It is appointed unto man once to die; is that true? Hebrews 9:27.

It was early in 2022 that I came to learn of Lee Brainard. He maintains a YouTube website called Soothkeep, where you can find many of his teachings should you want to check them out.

Mr. Brainard comes across as intelligent and worthy of a listen, but here it is November of 2022, several months later, and I tried to listen to him try to explain who the two witnesses would be (Just as a side note, because the two witnesses, like a few other things in scripture, are not so cleanly detailed I will use words like might be instead of “will be”, as Lee Brainard conveyed.)

He opened the talk by saying it could be Elijah and Enoch, and he explained how many people feel strongly about that choice; however, Mr. Brainard noted that he did not think it would be them and that he chose Moses and Elijah.

He proceeded to explain why it would not be Enoch because we never saw Enoch perform any signs, nor did he call down fire from heaven as Elijah did. 

Let's be honest; we know little about Enoch. Fortunately, scripture in the New Testament books of Hebrews and Jude references Enoch as a man who did something no nobody else has done - he worshiped God on a regular basis, and one day, he was transported off the earth, and not by death. That alone moves Enoch into an untouchable category, but I digress.

In Hebrews 11:5, we are told that

“By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

Translated? Now there's a familiar word. Philip, the evangelist, was translated, and so was Elijah.

Jude, a disciple who introduced himself as “a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James.” A logical assumption is that James is the half-brother of Jesus, an author of a book by the same name, and, therefore, a half-brother of Jesus as well. Both of these “brothers” rejected Jesus during His life on earth but eventually came around. Jude wrote to alert us to false teachers, a bit of information that will play into this piece of writing shortly.

Jude, in verses 14-16, tells us

“...Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,  15  to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."  16  These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.”

Things of note in this short paragraph.

• He has pointed out Enoch's lineage and that he, too, was untainted by the fallen angels having their way with the women folk.

• When he says, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,” he projected, prophetically, well over 2,000 years into the future, how Jesus will come as the warring messiah and the saints will be alongside.

• While we seem to delight in the possibility that Jesus/God will kill and eliminate all those who are not Christians, nothing could be more wrong or distorted. Verse 15, in the ESV, states that He comes “to execute judgment on all...” Jude's own words speak of “their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way...” So many of these marked for judgment seem to be religious, and many commentaries define them as false teachers.

I will tell you that one of those two cannot be Moses and here is why.

Deuteronomy 34:5-6 NKJV  So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.  6  And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.

Moses died. It would be cruel and unusual punishment to bring him back and kill him again.

Mr. Brainard apparently refused to use the commonsense approach that Enoch and Elijah did not die but interjected how death was NOT necessary to fulfill this prophetic word.

Until Revelation tells us that the two witnesses are placed upon the earth, there is nothing that defines how and why they will arrive here. Sure, there are scriptures such as Numbers 35:30, and Deuteronomy 19:15, that tell us that there must be at least two witnesses to uphold a criminal complaint, but we do not see these two as those being judged but the ones bringing judgment and the testimony against Israel. In our introduction, we are merely told that they will prophesy.

If these two witnesses were to be deemed competent based on previous demonstrations of God's power, then where did Moses obtain the experience to do what he did?

He learned on the job. So I do not understand the logic of Lee Brainard's assertion that Enoch is any less qualified.

Within a few minutes, Mr. Brainard had us looking at Hebrews 9:27, which says, "it is appointed unto men to once die." Although not to my satisfaction, he attempted to explain that this was not a literal death and, therefore, allows us to bypass Enoch.

Allow me a moment to express myself here. 

These two witnesses are not given identities for a reason, which means the reason God has picked them is either NOT for us to know, or it does not apply to the church and is irrelevant. It is, however, relevant to those still left in Israel when that time comes. So these two are meant to be highly significant evangelists to the Jewish community, and what is vitally important is what they say and what they do, but we never focus on that because, again, it is something that we can only speculate about.

Most of my Bible study ideas come from conversations where someone, like a Bible teacher, has made an assertion, attempted to defend their position, and would not back down even when shown from the Word of God how improper their teaching is. I doubt this rebuttal to Lee Brainard's teaching would ever make it to him, so I do it here for you to see.

This, by the way, is not meant to promote the bashing of a particular brother in Christ but to learn to be sensible, like the Bereans that Paul spoke of, who, after hearing what Paul said, went, studied, and validated his words against the only scrolls available – the Torah. This is what I have done with Mr. Brainard's comments. But, remember, no one is above the law, even me. So I urge you to search the scriptures to see if what I say is true.

Another noticeable thing is happening here; while the passage that conveys that every one of us must be subject to death is found in Hebrews 9:27, I have initiated this "study" with Hebrews 9:11 as I wanted you to get a feel for the context. Mr. Brainard apparently sees the context differently.

So then, Christ had to be subject to death. The reasons for this had to do with Lucifer's rebellion and expulsion and Adam's eating of the fruit. The timing and beginnings of God's plan to rid the world of sin and Satan were put together before the world began and the creation of mankind. It is all these things put together that evoked the need for Christ to enter into the holy tabernacle in heaven.

"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;" (Hebrews 9:11 NASB)

My Thursday morning men's group has watched several weeks of Dr. Derwin Gray on Right Now Videos. He is the Lead Pastor at Transformation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. What is unique about his teaching style is that as he reads a passage that speaks to the topic, he frequently says, "now let's pause here a moment." I want to do that now.

When Christ appeared after his death, where did he appear? 

As I think about what I just asked, it is a trick question, although that was not my intent, as few of you will acknowledge that He went into the heavenly tabernacle, and fewer even realize that this act of forgiveness actually happened. Still, if you read your Bible, you will know that Jesus appeared to over 400 between his resurrection and ascension into heaven. However, the most important thing He did after subjecting Himself to the cross and death was that He appeared in the heavenlies, a more perfect tabernacle. This is the heavenly tabernacle and the pattern for the one on earth.

“and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:12-14 NASB)

Once again, let's pause here. 

Jesus entered the heavenly tabernacle and obtained eternal redemption for us, with and through His own blood. Christ, we are told, offered Himself and subjected Himself to death.

"For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it. For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, for it is never in force while the one who made it lives."
(Hebrews 9:15-17 NASB)

Pause!

Because He died, subjected Himself to the cross, and poured His blood out, just as they did with the animal sacrifices, for His benefit and ours, this makes Him the mediator of a new covenant.

Under no circumstance is the covenant valid until the death of the mediator. Jesus' death fulfilled the first and the last covenant, and yet, He was raised from the dead and now lives as our mediator, making Him a greater mediator.

"Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, "THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:18-22 NASB)

Again a pause.

Every covenant is inaugurated with blood.

The first covenant was fulfilled with blood, and so was the second.

We are told that without blood, there is no forgiveness; thank God, blood was shed for our forgiveness. 

"Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;"
(Hebrews 9:23-24 NASB)

Another pause.

Why did Jesus have to cleanse the heavenly things? 

Because Satan tore the place up and brought abomination to the heavenly tabernacle. Jesus did this for us.

“nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
(Hebrews 9:25-26 NASB)

Will the pauses ever end?

He is NEVER to offer Himself again. Why?

Because His sacrifice, as the unblemished lamb, was enough. He did not use any other blood: He used His own. He sacrificed Himself, and you don't do this without dying and rising again.

“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”
(Hebrews 9:27-28 NASB)

Let's focus on verse 27 for a moment.

Appointed - apokeimai - to be reserved; figuratively to await: - be appointed, (be) laid up.

Men are the Greek word anthrōpos = human beings.

Once, the Greek word is hapax and means one (or a single) time, once.

Die is the Greek word apothnēskō and carries meanings of to die off (literally or figuratively): - be dead, death, die, lie a-dying, be slain (X with).

Judgment, this is the Greek word krisis and means (Subjectively or objectively, for or against); by extension, a tribunal; by implication, justice (specifically divine law): - accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.

I have led you into Hebrews 9:27, where it says it is appointed for human beings to die once. The manner in which you die varies from old age, disease, or some form of violence. Hebrews 9:11-27 speaks to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yes, Christ died.

We, on the other hand, do not have to die merely because sin demanded it, as Jesus became the sacrifice for us. But there is still a problem as we are born into the world physically damaged in a way that propels us to sin, and God will not tolerate that impairment in the Holy City or Heaven if you rather, and that is why we will be changed.

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.”
(1 Corinthians 15:52-54 NASB)

So what do I see here?

The dead in Christ will be raised, but the perishable will now be imperishable because they have already physically died, and God has been able to purge that drive for lust that was a part of their bodies.

But the passage goes on to say, "and we will be changed."

What changes?

One our location, as we will lift off from this earth and meet Jesus in the air. The other thing that changes seems to be this body. The body carries the drive to sin, and it appears as though our bodies must die. This transition may be part of the Bema seat, and as I think about it, I see freedom.

“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”
(1 Corinthians 15:52 NASB)

Changed is the Greek word allássō, and though the Bible translators simply used the word changed, it implies that you are changed into another form or the nature of the thing is changed.

Since I am, as you are, a spirit that cannot die, then death is merely a painless transition. The oddity is that we all have an unwarranted fear of death.

The next question is why?

As a child, we were made to say a prayer before bed. Where this prayer came from, I am not sure, but the theme was one that continued in the church. The prayer goes like this Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. There was no confidence, no understanding, and fear was laced throughout the prayer.' That, along with the things I was told continually in the church, filled my life with fear about God and death. Church merely backed up these prayers by implying that every little sin (like the paper clip I took) would send a person to hell if they did not repent of those sins. I reckon they forgot that Jesus covered all sins and made atonement for them through the cross, pouring His own blood upon the altar in heaven.

I now realize that all this imposed guilt was meant to control the body of Christ because we are all representative of that sheep that has a tendency to stray and must be stopped. But, since breaking our legs would be illegal, and it does little to stop the thoughts that come into your head, all that is left for church leadership is manipulation. No, it does not show up in every leader or every church, but it is there, and Satan saw to it that we were all taught deathly thoughts and fear.
Consider Adam and Eve; in the garden, God spelled out that their sin of eating that fruit initiated the two of them and all their offspring, of which I am one, into warfare. Satan is a master at psychological warfare.

In case you haven't figured it out, I am an unswerving believer in Hebrews 9:27, which says it is appointed unto humanity, once to die, and after this comes the judgment.

For the believers, this judgment is the Bema seat of Christ, where you will be rewarded according to the acts that made you look like Jesus to someone, and most of those acts you were probably unaware of. So judgment, for us, is nothing to fear. I am being sarcastic as I say if you idolize your Gucci underwear, then perhaps you should switch to Fruit of the Loom or Hanes, as it appears that all human idolatry and adultery will get burned up at the Bema seat right before you get that sparkling white robe.

This is, for the most part, not a life-changing argument, but when a notable speaker says that God did NOT mean what He said has the potential for huge problems, especially if you do not spend any time in God's Word. If that is true - God did NOT mean what He said, then God is a liar. If you have read the Word for yourself, then you know that God cannot lie and that He is incapable of lying, and you would know that what Lee Brainard is NOT true, making him a false teacher.

Scriptural proof to substantiate that God cannot lie can be found in 1 Samuel 15:29.

“He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind." (1 Samuel 15:29 NIV)

Since we are to make our judgments based upon two witnesses, try this.

“I, the LORD, have spoken! The time has come, and I won’t hold back. I will not change my mind, and I will have no pity on you. You will be judged on the basis of all your wicked actions, says the Sovereign LORD.” Ezekiel 24:14 NLT

The context of Ezekiel 24 is a judgment upon the Jews. Many, still to this day, refuse to see Yeshua as the Messiah, and yet, they, too, were covered by Jesus' blood shed on that cross. So, here in verse 14, they, along with the nations and anyone else who pushed Jesus aside, will be judged on the basis of all their actions.

Are their actions all wicked?

Matthew 25:31-46 speaks of the judgment of the sheep and the goats. If you pay attention, you can see that this is a parallel to the great white throne that most fear. Here though, the goats are separated from the sheep, and the sheep gain entrance into the eternal kingdom. Shocked, they ask, what did we do to deserve such favor? The answer has everything to do with their actions. These actions are the very things that God commanded us to do when He gave us the Ten Commandments – simply put, Love on People. You cannot do that unless there is a moral fiber from God running through your body.

So if you were to challenge me about the nature and character of God, I would have to say, Nope, sorry, I believe God and His Word, and I will not change my thinking on this one.

Slaves to righteousness. Romans 6:15-23.

A quick jump into Romans, picking up where we left off, and I will use the Message, as it comes across like a 90 mile per hour fastball in the World Series.

Romans 6:15 MSG So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind?

Take it easy with terminology like tyranny. God introduces the law with ten commandments. Does that seem so overwhelming? No, and not only that, but most of these commandments could be classified under the category of treat people decently.

If you were paying attention in Sunday School, then you would know that the first one says, "love the Lord your God.” If you perceive that as tyranny, then perhaps you need to rethink what is going on at this point in the history of the nation of Israel, and your own life.

Here is a short, but twisted history of "Israel."

The descendants of Jacob, with the help of the #2 man in Egypt, Joseph, also a son of Jacob, settled in Egypt. However, after the death of Joseph and a span of time, there was a regime change. The new ruler doesn't know Joseph, nor does he care, but he seems to be very aware that these Hebrew sheepherders are very large in number, and so an intentional attempt at population reduction begins. God steps in because of the cries of His people and sends them a deliverer - Moses. After a series of devastating plagues, including a night that became known as the Passover, where the firstborn son, in the unmarked homes, would die, God's people are finally allowed to leave. One of the monumental events in this migration is the parting of the Red Sea, through which Israel walked with over a million people. But, it is also the place where, once the people had crossed safely, God released the water He had been holding back, and drowned the armies of Egypt that were in close pursuit. You might think they would be thankful and worship, but that did not happen. In no time at all, they built an altar to the god Moloch, upon which they roasted their children.

God made a keen attempt to control this nonsense and to try and remove the filth of Egypt from them. He called these instructions commandments; but apparently, many of you call them tyranny.

So the implications are clear, we don't have the freedom to act any way we choose.

Alright then, how do we control ourselves? It's more like, how is God going to do that in us? I say this because I live with the reality that is called me, and I know what this body wants to do, such as act out in rage. This refresher course in what we last studied should help you understand.

“knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7 NASB)

Simply put, if you have given yourselves over to Christ by faith, you have been crucified with Him. God did this so that the effects we have to deal with because of these broken bodies, MIGHT be squelched, subdued, and conquered; and, that we would no longer be slaves to sin. Granted, if you are living a life that is out of control, you are simply a slave, following someone else's commands. I say that with a sinister snicker, as so many of you think, you make your own decisions. You don't.

So what is the grand secret to making this all work? 
If, because of your "new" relationship with Jesus, you can realize that Jesus died to sin, and you have given yourself to follow His example, then as we speak, you are dead to sin as well. Now, the practicality of all this is, you may have to remind: yourself, the enemy (Satan,) and a few of your acquaintances that you died to that junk that enslaved you for so long and that you choose not to partake any longer.

This idea of choice is marvelous and freeing. You get to choose: to not jump at every whim Satan offers; you get to choose joy; and, you get to choose to forgive and forbear the bitterness that comes when you decide to be the punisher and gatekeeper of the mental prison in which you are keeping those that offend.

Alright, this is going to sting.

Romans 6:16 NLT  Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

• “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?”

It might as well say, “what is wrong with you?” “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey?”
How many things, outside of God's will, have you given yourselves over to?

• “You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”

The choice is yours.
Am I saying, that to choose poorly will send you to hell, hardly, but what kind of life will you live here on this earth? Let's get something straight here; I write to people who follow Christ. Now the reality of that statement is that you, like me, either stumbled around in the darkness, or you are there now. I am telling you, time is short, and you need to get yourselves free.

You were not called to be in bondage to anything. 

What is the very next thing Paul says?

Romans 6:17 CJB  By God's grace, you, who were once slaves to sin, obeyed from your heart the pattern of teaching to which you were exposed;

Note: this is, all and only, by God's grace.

• “You, who were once slaves to sin,”
• But you, “obeyed from your heart the pattern of teaching to which you were exposed;”

Many will say, we are free from the law, and ...”; and that is precisely how we opened this study today; however, I need to point something out, Jesus said, I have not come to do away with the law, merely fulfill it, and that is what He did.

Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily, I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17-18 KJV)

And the reality is, that there is not a chance that all will be fulfilled until Jesus comes roaring back on the scene as the conquering Messiah that Israel has longed for.

Are you telling me that the law is still out there, and I have to live by it? I am telling you that without thinking about it, you have been living by it, particularly if the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you.

What is the first and most important commandment, was the question asked by the scribes and Pharisees? Number one on the stone tablets, and it still stands true today,

Jesus replied, "The chief one is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul, with your whole mind, and with your whole strength. (Mark 12:29-30 Moffatt NT)

And to this very day, He desires our love and attention. This is not an oppressive thing; it is the very reason He made humankind in His image, to have a relationship with. Most people who struggle with the thought that God's desires are oppressive have usually come out of dysfunctional homes and relationships. Maybe, this should speak loudly to those of us who still have a chance to influence, in a positive manner, some young person, so that they don't have to go through recovery like I have.
Romans 6:17 and now 18 from another translation.

You were slaves to sin. But I thank God that you have become wholeheartedly obedient to the teachings which you were given. Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves of. (Romans 6:17-18 GW)

Think about that for a moment. “Freed from sin, you were made slaves who do what God approves of.” Slaves have no rights, and may only function within the parameters of their bondage, but this relationship we are in is one of freedom. Our freedom is found within the relationship, because outside, in the enemies' camp, there is nothing but death.

So let's end this study with a short speech from Paul and Eugene Peterson's "Message."

"I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness? As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end. But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master."(Romans 6:19-23 MSG)

While I would not use Peterson's Message as a study bible, it certainly says things in plain English at times.

Paul said to the group reading this letter, who was, by the way, primarily Jewish, I am using this language because it's easier to picture. Watch this.

“You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness? As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end. But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death.”

My suggestion, run to the one who loves you.

In his time he will be revealed. 2Thessalonians 2:5-8

I started writing this blog in 2014. I am writing this because I woke up one morning, years ago, and began listening to the late J. Vernon McGee talking on the radio about this very passage. If I heard him correctly, he implied that 2 Thessalonians 2:5-6 was talking about the removal of the church, an event that allows for the man of sin to be revealed. If this is true, and I want it to be, the things that Paul was saying in this letter to the Thessalonian's make so much more sense to me. Without that understanding is the possibility that the man of perdition can and will show up just before the church leaves the earth. That, of course, opens the door to a world of hurt coming.

As you should already know, Paul opens the second chapter by restating what he had already told the church in Thessalonica on a previous occasion. There will be a point in time, in which we will all be gathered together, as we meet Him in the air, but that has not happened yet. And, Paul seemed to be aware that this event, though it could happen any minute, was for the distant future. I happen to believe that we are living in that “distant future” now.

Paul goes on to admonish the church at Thessalonica that false information should not easily shake them, whether it be from a spirit(??), or a spoken word or letter represented as coming, in this case, from Paul. This admonition causes me to think. Since the only words we have from Paul are embedded in scripture, where might false information come from today?

Paul's instructions to this church body are, don't let anyone deceive you, in any manner, “For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed." (What day? In verse three, Paul is specifically talking about the time when Jesus returns to the earth as the Warring Messiah. This time frame is proved out by the terminology used, terminology which becomes more apparent when you see it in the Complete Jewish Bible.)

As you move into the next few verses, you come to understand that something is restraining this man that fulfills every job requirement of the false prophet we know is coming.

2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 CJB Don't let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. 4.)He will oppose himself to everything that people call a god or make an object of worship; he will put himself above them all so that he will sit in the Temple of God and proclaim that he himself is God.

So, there are two requirements for that day to come.

• The revealing of the man of lawlessness.

I opened this post by telling you that J. Vernon McGee implied that this information applied to the removal of the church. However, verses three and four do not sustain that theory, as the events, described by Paul, primarily happen at the midpoint of the seven-years of wrath.

There is an exception if this phrase “and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed,” means that the man of lawlessness will be revealed before the church is caught away. Even then the majority of us will not recognize who this man is because we are all looking for him to come from Rome; that or, we think he will pop on the scene moments before his introduction to the world.

Get serious; this is just like cooking a lobster. We are all in the stewing pot with the heat being turned up slowly, and most of us don't realize it. Having a better comprehension is why I give you the Complete Jewish Bible translation, as it spells out clearly, that the guy we are looking for (to fill the role of the false prophet) will be a Jewish priest that will have access to the new temple.

Just recently 05/28/2018, a headline from a Jewish news source, quoted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as saying, “the temple will be rebuilt.” That's interesting, but where and when. Knowing that the plans are in place for a tilt-up temple, wouldn't the plans be in place for a high priest to preside over that temple? Israel has a high priest even now, is he the man?

• And the apostasy must take place.

Apostasy simply means:

An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion, or departure from one's faith or religion. The desertion from a party to which one has adhered. (Webster's)

Since what we profess can be taken several ways, including our freedoms, ask yourself, have we lost or given up those freedoms? California, along with several other states, have, or are in the midst of passing laws against "books" and the usage of such, if they advocate or enforce gender change (The implications are that freedom of speech is gone.) So, a school district can force your child and you to endure their attempts at advocating gender identity change, but you cannot stand against them. Sadly, much of this came out modern-day exorcisms, where the person in question is taken a hostage in an attempt to regain or enforce their original gender identity.

There is no doubt about it, we are neck deep in apostasy, and it's getting deeper.

About “the day”.

I find that, like many of you, I am continually stopping as I try to figure out which day is being referenced. Just off the top of my head, I can think of four clear points in time, each of them being referenced in some way, to “the day.”

Some of the many examples of “the day” are found in:

Ezekiel 30:3 NASB Even the day of the LORD is near; ..., A time of doom for the nations.

The Jewish understanding knew it was a day of punishment, but for the nations, and not for them. Why would this be a time of doom? Because, for the most part, the nations will be those rising up against the Lord in battle. Those who choose to fight will cease to breathe in short order. Ah, but what of those who do not fight? They will endure mandatory obeisance throughout the 1000 years. But let's say, with the veil lifted, they come to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus. We can only assume that they will be able to partake of the leaves of the tree of life and obtain eternal salvation. I could go on with this for several pages and I prefer not to right now.

Matthew 12:36 NASB "they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.

Jesus, speaking to a Jewish audience, spoke of a time of accounting. While the audience related what he said to the nations, He was talking to Israel as well.

Luke 17:30 NASB "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

When will Christ be revealed? At the end of the seven-years of wrath.

1 Corinthians 5:5 NASB so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul, speaking about a “Christian” who decided to return to his debauchery, talks like this man has an eternal salvation with God, but is still subject to the pains of this earth.

Ephesians 4:30 NASB by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Since Paul is speaking to the church, albeit a church with the majority being Jewish converts, he would have brought them to the understanding that, for the church, the day of redemption would be the catching away. Outside of the church redemption can only come when the Lord resurrects the martyred saints at the end of the seven years.

1 Thessalonians 5:4 NASB are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

Again, Paul is speaking to the church. The modern church will tell you that we are in darkness, not having a clue when Christ will return for the church, but that is not what this says, is it? Although we may not know the precise timing, we can indeed be in the ballpark. This ability to understand the times and seasons will give us the advantage as we put wisdom to work and speak intelligently about what is going on in the world around us. While this can be taken two ways my first logical assumption would the catching away of the church. Lacking that understanding, then I would have to be looking for Jesus to come back as the conquering Messiah at the end of the seven years.

2 Peter 3:10 NASB the day of the Lord will come,... the heavens will pass away ... the elements will be destroyed ... and the earth and its works will be burned up.

And this too will be a day.

1 Corinthians 15:52 NASB 52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

The point of writing this was to comprehend what is going on in 2Thessalonians 2:5-8, so let's continue our pursuit of understanding.

2 Thessalonians 2:5-6 NASB 5) Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6) And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.

The Greek word for restrain is katechō and means to hold down (fast), in various applications (literally or figuratively): - have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.

• "And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.”

What restrains him is the church, plain and simple. Remove the church and the onslaught is unleashed. What do I mean by the onslaught? While God's wrath is being poured out upon the earth, so is the wrath of mankind.

Daniel 12:1 NASB "... And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; ...

Why would any of this be the least bit important to any of us?

1. We need, now more than ever, to understand the importance of our prayers and actions. In other words, we need to be proactive in our opposition toward the enemies actions.
   But, it also tells us that, based upon verse six, there is a time in which nothing will restrain the man of lawlessness/the man who separates himself from the Torah.
   Should that information cause us to stop resisting? Not unless you have no breath in you.
   You must understand that God has a plan and nothing will stop it. His plan and intent all along were that all things would be redeemed and restored and that the church would resist the enemy.
2. The second reason this is important is that there is so much confusion.
   I know this because I sit with men who have been involved with religion for fifty plus years, and they are no less confused than the person on the street who has no religious comprehension. Why would that be, because they have allowed themselves to be shaken by a spirit or a message? We, as a Bible study group, get this perverted teaching every week. When Paul instructed them to not “be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us,” what were the chances that someone would show up 2000 years later, with a new letter from Paul, stating something in opposition? Not likely, so what do we hear constantly?“Now what Paul is saying it this.” That's odd since Paul's words, (which may not make much sense to our Gentile ears with their Western mentality,) are printed right there on the page. Having listened to many of these, when they say, now what this is saying, I start voraciously looking up words in my concordance, and find that the speaker has frequently skewed those words to make their point. So, the “teacher” is presenting their interpretation, as though it is Paul's heart.
   For the angry skeptic, not all teachers are false teachers, but if I feel something is amiss, I check it out, as I will not accept anything as though correct unless you can back it with the Word of God. Even then, I will examine the context of the scripture they used.

If I wanted a passage that spoke powerfully about an entity holding back the man of lawlessness, it would be this one.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 NASB 7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

You have eyes allowing you to see that the world is falling apart and lawlessness is taking control. How long any of us live in civilized nations, is hard to say, but I can see the anarchy coming. Sadly, the methods of control will turn each nation into a police state under martial law. The obvious thing is that no one person is restraining the enemy. The Murdock translation puts it this way.

2 Thessalonians 2:7 (Murdock) For the mystery of the evil One already, begins to be operative: and only, if that which now hinders shall be taken from the midst;

Simply put, whether we read of the ones doing the restraining as “he” or “that” there will be a point at which the hinderer will be taken from the midst; this is a direct association with the snatching away we call the rapture.
For the next couple of verses, I am going to use the Complete Jewish Bible. There is a strong reason for that, and I will explain momentarily. I include verse seven because it uses the terminology “For already this separating from the Torah is at work secretly.”

2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 CJB For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way. 8) Then the one who embodies separation from Torah will be revealed, the one whom the Lord Yeshua will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the glory of his coming.

Try to grasp the complexity of what is being said here. Everyday life goes on, while in the background, this horrific, Satanic plan, is already happening.

I always assume that I have new readers, and, that they have not read anything like what I am about to say. Consider that we are talking about a somewhat unified, global entity. The explanation of what is to come was defined as, a kingdom, but it is a kingdom that is not like any other. Is the Islamic empire like a standard kingdom? NO, it is more like a chain of department stores, in which there are independent managers; most of whom don't even like each other. History has demonstrated that the Ottoman Empire most closely fulfills almost every definition of this last beast/kingdom. The Ottoman Empire lasted the longest, only to be stopped to the point that many presumed its demise. Founded in the 1300's the Caliphate was effectively abolished on March 3, 1924. Unfortunately, it rose again. In previous posts, I have mentioned that Islam has its own set of prophecies, one of which includes a man who is a descendant of Aaron and will function in the temple. This man will turn his allegiance away from Jehovah to Allah. It also informs us that this man will do powerful miracles, signs, and wonders and that he will become the ENFORCER of Sharia. Many followers of Jesus Christ will die because of this man.

Revelation 13:12 NASB He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.

In Daniel 7:17-27 we see that Daniel desired to understand what he saw, and the explanation came. 'These great beasts, which are four in number, are four kings who will arise from the earth.

The standard explanation for the fourth kingdom typically points to the Roman Empire; however, that does not work. Daniel desired to know the meaning of the ten horns that were on its head and the other horn which came up. A part of the explanation concerning the last horn was that it had eyes and a mouth uttering great boasts.

What was described to Daniel parallels Revelation 13:5 NASB

“There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.”

That horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them.

Revelation 13:7 NASB It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Under the leadership of the horn with a mouth, the saints were being killed in horrific numbers until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.

Daniel 12:1 NASB "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.

Revelation 11:18 NASB "And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."

The explanation continued, 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.” Daniel 7:24,25.
The idea of making alterations in times and law, come out of Islamic Sharia law. Islam has only one desire that the world submits to Allah and Sharia Law, this, of course, means that we all run on the Islamic calendar. 'But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.

Revelation 19:20 NASB And the beast was seized, and with him, the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 'Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.'

What about Jacob? Or, can a man find healing in a woman? Part two.

This entire blog was spawned from a sermon entitled, What about Jacob? Or, can a man find healing in a woman? To make this brief, I did not understand, nor was I able to track with what the pastor said, as he tried to prove his point about Jacob. Sorry, I can't really see it but I am enjoying the study, as usual. 

As we finished part one of our look at Jacob, the grand deception was completed. Do you think Rebekah and Jacob gleefully danced around the campfire that night as they celebrated how well they pulled it off? Hardly, for Esau, as you will see, has every intention of killing Jacob once Isaac is dead.

Also, notice how there is little concern on the part of Esau for how this will affect his mother. And, all this evokes another question, is it possible for Esau to regain his birthright? I don't think so, at least not in God's eyes. 

Cheating not only Esau but your father, you would think that Jacob would be gone already, but only minutes from now Issac calls Jacob before him and commands him to not a wife from the same cluster of women that Esau had chosen from. Isaac directs Jacob to Laban, Rebekah's brother. Maybe, Isaac knows full well what kind of man Laban can be considering the backhanded maneuver Rebekah has just pulled on Isaac.

With that said, let's continue on.

I mentioned in the previous post, that Esau did not take this selling of the birthright serious. If he had

• Wouldn't it seem logical to say something to Isaac?
• Wouldn't Isaac have known? 
• Why would Esau bother to respond Isaac as though there was not a problem?

“As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.” Jacob logically only has seconds to get out of Esau's presence, and, his fathers.

Genesis 27:30-37 ESV As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, "Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me." His father Isaac said to him, "Who are you?" He answered, "I am your son, your firstborn, Esau." Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, "Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed." As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, O my father!" But he said, "Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing." Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" Isaac answered and said to Esau, "Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?"

The deception is pulled off, and now you would think that Jacob has to flee, an exile. And Esau is the reason.

Genesis 27:38-41 NASB Esau said to his father, "Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father." So Esau lifted his voice and wept. 39) Then, Isaac, his father answered and said to him, "Behold, away from the fertility of the earth shall be your dwelling, And away from the dew of heaven from above. 40) "By your sword, you shall live, And your brother you shall serve; But it shall come about when you become restless, That you will break his yoke from your neck." 41) So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob."

So Rebekah calls Jacob in once again.

Genesis 27:42-45 NASB Now when the words of her elder son Esau were reported to Rebekah, she sent and called her younger son Jacob, and said to him, "Behold your brother Esau is consoling himself concerning you by planning to kill you. 43) "Now, therefore, my son, obey my voice, and arise, flee to Haran, to my brother Laban! 44) "Stay with him a few days, until your brother's fury subsides, 45) until your brother's anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"

But Jacob still hasn't left. To make matters worse, we now learn of Esau's wives and what grief they are causing Rebekah.

Genesis 27:45 NASB until your brother's anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I will send and get you from there. Why should I be bereaved of you both in one day?"

In response to Rebekah, Issac calls Jacob in once more.

Genesis 28:1-5 NASB So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and charged him, and said to him, "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. 2) "Arise, go to Paddan-aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and from there take to yourself a wife from the daughters of Laban your mother's brother. 3) "May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. 4) "May He also give you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your descendants with you, that you may possess the land of your sojournings, which God gave to Abraham." 5) Then Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to Laban, son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, the mother of Jacob and Esau.

While Isaac's command is that he get a wife from Laban's daughters, we don't see anything that tells us he knows what he is looking for. Jacob, in a sense, stumbles upon Rachel, and she is a vision of how a girl should look. He wants her and is willing to work for her to get her. There is an irony here in that Rachel, is not an accident by any means, for Laban, her father is Jacob's uncle. (Consider: If Rebekah knew how to be devious it only makes sense that Laban, Rachel's father, would also know how to be underhanded.)

Jacob makes no effort to negotiate for her but tells Laban that he will work seven years for her. (That timeframe may be significant on several levels. Seven is the number of perfection, redemption, and a theme that recurs throughout scripture.)

It may be essential to consider Rachel's age at this time. I doubt he would have pursued her if he did not think she was old enough to marry.

“Joseph married at about age 30 (Gen_41:45). This was old by Egyptian standards, since most males were still only boys when they married. Yet it is clear that a boy had to be not only sexually mature but also able to provide for his wife and thus settled in his occupation before he married. Girls seem to have married between about twelve and fourteen. They did not have to wait until established in a career. Some royal marriages, occurring for dynastic or other political reasons, took place when the individuals were very young. For example, Tutankhamen died at the age of eighteen or nineteen after a nine-year reign and marriage, so he must have been nine or ten when married.”
NELSON'S Bible Manners & Customs, How the People of the Bible Really Lived,
Howard F. Vos, THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS

Jacob does not do what many desperate men would do, and rape her, he waits the seven years. He then goes to Laban and demands that she be given to him for he has paid for her.

Laban deceives Jacob just as Jacob had deceived Esau and gave him Leah.

Laban makes a statement here, in response to Jacob's shock and disappointment, that I never noticed before.

And Laban answered It is not done thus in our country, to give the younger before the elder. Genesis 29:26 Brenton)

As that particular pastor exclaimed: "this had to cut Jacob like a knife, as this is precisely what Jacob and his mother had done to Esau.” And, Uncle Laban may well have been told of it. If not, it is amazing how the Holy Spirit puts words in your mouth.

According to the pastor, the premise behind all this is that Jacob, a broken man, (I am not so sure he could understand that for a long time,) pursues Rachel, the vision of perfection, in hopes that she would heal him and make him a better man. I am not sure I see all that, but it makes sense, as most men do just that. While the hope of finding something that calms the inward brokenness he feels may be going on in the back of his mind, it is not directly noted in scripture; many things aren't, and yet the more in-depth answers and subjects are there if we pursue them.

One of the things that I see in scripture is that God is in control, regardless of how lousy the circumstances seem to be.

The pastor said, “that God gives us examples of people who are messed up so that we can know what not to do.” If that theory is correct, then why would God tell Israel, explicitly, not to learn from the surrounding nations, for the surrounding nations were doing everything wrong, worshiping idols, and sacrificing their children to gods. While I might argue that learning from my neighbor how to work with Iron could be a necessity that would allow a civilization to create water pipes. However, there is often a hazard in close associations, especially with those not so grounded, as it can cause us to be drawn away by the deviant and those used by Satan. Along with that, I have had several acquaintances that claimed to be Christians. One, it turns out, was in a men's home (the men's home is somewhat irrelevant except that you can make an obvious assumption - and that is that the person from the home has had some mighty struggles in the past.) While the leadership of the men's home had mandated church services and Bible studies they had to attend, they could not seem to get the world out of this brother. He, in a short period, took a job on the night crew, and I rarely saw him after that. His reattachment to the world seemed to grow and he left the group home he was a part of.

You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you. (Exodus 23:32-33 AMP)

And you shall consume all the peoples whom the Lord your God will give over to you; your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. (Deuteronomy 7:16 AMP)

You didn't merely live by their ways and act according to their disgusting practices, but in a very short time, you acted more corruptly than they in all your ways. (Ezekiel 16:47 CJB)

Is it the person becoming the snare? Perhaps, but what we do know is that Satan will deceive you through any means possible. In some cases, it might be an innocent but attractive looking woman.

Yes, Jacob's life is one huge psychodrama. He is a liar, a cheat, and a general a mess; he does not even seem to slow down all those years later when he meets Esau again. But there is a method to God's madness. God seems to use broken people; he even seeks them out. He seems to find pleasure in lifting them up and healing them. On the plus side, our savior is a descendant of the line from Jacob.

My point: That no matter how messed up the narrative, or, our story is, we can and should glean as much as we can from each one, for it is God's story. Sure, you think it is all yours, but it is never anything less than God's plan, you merely get to be a part of it.

"For I know what plans I have in mind for you,' says Adonai, plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. " (Jeremiah 29:11 CJB)