July 31, 2010, 8:27 am by dc-agape.

Mark 13

This is the famous chapter that many people use to claim that the end is near.  To their misfortune that has not occurred in the last few centuries.  A proper reading of the entire chapter will leave you with 3 distinct possibilities.  First, Jesus was talking about the Day of Pentecost.  The entire chapter is devoted to preparing his disciples for this Day.  Second, if Jesus is describing his return…then two things contradict this interpretation.  One, he uses the phrase “this generation will certainly not pass away”.  Well the generation that he spoke to certainly did pass away.  Two, these end times do not agree with the Book of Revelation. Rev 19:11-21 speaks of the return of Jesus on a white horse which is nothing like Jesus’ depiction in Mark 13:26-27.  The last possibility is that John Mark (or later scribes) muddled this story from different messages that Peter told in Rome.  Parts of this story are about the end of Jerusalem, others could be about the end times. 

What were the signs to look for?

1)      False Prophets:  Jesus uses this at the beginning (Mark 13:6) and in the middle (Mark 13:21-22).  I don’t know how many false prophets occurred in the 1^st century AD, but we certainly have ours now (rev Hagee – Jewish Journal).

2)      Rumors of war:  Mark 13:7-8 – Well there have certainly been plenty of wars!

3)      Earthquakes: Mark 13:8 – Well that doesn’t give us any new info either.

4)      Plagues: Mark 13:8 – Nothing new there either.

5)      Persecution: Mark 13:9-13 – well it certainly happened in the 1^st few centuries.  But today is rather rare and family members are not the ones turning in their blood relatives.  One site here does describe the “persecution” today – Kjos Ministries. 

6)      Destruction of Jerusalem: Mark 13:14-15.  Well that certainly happened in 70AD (Eyewitness to History).  It certainly has not occurred again.  If fact, it has been fortified and protected by the greatest powers on the planet.  Both the United States and the Muslim religion protect the city of Jerusalem.

7)      Days of distress: Mark 13:15-20.  Here is a good one:

a.      Mark 13:19 because those days will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never equaled again.

b.      So the Days of Distress will be worse than the flood!  And nothing like that will ever happen again…meaning that it is not the end of the world (or the heavenly kingdom – which requires the destruction of the old earth – Rev 21:1).

8 )      Jesus will return: Mark 13:26-27.  These verses are very different from Rev 20.  In the Gospel of Mark Jesus says that he will gather the elect from earth and heaven.  In opposition to this The Book of Revelation chapter 20 only talks about rising the elect dead without any coming from heaven.

9)      This generation will not pass away: Mark 13:30.  Either the end times occurred in the first century AD or we have to wait until #1, #6, and #7 occur.  Even accounting for the partial destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD #1 and #7 will be tough ones.

Since we don’t need to worry about this happening anytime soon and won’t know when it is going to happen (Mark 13:32-33), there is one thing that we should be worried about.  The term elect is used in this chapter, which should make everyone perk up their ears and listen.

Mark 13:20 If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive.  But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.

We are back to freewill.  YHWH will choose the elect.  We do not choose to be the elect; we don’t have the freewill to be saved.  But this elect will be immune to false teachings:

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect – if that were possible.

Jesus is not just banking on the elect not being gullible…he knows that they cannot be fooled.  How many today are fooled by false teachings and false prophets?  38,000 denominations of Christianity exist as of this day; can all of them be right?  How many of them do miracles  (Polycarp)?  How many of them say here is Christ (gotquestions.org)?  How many of them prophecy the end times are near (Fundamental Preaching)?

Posted in Inerrancy - My Ass, kingdom of God, Gospel of Mark, Freewill, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »

July 10, 2010, 7:33 am by dc-agape.

Mark 10:24-52

In Mark this is the beginning of Jesus’ first and only trip to Jerusalem.  I do want to emphasize Jesus’ response to the rich man, I feel I cut it short two days ago in (To Be a “disciple of Jesus”).  Here is also where Jesus repeats his plan to be killed.  Is includes another story of how arrogant the disciples are and ends with a blind man receiving faith healing.

I don’t think I can stress enough what it required to be “saved”.  The watered down crap of Christianity is just that crap.  Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus tell his followers to “pray him into their hearts”.  In contrast he says this:

Mark 10:29-30 “I tell you the truth”, Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields – and with them, persecution) and in the age to come, eternal life.

Read that “I tell you the truth” again…think on it.  This is a promise that you will receive from YHWH these things only if you leave your home, your family, and your job!  Notice that Jesus separates home from family and home from fields.  He is telling his disciples to leave their families, their homes, and their properties, and their income.  Why do I not see any “Christians” do that today?  And no, missionaries don’t count…they return home and they get paid for their services (payment for spreading the word will be an upcoming Biblical Topic). 

At the beginning of the only trip to Jerusalem in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus again warns his disciples about his plans to be killed.  But he promises to rise after three days.  Sometime after that but before reaching Jericho, two of the disciples get a little too big for their britches.  From Perea to Jericho (Wikipedia map) is one of Jesus’ shortest trips, since Perea is an area and not a distinct place.  This trip could have been as short as crossing the Jordan river.  During this trip is when James and John get a little too arrogant.  After all the times that Jesus tells his disciples that the first will be the last, that the first must serve everyone else…still these two request to be given the highest place of honor in heaven.  He repeats this one more time for them:

Mark 10:43 Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all.

This is the root of Christianity; Jesus attempts to convey this message over and over again.  Today “christians” have so watered down this passage that servant and slave mean to be paid speakers and teachers.  Sorry, but that is not Jesus’ concept.  The first part that verse “Not so with you” describes the difference between power hungry authority and what the disciples should be like.  Neither of these concepts are even visible in the Church today.  Why has the Traditions of Man nullified the Word of Jesus?

Finally, the chapter ends with the story of Bartimaeus.  In Jericho a blind man attempts to get Jesus’ attention.  Many people attempted to stop him from getting Jesus’ attention, but this only made him try harder.  Jesus does hear him and calls him over.  Bartimaeus asks for Jesus to heal him, because Jesus asks what the man wants…Jesus does not know that a blind man wants to see.  Odd, the son of Man is not perceptive enough to know what the man wants.  But immediately Bartimaeus can see.  Here we have another faith healing…all it took for Jesus to heal this man was the faith that Bartimaeus had.  Compare that to the blind man in Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).  Why in Jericho, where Jesus has not been yet, can Jesus heal by a word, yet in the city of Bethsaida, where Jesus travels to and from often, does it take two tries to heal the man?  In fact, there is another difference between the two stories: in Bethsaida he does it in secret while in Jericho he does it in front of a huge crowd.  He is obviously attempting to attract attention at this point.  Why would he be afraid to attract attention earlier (as most Christians assume), he had YHWH protecting him…things will work exactly the way YHWH wants them to.  Unless, Jesus is not 100% certain that this is what YHWH wants.  It in fact, looks more like a normal man making plans and hoping that YHWH will be with him, instead of the Son of God coming to do exactly what YHWH wants.  Remember, YHWH has complete control of any person’s actions that he so desires (freewill).

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July 3, 2010, 1:19 pm by dc-agape.

Chapter 10:13-31

Two stories in this section describe what is required to become a member of the Church.  First, everyone must become like children.  Yeap, everyone must be childlike…moldable, naive, and susceptible to authority.  Second, following all the laws is required and giving up everything that might get in the way of following Jesus.  That’s right, get rid of everything that is a link to this world.

The disciples got high and mighty and started sending children away.  We get to see a not so rare moment:  Jesus gets angry.  In fact:

Mark 10:7 When Jesus saw this he was indignant.  He said to them, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Indignant (dictionary.com) means feeling wrath.  Why Jesus feel wrath at his disciples…Jesus did not open their minds until after his resurrection:

Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scripture.

So basically Jesus got angry with his disciples because he did not teach them what they need to know.  How “righteous” is that?  It’s his fault that his disciples at in that fashion yet Jesus allows his human emotions to get angry at the wrong people.

But this is the section of the Gospel where we are told that we must be like children to enter the kingdom of God (the Church):

Mark 10:8 I tell you the truth, anyone you will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

To join the church, a person must suspend logic, reason, and wisdom, and relay on a child’s imagination.  That’s right!  To become a Christian one must give up everything that you know.  Well that certainly explains why it is so difficult to communicate logically with many Christians.

The second story is about a rich man who had followed all the Jewish laws.

Mark 10:20-21 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”  Jesus looked at him and loved him.  “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”

Notice that Jesus did not tell him that following the Jewish law was not required!  What Jesus said was that he lacked one thing…giving up everything he owned in the world.  This is not specific to rich people or to Jesus’ life time.  Take a look at what happened when Jesus called his disciples:

Luke 5:11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Like I said, it was not just in Jesus’ time.  Look at the first Church in the Book of Acts:

Acts 2:44-45 All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

No one owned property…is this the first description of Socialism or Communism?  It certainly is not Capitalism!  But it goes further than this read Acts 5:1-11.  This is the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  The Holy Spirit killed two people not just for lying about the amount of money the property was worth (bad enough) but they sold the property to fulfill the requirements of Acts 2:44-45.

So to be a True Christian (or better phrase “disciple of Jesus”) one must be two things: like a child and a socialist.  Being like a child is dangerous because we have seen over and over how the authority of the church leaders has put our children at risk.  Being a socialist is so antithesis to US christians.  Isn’t odd…the very people who should be concerned about other people, like the poor, are united with the Republicans who believe in personal wealth.  Yet, Jesus told people to be “disciples of Jesus” one must be the exact opposite of most of the “Christians” in the US!

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June 19, 2010, 7:26 am by dc-agape.

Mark 9:33-50

Three stories occur in this section of Mark.  The first two are about the arrogance of the apostles that Jesus chose.  At one point they argue over which one of them is the greatest.  In the second case, they attempt to stop someone outside their group.  In the third section Jesus recommends bodily mutilation, if required, to get into the kingdom of God (the Church).  He also uses another verse from Isaiah, poorly.  Somehow he segues this quote into being the salt of the earth.

Again the disciples are afraid of what Jesus will tell them if they speak up (like in Mark 8:32) and for similar reasons.  Those reasons would include Mark 8:33 and Mark 9:19, Jesus was feeling very human at this point and was taking it out on his disciples.  At this point in Jesus’ ministry he was not the loving figure that “Christians” make him out to be.  The disciples knew this and were afraid to ask questions, especially if the question would expose their sin (here pride) or foolishness.  Jesus figures out that (or knew and was testing them) what it was about:

Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

I wish more “Christians” wanted to be the first!  Please Christians have the desire to be the best, the first…because we really need at least some of you to think about someone besides yourselves.

This is also were one of the Gospel variations of “being like little children” is discussed.  It is not in full detail, but the concept of only little children will inherit the kingdom of God is worth discussing in topical format later.

The second example of the pride of the apostles appears in the next story.  It is about the man who is throwing out demons in the name of Jesus, yet is not a disciple of Jesus.  This is the “converse” of Matthew 12:30, in this verse:

Mark 9:40 for whoever is not against us is for us.

Compared to:

Mat 12:30 He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.

Unfortunately these two verses are incompatible.  Not just because of the person in the middle is OK in one verse and bad in another verse, but because allowing separate teachers has done exactly what we see in the Church today…disunity.  Disunity in the Church is often a topic that Paul writes about and will be a topical study in the future.

In the last part we read about how Jesus condones personal mutilation to gain salvation.  He offers cutting off the hand or leg and plucking out the eyes to ensure entering not just heaven (after death) but the kingdom of God (the Church) here on earth.  Remember that:

Mark 9:1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”

He also uses phrases like “enter life maimed than…” twice.  So there is no doubt that he is talking about actual real physical mutilation in this verse. 

This is also the section where he quotes Isaiah (his favorite prophet), and does a rather poor job of it (unless the translation into English is corrupted).  Read the entire paragraph in Isaiah 22-24.  It is quite clear reading this verse that these are dead bodies right outside the place where all the saved live (within traveling distance).  The rebels against YHWH are dead and dead bodies don’t feel anything!  So what if there are worms and fire…there are no physical nerve receptors in a dead body.

As I said in the introduction, Jesus slips directly into salting the people with fire, everyone is included (Christian and non-christian).  One of his unanswered questions is a good one:

Mark 9:50 Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again?  Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Christianity has lost its saltiness, how can you regain your saltiness?  I little is good, but Christianity is so bland now, someone must put some salt on it.  But what is even more puzzling is how to be salty yet be at peace because of the salt.  The best explanation is that salt brings out the best flavors in food, so why do Christians not bring out the best in each other?  Instead, they attempt to make everyone just like themselves.

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May 29, 2010, 7:12 am by dc-agape.

Mark 8:22-9:1

Three different stories occur in this section of the Gospel of Mark.  First, Jesus attempts to heal a blind man with spit.  I use the word attempts because it takes Jesus two tries, yet he does not blame the man for a lack of faith.  Second, Peter uses the term “Christ” to describe Jesus, yet this is a political title.  Jesus prefers “Son of Man”.  Third, Jesus tells his disciples that he will die. John Mark ends the chapter with one of the most important saying of Jesus.  This teaching of Jesus has been massively watered down by the “christian” of today.

We are given no explanation for why Jesus cannot heal the blind man, or even why he had to spit in the man’s eyes.  Jesus does like to make a show out of it, and then tell the people not to spread the news!  The other odd part of this story is that the man knew what a tree looked like.  I sorry, but how does a blind man know what a tree looks like but not what a person looks like?

In the next section Jesus asked his disciple who they think he was.  Peter spoke up and used the term “Christ”.  This term has a very earthly and political (from New Advent) meaning.  There was little doubt that the Jews of the time believed that the Christ was going to come and rule on earth, in the process saving the Promised People from the oppression of the Romans.  How odd that they are now the oppressors!  Jesus prefers the Son of Man, which is should tell you something about who he was.  Just as using the word “Christian” is one of the major things that is miss leading in the US today’s major religion, so is using the term “Christ” to describe Jesus.  This use of “Christ” alone is a Tradition of Man not one of the YHWH who they claim to worship!  The emerging Church may have it right.  But there is no doubt that Jesus preferred the term “Son of Man (Gospel Mysteries)”.

In the last part of this chapter, Jesus tells his disciples what is going to happen to the Son of Man (not the Christ).  Peter immediately attempts to tell Jesus that he is wrong, because Peter (the Rock of the Church) believes in an earthly messiah…not a spiritual one.  Jesus blames Satan for this and is extremely hard on Peter.  Did Jesus forget that it was his responsibility to teach his disciples the truth?  Why had he not been clearer with them?  Or is it that YHWH was not ready to reveal the truth to even the apostles?

The ending paragraph of this chapter is one of my favorites.  This is because it is so simple, yet our “Christians” today cannot live up to this commandment from Jesus.  It is worth repeating exactly the way John Mark records it:

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Notice the word “must” this does not mean “try your best” nor does it mean “pray me into your heart”.  This means that anyone who will be saved must give up everything including their life to follow Jesus.  This certainly does not occur today!  This is a strong commandment by Jesus that is completely watered down by “christians”.  And this is why I do not always capitalize the word “chirstian”.  If I ever see a true follower of Jesus I will use the proper capitalization, because that person will have gained the respect of a gay Atheist!

Jesus closed this discussion with the first verse in chapter 9:

Mark 9:1 And he said to them: “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.

Notice that the word “kingdom” is not capitalized.  Jesus certainly is revering to the Church.  This event occurred on the Day of Pentecost.

People if you believe that you are a “True Christian” this is the chapter that you should follow.  Jesus spells it out for you here.  Take up your cross for real!  Don’t be wimps; be ready to die for your beliefs.  If the Muslims can do it, why can’t you?  Be unified in the one Body! There is only one YHWH, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit…only one religion with no denominations.  Only one of your denominations is right, figure out what is wrong today and become the disciples of Jesus!  Otherwise, your just wasting your life pretending.

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March 20, 2010, 2:59 pm by dc-agape.

Mark Chapter 4:1-34

The parables that Jesus uses in these verses are his attempt to describe the Kingdom of God.  He uses four parables in this attempt to explain the Kingdom.  When read with the “god bias” these verses sound so good.  How it is our fault to not believe, how YHWH tries to grow a garden from our souls.  But there is an underlying message that you can only see if you suspend the “god bias”.

It is starts in verse 3 and continues to verse 8.  It is a little long so check it out here.  This is the greatly honored “Parable of the Sower”.  Jesus uses it to describe four types of people: those who do not accept, those who burn out, those that are overwhelmed by the world, and those that are saved.  But there is one verse that needs to be look at much closer than Jesus did:

Mark 4:4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

What farmer would scatter their seed randomly?  Only a fool would take the risk of losing seed to the birds, to rocky soil, and to a thorn patch.  But this is exactly how YHWH spreads his “Kingdom”.  He allows some to be taken by Satan.  He allows some to burn out.  He allows some to be overtaken by the world.  And it is worse than that…he foolishly spreads the seed in a way that we do not have a choice.  We do not choose to be the seed on the path…that is where he places us.  So this parable is one more example of predestination.

Another verse in this parable that requires more examination is:

Mark 4:11-12 He told them, “This secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.  But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “’they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding: otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”

Even Jesus butchers the bible.  The actual translation is:

Isaiah 6:9-10 He said, “go and tell this people: ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

The prophet Isaiah was told to turn the people’s eyes, ears, and hearts so they would be callous and not be saved.  YHWH commanded this prophet to insure that the Israelites would not be healed!  And Jesus twists this verse to make it seem like we have a chose.  When you combine these two verses, correctly translated to English, you see three possibilities.  One, is that YHWH does make people’s hearts calloused.  Or, another, is that Jesus did not even know the verses of the Torah correctly.  The final possibility is that Jesus purposely twisting the verse he knew to some purpose.  These last two possibilities leave you wondering about Jesus’ divinity.  The first possibility leaves you wondering about a “loving” YHWH.

The parable of “the lamp on a stand” has some interesting ideas as well.  It truly applies to “the Truth”. 

Mark 4:22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

Isn’t this just the way it should be.  In a social species we can’t keep lies, the higher the lie the more likely it will destroy our society.  Religion and governmental lies are the worst.  And just as Jesus says we must uncover all the hidden and concealed information.

He also gives good advice here:

Mark 4:24-25 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued, “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

This clearly translates into two ideas: “Don’t trust everything you hear, no matter who tells you it” and “Use it or lose it”!  Both of these ideas need to be used by us every day.  But the TrueChristians™ needs to think about this even more.  They trust what they hear without using logic and trust without using discriminating what is true and what is fantasy.

The other two parables are similar in vain.  Part of it is the random scattering of the saved in with the rest of us.  Another is how once he has chosen a person they will grow to be a tall tree.  John Mark finishes by telling how Jesus would not tell the people the meaning of the parables, but would let the disciples in on the hidden secret.  This just happens to be direct violation of Mark 4:22 (see above).

So what we see here is how the kingdom of God is filled with people that YHWH chooses. That Jesus knows some profound concepts of living in society.  And finally, that Jesus himself does not follow his own teachings!  Jesus kept secrets from the masses, right after telling the masses that the hidden was meant to be disclosed and the concealed brought out in the open!

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December 18, 2009, 8:38 am by dc-agape.

The Coming of the Melchizedek

This Scroll is barely a page long and is somewhat fragmented.  The author(s) of this Scroll intended it to be a true interpretation of the Jubilee year, which occurred every 49 years.  Numerous Old Testament scripture has been used to explain the Yahad’s personal interpretation of the Jubilee year.  The Scroll is also filled with prophecy.  Unfortunately, this does not mean the prophecies took place.  The suggestion of using Bible verses to claim a prophecy will be fulfilled at a specific time is not a sign of a miracle.  This Scroll is a good example of how verses can be taken out of context and put in a future environment where they will lead to a “prophecy”.  The people of the time could not prove that the prophecy was wrong, and those people that lived when the prophecy was supposed to take place no longer knew that a prophecy had ever been written.  I will explain more about that and introduce the Old Testament verses that were used to create a false prophecy.

Lev 25:13 “’ In this Year of Jubilee everyone is returned to his own property.  

Deut 15:2 This is how it is to be done: every creditor show cancel the loan he is made to this fellow Israelite.  He shall not require payments from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.

These verses is interpreted as what will happen in the Last Days.  After 1878 years (1948 – 70 CE) the return of Israel to the Jewish people cannot constitute “returned to his own property”.  Family records were not kept of property ownership, so no one can return to their own property.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Here the concept of Melchizedek is invoked.  It is Melchizedek himself that will proclaim the good news to the poor, the broken hearted, the captives and the prisoners.  This is a very Messiah like concept, written over 100 years before Jesus was supposed to be born. But unlike Christian theology a specific time and specific people were to receive this “Good News”.  During the 10^th Jubilee Year (500 years in the future) those who were predestined to be atoned for would receive the “Good News”.  So not just any poor or broken-hearted, or captive, or prisoner – no, only the Sons of Light would receive the “Good News”.

Isa 61:2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,

This is the verse that the author(s) change to fit their own desires.  It is no longer “the Lord’s favor”, they change it to “Melchizedek’s favor”.  Now this gives the believer something to hope for that is not just a vague “sometime in the future near the End of Days”. 

Psalms 82:1 God presides in the great assembly; he gives judgment among the “gods”:

The Yahad’s version of this verse is also slightly different than our NIV translation.  The Yahad believed that a second figure was to presided in YHWH’s presence and give judgment. 

Psalms 7:7-8 Let the assembled people gather around you.  Ruled over them from on high; let the Lord judge the people.  Judge me, Oh Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

They back up Psalm 82:1 with this verse claiming that one would rule from on high.  Their interpretation is that this person would be Melchizedek.

Psalms 82:2 “How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah

This introduces the evils of mankind and the source of that evil: Belial…not the Christian Satan.  Men’s desire for evil will punished by Melchizedek himself at this time (500 years in the future).

Isa 61:3 and provide for those who grieve and Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of one of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of the spirit of despair.  They will be called the oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 

Here is a promise for those who live righteously during that future time.  Melchizedek will be the one who bestows the crown, provides the oil and garments. 

Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Here the “mountains are prophets and they will proclaim the truth to all Israel.  Notice that in hindsight this did not happen since between 300 – 500 AD the Israelite nation had crumbled. 

Dan 9:26 After the sixty two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing.  The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.  The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations has been decreed.

This “Anointed One” is the same as the one from Isa 61:2 who provides the vengeance of YHWH and comforts “all who mourn”.  The “Anointed One” will teach the people about the Truth and eternity.  He will also be instrumental in take Belial’s dominion and return it to the Sons of Light.

Isa 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Here Zion is those who turn to Melchizedek and are the ones predestined to follow him.  They will differ from the ways of man by proclaiming good news, peace, good tidings, and salvation.

Lev 25:9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the 10^th day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

The Scroll ends without explaining this last verse.  But it is obvious that this should be taken as the sign that the prophecy written in this Scroll has taken place when the people here the trumpet sound. 

As with most “prophecy”, this one was written for a future generation.  This one happens to be the one that would have existed in the newly Christianized Roman Empire.  Basically about the time when Theodosius died and the Roman Empire was split into two distinct providences: the Eastern and the Western.  So if this prophecy was “true” a very important question is raised.  Which “Church” is the correct church and which one follows Belial?  Would this be the Catholic Church or the Eastern Orthodox?  The implications are astounding, for the Protestant and the Evangelical Churches of the US are based on the Catholic branch. 

Posted in Important Questions, The Coming of Melchizedek, Dead Sea Scroll, kingdom of God, Freewill, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »

April 19, 2009, 10:02 am by dc-agape.

Image by foreversouls via Flickr

In my last formal post on the Word of God I want to cover some of the verses in the Word of God about the salaries of those who preach the Gospel.  In our world today there is a great crime being committed by “Preachers”.  This crime is the difference between earning a living and peddling the “Word” for profit.  In one of the only fully disclosed document on the salary + bonuses/benefits for a Catholic priest, the salary for one in Baltimore was in excess of $104,000/ year for the 2007 “tax year”. One must remember that these “salaries” are tax free so when you apply the taxation rate to a citizen of Baltimore of 37.3% (28% federal, 6.25% MD, and 3.05% Baltimore tax) that salary would like an individual making over $143,000/year.  True not all preachers make this type of cash, but don’t forget historic figures like Jim Baker who bilked $1,650,000 from his followers in only one of his 24 crimes.  I hate to use Billy Graham, Sr. in such a way, but he made $174,000 in the year 2000.  Are these examples just anomalies or should Christians be concerned that some, if not many, ministers are pandering the Gospel for profit?  Paul was certainly concerned with this concept:

2^nd Cor 2:17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.  On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

If Paul did not pander his preaching for profit, why do so many of today’s ministers do exactly that?  Jesus certainly did not pander, nor did he advocate profit and riches in this life:

Luke 6:20 Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Luke 12:33-34 Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide purses for yourselves that will not war out, a treasure that will not wear out, at treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It’s quite clear that Jesus had no desire for his followers to become rich here on earth.  In fact, he warned about the dangers of becoming materially rich.  So why do Christians pay their religious leaders so much money?  Aren’t the leaders supposed to be the role models?  Why do these leaders keep the money for themselves?  Should they not follow their own “perfect” role model – Jesus?

It is true that Paul tells the Corinthians:

1^st Cor 9:14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

But right before that verse Paul also says this about a preacher’s salary:

1^st Cor 9:12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?  But we did not use this right.  On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

This is a crucial concept.  Corruption, especially financial, leaves a bad taste in people’s mouth and feelings.  Seeing the corruption within the Church hinders the Gospel.  People do not want to be part of such contradicts of teaching and actions.  Worse, this is exactly what proves to the Atheist that religion is not supernatural. Indeed, it would seem that religion is human-made for the profit of those who gain the most from fleecing the flock!

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