "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:11-15 NASB)

8. The eternal order (Rev 21-22:5)

   I have no idea what Mr. Garcia is talking about and I will tell you that I have never heard this preached in church. Let's see what the passages say and see if we can make any sense out of it.

   “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.” (Revelation 21:1 NASB)

   “A new heaven and a new earth.” I was recently told by someone that they wanted to talk about these very chapters. I have read them on several occasions, and I thought they made sense. Immediately one of the questions I was asked popped into my mind, and it had to do with the earth burning up. In trying to find an answer for this person, I did an extensive search. This is about all I could find.

   2 Peter 3:4-7 NASB "and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (5) For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, (6) through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. (7) But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."

   I, and a few others, will tell you, that the Revelation is a Jewish book immersed in the Old Testament, and prophecy to the Jew is based in repetition. I find nothing in scripture that shows me the earth being consumed by fire, except for 2 Peter 3. Should I then reject any allusions to the old earth burning up and being replaced? I don't think so, if for no other reason than to purge the earth of it's pollution; and I can see pollution on two levels – Satan's and that made by humans.

   If Mr. Garcia is trying to make a point, perhaps the point lies in the chronological order of things. Albert Barnes, who published his commentaries around 1847, tells us that John assigned no time frame to what these two chapters convey. So I am not sure a chronological order is going to work.

   If, like the Apostle, Peter tells us, that it is all reserved for fire, then how does God manage to show mercy to those living throughout the millennial years?

   My question is anchored in the scriptural understanding that non-believers enter the millennial reign; and since these people will continue to live with a freedom of choice, among their own people, outside of the New Jerusalem, then births will continue and each individual will have to be shown God's mercy, hopefully leading them to Jesus Christ. You cannot merely burn them up and we see an ample opportunity for them.

   In Revelation 21:2 we see the Holy City, 1500 miles square, coming down. For this to land on a level pad, there has to have been a tremendous shaking, and we see that as we read the scriptures. I have always pictured Holy City being in place throughout the millennial reign. A piece of evidence for this comes from this statement, which Mr. Garcia did not point you to.

   "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." (Revelation 22:14-15 NASB)

   If we do not see the Holy City until after the sheep and goat judgment, where the goats are thrown into the lake of fire (to be burned eternally,) then how is it that there people like this walking around outside the city of God?

   Another question arises. How could a just God allow these people to enter the millennial kingdom and continue with such horrid desires? Perhaps the answer lies in His mercy.

   We have one more clue in that Satan will be released after the 1000 years and he deceives the nations; they, in turn, driven by his passion to kill God and take His power, attack the Holy City. God stops that nonsense by, you got it, burning them up. Satan is then cast permanently into the Lake of Fire, while all these new deaths get to join the others at the great white throne judgment. This is the same judgment as what we see in Matthew 25 where the “goats” are cast into the fire. In either case, among those books used to judge is the Book of Life. The mere thought that God is scouring the books to see if there is a shadow of a reason to give those before Him life, should keep you awake at night.

   So, if the Holy City was sitting on earth when God burns the heavens and the earth, would it also be consumed in the fire?

   I suspect that God can do anything and maintain what is His. Revelation 21:4 tells us that there will no more death, sorrow, nor crying, for the former things have passed away.

   Ah, but when does that happen?

   Does it happen, for the church, at the catching away – the rapture?

   Beyond the rapture the martyred saints, murdered during the time of wrath, should no longer have to deal with death, sorrow, or crying, and yet we see them crying out, how long Lord until the rest can come home, almost as though they are still aware of grief. So I am not sure this thought process works to define the order of heaven.

   Perhaps this has more to do with the beginning of the millennial reign because it seems that immediately after Jesus shows up peace will take over. I have struggled to comprehend this peace all my life, as I have had to deal with bullies, just as many of you.

Look, the “Order of Heaven” is irrelevant as God will do what He intends, and His intent is to give us back the world and the relationship Adam had with the Father before the fall. No more Satan, therefore, no more prodding to sin. For the believers, we will be immortals, impervious to pain, death, and aging. And one other thing that I long to understand, is the companionship of such a powerful God.