Cut off

 

… in our ongoing analysis of the Holy Bible we have come to an understanding that the definition for … the  children of God … extends to quite a few different categories of folks in a time frame that extends from the time when Adam and Eve left Eden to now … including …

 @ all unborn of humankind who die in the womb for any reason …

@ all children who die before they reach the age of reason … the age of reason is when an individual of humankind becomes accountable for the consequences of their free will decisions …

@ all adults of humankind who die after they have reached the age of reason however cannot be held accountable for the consequences of their free will decisions because pf some physical or mental infirmity which has impaired their ability to make free will decisions with an understanding of both the  ramifications and/or consequences of those free will decisions …

@ all Hebrew ( Jewish ) people who are older than the age of reason and fortunately for a life attentive to the Word of God and His will … do not meet the Biblical criteria … cut off from the people of God …

@ all other adults of humankind who are older than the age of reason and who confess that Jesus Christ is their LORD and Savior … and … who believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day …

@ folks who meet the sheep criteria as noted by Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 25 …

 ... we are Christian folks who believe that the Holy Bible is the literal Word of God given to humankind as a project plan to better understand what is going on ... certainly there are many folks who understand and believe differently and we respect that ... we’re actually pretty sure that our current understanding of who the children of God are is probably not complete but it is what we see and understand right now ... the pivot point is the life ... death on the cross ... and ... resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ Who is God our Lord and Savior ... the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross purchased the redemption of all humankind stretching from Adam and Eve to the last person to be born on earth ... salvation which is life with God forever is the free choice of every adult of humankind above the age of reason and that choice in one way or another involves our individual and personal repentance which is a turning back to a knowledge of Jesus Christ God our Lord and Savior ... a pretty well understood process for most adult Christian folks and perhaps not so well understood a process for non-Christian folks ... this bible study is a consideration of one mechanism outside the clear redemptive understanding in Christianity in which one group of adults above the age of reason are able to make a free will decision to repent and turn back to God Who is YAHWEH ( YHVH ) Jesus Christ God our Lord and Savior ... from our current understanding of the Holy Bible the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people are the focus for this bible study ... their provided mechanism is found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible ... it permits them to repent and turn back to God ... that process involves active free will choice and the Day of Atonement ... however ... rather than focus on the how and what of the process this bible study has a focus for the how and why an individual Hebrew ( Jewish ) person needs to repent and turn back to God ...  the reason for this focus in this bible study is that while the personalized redemptive process of Hebrew ( Jewish ) folks is specific for them ... the reasons why they need repentance as adults with free will is nicely defined and applicable to everyone of humankind ... perhaps useful for us all to consider ... this consideration has a focus on a single Hebrew verb which is often translated to English as ... cut off ... a verb probably developed to described the action of cutting down a tree of a forest ... an action which results in the tree no longer being a tree and the forest no longer containing that specific individual tree ... while the result for a tree is pretty much final ... for the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people God provided a defined process in which an individual can repent and rejoin the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people ... the people of God ... a little more complicated that our repentance through faith in Jesus Christ however still a very nice example that God does not forget any of His children ...

 

Ezekiel chapter 14, vs 8

14:6 לכן אמר אל-בית ישראל כה אמר אדני יהוה שובו והשיבו מעל גלוליכם ומעל כל-תועבתיכם השיבו פניכם

14:7 כי איש איש מבית ישראל ומהגר אשר-יגור בישראל וינזר מאחרי ויעל גלוליו אל-לבו ומכשול עונו ישים נכח פניו ובא אל-הנביא לדרש-לו בי אני יהוה נענה-לו בי

14:8 ונתתי פני באיש ההוא והשמתיהו לאות ולמשלים והכרתיו מתוך עמי וידעתם כי-אני יהוה

I set My face against them ... they are cut off from My people ... know that I AM the LORD ( YHVH ) ...

 

... note ... the reference in verse 8 is to verses Ezekiel chapter 14, vs 6 + 7 ...

 

... the Hebrew word translated to English as ... cut off ... is Hebrew verb ... KARATH ...  כָּרַת  ... Strong# Hebrew 3772 ... the English translation ... cut off ... applies as a good literal meaning for this and most of the Old Testament verses in which we find this verb ... however ... best to keep that understanding in the frame of the actual Hebrew verb’s meaning which is to ... cut down ... like to cut down a tree in the forest so it is no longer a part of the forest ... essentially ... to cut off ... so that the referenced object or person is no longer a part of what it or they were cut off from ... in Ezekiel chapter 14, vs 8 ... the referenced folks were each once in the context of this verse a member of the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people and due to the consequences of their action noted in vs 6 + 7 they are cut off ... that is the individual is no longer a member of the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people ... no longer a member of Israel ... the chosen people of the LORD ( YHVH ) God Almighty ... no longer a child of God ... when we consider KARATH in Ezekiel 14, vs 8 note there are two prefixes and two suffixes ... in most interlinear translations these two prefixes and two suffixes provide an understanding which in English translates to something like ... they are cut off ... not cut off as a group of people but cut off as individuals as a consequence of specific free will decisions made as adults over the age of reason ... this bible study will review a selection of similar verses however ... like the term most often used for the Ten TORAH ... that is ten commandments given to Moses ... we view these scriptures within the proper literal translation of TORAH ... that is ... teaching ... God provides teaching for His people so we can make free will decisions to turn to Him ( repentance ) ... Jesus Christ has provided redemption for every individual of humankind ... and ... for all adults above the age of reason it is the free will decision of turning to Jesus Christ God our Lord and Savior that provides salvation ... as noted by Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 25 ... regardless of if we know we are doing that or not ...

 

Genesis chapter 17, vs 14                  God speaking

17:9 ויאמר אלהים אל-אברהם ואתה את-בריתי תשמר אתה וזרעך אחריך לדרתם

17:10 זאת בריתי אשר תשמרו ביני וביניכם ובין זרעך אחריך המול לכם כל-זכר

17:11 ונמלתם את בשר ערלתכם והיה לאות ברית ביני וביניכם

17:12 ובן-שמנת ימים ימול לכם כל-זכר לדרתיכם יליד בית ומקנת-כסף מכל בן-נכר אשר לא מזרעך הוא

17:13 המול ימול יליד ביתך ומקנת כספך והיתה בריתי בבשרכם לברית עולם

17:14 וערל זכר אשר לא-ימול את-בשר ערלתו ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מעמיה את-בריתי הפר

... an adult male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin has broken My covenant ... that person is cut off from the people ....

 

... while our focus in Genesis chapter 17 is verse 14 ... the topic id developed in vs 9 - 14 ... note that this topic has the importance of an ALEF-TAV in verse 11 ... 

 

... the New Testament book of Acts and Paul’s epistles teach us that the early church had quite a few interesting perspectives and dialogs regarding this verse ... and reasonably so for the outcome was our current understanding is that circumcision is an attribute of the heart related directly to our relationship with God through Jesus Christ God our Lord and Savior ... for folks of Hebrew ( Jewish ) heritage it is also a physical action which reflects that much more important spiritual process in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ God our Lord and Savior ... all the children of God have circumcision of their heart and it is still very proper and correct for Hebrew ( Jewish ) men to have physical circumcision ... there is no need for any male who is not Hebrew ( Jewish ) in heritage to every have physical circumcision however there is no harm either ... God’s purpose for us all is the circumcision of our hearts for Him ... which for both men and women who are the children of God takes us back to the ALEF-TAV in verse 11 ... that is ... it is really important to God in His relationship with each of us as individuals ... the essential difference is that for us as Christians with faith that Jesus Christ is God and our confession that God raised Him from the dead is that ourselves and all of humankind have redemption that is renewed relationship with God through the life ... death on the cross ... and ... resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ ... everyone’s redemption is based on that single sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross ... our salvation is though our faith in Jesus Christ ... an adult person of Hebrew ( Jewish ) heritage above the age of reason with active free will is a child of God through repeated actions of atonement during their life unfortunately without the awareness that this has already been done for them by Jesus Christ on the cross ... we have a Blessed Hope ...

 

Romans chapter 10, vs 25 - 27

... do not be uninformed of this mystery ... the partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in ... all Israel will be saved ... it is written ... the Deliverer will come to Zion and cut off the ungodly from Jacob ... this is the covenant with them ... God will take away their sin ...

 

... so ... as Christians we pretty much have a good understanding that the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross provided for the redemption of all humankind from Adam and Eve to now and to the very last human person on the face of the earth and perhaps other places if we manage to colonize the Moon or Mars ... this redemption has returned humankind to relationship with God for salvation ... that is everlasting life with God forever ... for folks who have died prior to the age of reason when we become responsible for the consequences of our free actions this is sort of an automatic ticket to life everlasting with God if a person’s life comes to an end early in life ... for folks above the age of reason and who are responsible for the consequences of their free will actions this is sort of an automatic ticket to everlasting life with God if a person choses Jesus Christ as their personal Savior ... however ... the bible teaches that the absence of that free will decision does not exclude everyone from everlasting life with God ... it defines some other criteria ... Matthew chapter 25 provides some general criteria and for the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people who are above the age of reason there is another criteria ... everlasting life with God is for all Hebrew ( Jewish ) people who are older than the age of reason and fortunately for a life attentive to the Word of God and His will that do not meet the Biblical criteria termed in the Holy Bible as cut off from the people of God … this is the focus for select verses that follow ... they are not rules or commandments but rather teaching from God to provide a clear understanding of the way of and the way to God ... the criteria of Matthew 25 represents a similar but separate bible study ...

 

Exodus chapter 30, vs 34 - 38                           God speaking

30:34 ויאמר יהוה אל-משה קח-לך סמים נטף ושחלת וחלבנה סמים ולבנה זכה בד בבד יהיה

30:35 ועשית אתה קטרת רקח מעשה רוקח ממלח טהור קדש

30:36 ושחקת ממנה הדק ונתתה ממנה לפני העדת באהל מועד אשר אועד לך שמה קדש קדשים תהיה לכם

30:37 והקטרת אשר תעשה במתכנתה לא תעשו לכם קדש תהיה לך ליהוה

30:38 איש אשר-יעשה כמוה להריח בה ונכרת מעמיו

... the LORD ( YHVH ) spoke to Moses and said ... add as equal parts each ... pure frankincense ... with what might be termed three spice like materials ... stacte ... onycha ... and ... galbanum ... this is a perfumed incense ... the work of a perfumer ... it is to be salted ... it will be pure and holy ... crush and beat to a very fine dust some of it before the Ark of the Testimony in the Tent of the Meeting where I meet with you ... the incense is to be most holy to you ... no one is to make a perfumed incense of the same proportions for themselves for any reason ... this incense is to always be holy to you for your use before the LORD ( YHVH ) ... anyone who makes anything like this perfumed incense is cut off from the people ...

 

... quite a few times in both the Old and New Testaments we are provided direct examples of how and why the term ... holy ... a term which provides specific limitations regarding how we express our faith to God ... we find each of these examples to be a consistent teaching which is intended to protect the children of God from the pervasive expanse of evil in our physical world ... while this is a bible study in its own right perhaps the best frame of reference is found in the book of Jude ... evil rubs off on the physical things of this world and we need to keep a mindful respect of that fact ... Exodus chapter 30, vs 34 - 38 is not a command or a sentence it is a teaching  regarding an ever present danger in our lives ...

 

Jude vs 20 - 23

... let us build ourselves up in our most holy faith ... praying in the Spirit of God ( Holy Spirit ) ... let us keep ourselves in the love of God as we wait anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to everlasting life with God forever ... let us have mercy on some who are doubting ... save some by snatching them out of the fire ... and ... save others with fear being careful of even their garments that have been polluted with evil by their flesh ... 

 

... having considered this very specifically prepared perfumed incense which is holy to the LORD ( YHVH ) ... it may be interesting to consider its components as stated to Moses by the LORD ( YHVH ) ... note that these components were not laying around out in the desert with the people of Israel during the Exodus ... they would have been materials carried out of Egypt on the day of the Exodus ...

 

Exodus chapter 12, vs 35 - 36

12:35 ובני-ישראל עשו כדבר משה וישאלו ממצרים כלי-כסף וכלי זהב ושמלת

12:36 ויהוה נתן את-חן העם בעיני מצרים וישאלום וינצלו את-מצרים

... the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses and requested from their Egyptian neighbors articles of silver gold clothing and other things ... the LORD ( YHVH ) gave His people favor in the sight of the Egyptians and they gave them all they requested ... and so ... the people of Egypt paid for the 430 years of bondage which the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people suffered under in Egypt ...

 

... getting back to Exodus chapter 30, vs 34 – 38 ...

... the four ingredients of the fragrant incense for the Tabernacle ...

  

@ Frankincense is also called Olibanum ... it is an aromatic resin produced by trees of the genus Boswellia ... particularly the species sacra but also the species frereana and serrata and papyrifera ... the use of this aromatic resin extends from the most ancient time to today ... harvesters make small cuts in the tree bark and the resin exudes hardening into small tear shaped globs of aromatic resin ... from ancient times to today the value is greater by weight than gold for its use in everything from traditional medicine to essential oil diffusers ... the Boswellia trees begin producing resin when they are eight to ten years old ... today the larger portion of the world supply of frankincense ( 90% ) comes from the horn of Africa ...   

 

@ Stacte is also called ... Myrrh ... Liquid Storax ... and ... Mastic Resin ... the Hebrew word for stacte is NATAPH which means ... to drip ... or ... drops ... there are some differences in opinion regarding what this specific reference may have been ... some sources proposed the naturally dripping oil of the Myrrh plant ... Commiphora myrrha ... while ... other sources propose the fragment viscous gum resin term Storax which is extracted from the Turkish Sweetgum tree ... Liquidambar orientalis ... or ... a separate tree Styrax officinalis ...

 

@ Onycha is the operculum of the a sea snail ... Murex whelk ... a mollusk found in the Red Sea that has the common name ... Strombus ... both the Hebrew name ... SHECHELETH ... and its corresponding Greek name mean ... fingernail ... or ... claw ... the operculum of the SHECHELETH is its meaty foot that forms a trapdoor lid for its shell ... when the mollusk is treated with alcohol vinegar and burnt the fishy smell of the extract is lost and the the liquid becomes a powerful fragrance fixative that helps scents to last longer ...

 

@ Galbanum is a bitter yellow-green gum resin that is harvested from the roots and stems of a plant that grows in Persia ( Iran today ) ... Ferula gummosa ... it is a member of the carrot and celery family ... raw galbanum has a sharp pungent unpleasant aroma however it is burned with other spices which bind and amplify the final aroma into a sweet fragrance ... unlike stacte and onycha whose roles and names have changed in perfumery today ... galbanum’s name and role remains the same ...  

 

... the fragrant incense which the LORD ( YHVH ) God defines for use at the Tabernacle is a good example of the large and wide cross cultural trade which archeology defines for just about all ancient societies as their remaining artifacts are discovered and studied ... while there are many different points of view regarding this phenomenon we believe the common starting point from the time of Noah followed by the Tower of Babel followed by the event at the time of Peleg the son of Eber are foundational to this understanding ... though that is a bible study for another time ...

  

Exodus chapter 31, vs 14                    God speaking

31:14 ושמרתם את-השבת כי קדש הוא לכם מחלליה מות יומת כי כל-העשה בה מלאכה ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מקרב עמיה

... observe the SABBATH for it is holy to you ... anyone who profanes the SABBATH is to be put to death ... anyone who works on the SABBATH is cut off from the people ...

 

Leviticus chapter 7, vs 20                   God speaking

7:20 והנפש אשר-תאכל בשר מזבח השלמים אשר ליהוה וטמאתו עליו ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מעמיה

... the sacrifice of the peace offering belongs to the LORD ( YHVH ) ... any person who eats that sacrifice while unclean is cut off from the people ...

 

... the teaching which the LORD ( YHVH ) God gave to the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people in the first five books of the Holy Bible include specific definitions for those situations which make an adult above the age of reason who is accountable for their free will decisions unclean ... that same teaching provides the mechanism to correct that status which is straight forward and can be accomplished with the help of any other adult ... to participate in a sacrifice to the LORD ( YHVH ) God is a conscious willful act of rebellion against God ...

 

Leviticus chapter 7, vs 21                   God speaking

7:21 ונפש כי-תגע בכל-טמא בטמאת אדם או בבהמה טמאה או בכל-שקץ טמא ואכל מבשר-זבח השלמים אשר ליהוה ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מעמיה

... everyone who touches anything unclean whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or an unclean detestable thing ... and then ... eats the flesh of the sacrifice of a peace offering which belongs to the LORD ( YHVH ) ... that person is cut off from the people ...

 

... our select examples in this bible study are not complete or inclusive of any particular behavior which the LORD ( YHVH )’s teaching is encouraging the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people to avoid ... rather ... our intent is to provide some examples to make the consideration a little easier ... both ... at the time of the Tabernacle and the three temples there was remedial action to permit the reestablishment of an individual that wandered into a status of ... cut off ... for various reasons ... following the loss of the temple site in 70 AD Rabbinic Jewish Worship also provides remedial action ... in Christianity our covenant with Jesus Christ provides a direct path for an individual to repent and establish or reestablish relationship with God ...

  

Leviticus chapter 7, vs 25                   God speaking

7:25 כי כל-אכל חלב מן-הבהמה אשר יקריב ממנה אשה ליהוה ונכרתה הנפש האכלת מעמיה

... when an animal is offered as a sacrifice to the LORD ( YHVH ) by fire ... anyone who eats that fat of that animal is cut off from the people ...

 

Leviticus chapter 7, vs 27

7:27 כל-נפש אשר-תאכל כל-דם ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מעמיה

... anyone who eats blood is cut off from the people ...

 

Leviticus chapter 20, vs 3 – 5            God speaking

20:3 ואני אתן את-פני באיש ההוא והכרתי אתו מקרב עמו כי מזרעו נתן למלך למען טמא את-מקדשי ולחלל את-שם קדשי

20:4 ואם העלם יעלימו עם הארץ את-עיניהם מן-האיש ההוא בתתו מזרעו למלך לבלתי המית אתו

20:5 ושמתי אני את-פני באיש ההוא ובמשפחתו והכרתי אתו ואת כל-הזנים אחריו לזנות אחרי המלך מקרב עמם

... everyone who gives their offspring to Molech ... profanes My holy Name and defiles My sanctuary ... I set My face against them ... they are cut off from the people ...

 

Leviticus chapter 20, vs 6                   God speaking                                                              

20:6 והנפש אשר תפנה אל-האבת ואל-הידענים לזנת אחריהם ונתתי את-פני בנפש ההוא והכרתי אתו מקרב עמו

... everyone who consults with mediums and spiritists ... I will set My face against ... they are cut off from the people ...

 

Leviticus chapter 20, vs 17                God speaking

20:17 ואיש אשר-יקח את-אחתו בת-אביו או בת-אמו וראה את-ערותה והיא-תראה את-ערותו חסד הוא ונכרתו לעיני בני עמם ערות אחתו גלה עונו ישא

... siblings must not marry or they are cut off from the people ...

 

Numbers chapter 9, vs 13                   God speaking

9:13 והאיש אשר-הוא טהור ובדרך לא-היה וחדל לעשות הפסח ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מעמיה כי קרבן יהוה לא הקריב במעדו חטאו ישא האיש ההוא

... anyone who is clean and not on a journey who neglects to observe the Passover is cut off from the people ... they bear their sin because they did not acknowledge God’s gift at the appointed time ...

 

Numbers  15, vs 30 - 31                         God speaking

15:30 והנפש אשר-תעשה ביד רמה מן-האזרח ומן-הגר את-יהוה הוא מגדף ונכרתה הנפש ההוא מקרב עמה

15:31 כי דבר-יהוה בזה ואת-מצותו הפר הכרת תכרת הנפש ההוא עונה בה

... any person native or alien who blasphemes the Name of the LORD ( YHVH ) is cut off from the people ... because ... they despised the Word of the LORD ( YHVH ) and turned away from His teaching ... that person is cut off and their guilt remains with them ...

 

... so ... these are a few examples from a collection of specific verses in the Old Testament which teach the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people that the consequence for certain behaviors is to be cut off from the people ... at that time prior to first coming of Jesus Christ to be cut off from the people meant to be cut off from the grace and blessings of God ... the Hebrew word translated to English as ... cut off ... is Hebrew verb ... KARATH ...  כָּרַת  ... Strong# Hebrew 3772 ... the English translation ... cut off ... applies as a good literal meaning for this and most of the Old Testament verses in which we find this verb ... however ... best to keep that understanding in the frame of the actual Hebrew verb’s meaning which is to ... cut down ... like to cut down a tree in the forest so it is no longer a part of the forest ... essentially ... to cut off ... so that the referenced object or person is no longer a part of what it or they were cut off from ... a large part of the Christian church dismisses these scriptures as irrelevant and superseded by the grace we have as Christians ... however ... perhaps there is more going on in our world than a great many Christian theologians were aware of ... perhaps God maintains His relationships with humankind specifically as He developed specific relationships ... if that is the case ... then His relationship with the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people is unique ... and ... perhaps both they and we should realize just how much the Hebrew ( Jewish ) folks mean to the LORD ( YHVH ) God Almighty ... He loves them ...

 

... one good validation that the worship of God by the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people within the context of the covenant made with Moses ... essentially sacrifice and holy days as defined within the context originally of the Tabernacle and later the Temple at Jerusalem ... is ... the prophecy which the angel Gabriel gave to Daniel and which was also repeated by Jesus Christ regarding to abomination of desolation which defiles the temple of the LORD ( YHVH ) in Jerusalem ... if the Hebrew ( Jewish ) worship of God by current Rabbinical practice and the anticipated third temple worship is not a valid worship of God why would Gabriel’s prophecy in Daniel and the confirming words of Jesus Christ define this event as an abomination and a desecration ... in our analysis ... Hebrew ( Jewish ) people of today are the same Hebrew ( Jewish ) people of the Old Testament and they have returned to Israel the original homeland promised to them by the LORD ( YHVH ) God Almighty ... the ten TORAH which are the prominent portion of the 611 teachings of the LORD ( YHVH ) to the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people offer a select number of decisions which people above the age of reason can make with the consequence of cut off ... that is they are no longer a member of the Hebrew ( Jewish ) collective who are children of God ... note also that a provision is provided that permits repentance and reconnection with God as a reestablished member of the Hebrew ( Jewish ) people ...

 

Isaiah 27, vs 12                           God speaking

27:12 והיה ביום ההוא יחבט יהוה משבלת הנהר עד-נחל מצרים ואתם תלקטו לאחד אחד בני ישראל

... My people of Israel ... ... will be gathered one by one  ... on the day that the LORD ( YHVH ) begins threshing from the Euphrates river to the brook of Egypt ... 

 

Isaiah 43, vs 5 - 7                         God speaking

43:5 אל-תירא כי אתך-אני ממזרח אביא זרעך וממערב אקבצך

43:6 אמר לצפון תני ולתימן אל-תכלאי הביאי בני מרחוק ובנותי מקצה הארץ

43:7 כל הנקרא בשמי ולכבודי בראתיו יצרתיו אף-עשיתיו

... do not be afraid ... for ... I AM with you ... I will bring your offspring from the East ... gather you from the West ... I will say to the North ... give them up ... and ... to the South I will say ... do not hold them back ... and so I will bring my sons and daughters from afar from the ends of the earth ... I will bring everyone who is called by My Name ... I created them ... I formed and made them ... for My glory ...

 

Blessed Hope

 

Titus chapter 2, vs 11 - 14

… the grace of God has now appeared bringing us salvation … with reverence for the Lord God Almighty we are able to live upright lives with a self-control that is grounded in our reverence for the Lord God Almighty …  we now wait for the Blessed Hope ... which is the manifestation in glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ … Who gave Himself to redeem us from our worldly passions and iniquity … Jesus Christ purifies His people who are zealous to do good works …

 

Luke 21, vs 25 - 28                                     Jesus Christ speaking

… there will be distress among nations … people will be confused … like the roaring of the sea and the waves … people will faint from fear ... foreboding what is coming upon the world … and so ... when these things begin to take place … stand up … raise your head … because your redemption is drawing near …

 

John chapter 3, vs 16 - 18                    Jesus Christ speaking

… for God so loved the world that He sent His only Son into the world … not to condemn the world … but … in order that … the world might be saved through Him … for … everyone believes in Him will not perish … but … will have everlasting life … because … everyone who believes in Him is not condemned … but … anyone who does not believe in Him is condemned already …

 

... note that there are two action states as we near the end of this scripture passage ... to believe in Him ... or ... to not believe in Him ... essentially to make a decision to believe or not believe that Jesus Christ is God ... this statement by Jesus Christ does not define all possible states of action ... rather ... the two definitions make reference specifically to the free will decision of those individuals who becomes aware of this choice ... as we review the Blessed Hope in this bible study the grace of the Blessed Hope is reserved for those individuals of humankind who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross ... among that group of folks is everyone who has made the choice during their life to believe that Jesus Christ is God our Lord and our Savior ... in the covenant of God through Moses there is identified many different actions a person above the age of reason might take that can impact their life with God forever ... in the covenant of God through Jesus Christ there is a single action that ensures outcomes for a person above the age of reason ... their choice using by their free will is the basis of that outcome ....  redemption has come to humankind through the … life … death on the cross … and … resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ Who is God - our LORD - our Savior - our Teacher - our Friend … He is Yahweh ( YHVH ) … He is Yeshua our Messiah … we are the children of God because of this redemption … which … from the time Adam and Eve left Eden to now and up to the new heaven and new earth … provides the definition for the righteous children of God that extends to quite a few different categories of folks … including …

 @ all unborn of humankind who die in the womb for any reason …

@ all children who die before they reach the age of reason … the age of reason is when an individual of humankind becomes accountable for the consequences of their free will decisions …

@ all adults of humankind who die after they have reached the age of reason however cannot be held accountable for the consequences of their free will decisions because pf some physical or mental infirmity which has impaired their ability to make free will decisions with an understanding of both the  accountability and/or consequences of those free will decisions …

@ all Hebrew ( Jewish ) people who are older than the age of reason and fortunately for a life attentive to the Word of God and His will … do not meet the criteria … cut off from the people of God …

@ all other adults of humankind who are older than the age of reason and who confess that Jesus Christ is their LORD and Savior … and … who believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day …

 

… this list is not necessarily complete or inclusive however it provides the list as we currently understand what is documented for us in the Holy Bible … the impact of this understanding in our current time frame is that the anticipated … rapture of the church … will actually be the … rapture of the righteous children of God … essentially those who have been redeemed and saved by Jesus Christ ... those who receive the grace and opportunity offered through the … life … death on the cross … and … resurrection from the dead … of our LORD Jesus Christ … at the time of the … rapture of the righteous … the migration of the true Christian church to meet with Jesus Christ in the sky will also include the migration of all children under the age of reason ... all unborn children … the others noted and perhaps others not noted … the tribulation time period will have no neonates and no children … each person will have the accountability and consequences of their personal free will choices …  an interesting consideration ...

 

John chapter 17, vs 24 - 25                 Jesus Christ speaking

… Father … I desire that those whom You have given to Me may be with Me where I AM to see My glory … which you have given Me … because ... You have loved Me since before the foundation of the world … Righteous Father … the world does not know You … but … I know You … and … these whom You have given to Me know that You have sent Me … I have made Your Name known to them and I continue to make make it known … so that … the love with which You have loved Me will be in them … as … I AM in them …

 

John chapter 14, 1 - 6                              Jesus Christ speaking

 … do not let your heart be troubled … trust in God … trust also in Me … for … I go to prepare a place for you … then ... I will come back and take you to be with Me … I AM … the Way … the Truth … and … the Life … no one comes to the Father except through Me …

 

Luke chapter 21, vs 36                           Jesus Christ speaking

… be always on watch … pray that you will escape all that is about to happen … to stand before the Son of Man …

 

2 Thessalonians chapter 2, vs 1 - 15

… regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him … let us always give thanks to God by the Lord Jesus Christ because God chose us as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit of God and through our belief in the truth of God which is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior … for this purpose He called us through the proclamation of this good news which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ … we have obtained the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ … so let us … stand firm and hold fast to His teaching that we gave through the Word of God …

 

The English word rapture is derived from the Latin verb RAPERE which  means to be “caught up” … RAPERE is derived from the Greek word translated as … gathered … in  … 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, vs 1 …

 

Revelation chapter 3, vs 10 - 11                     Jesus Christ speaking

 … I will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world I AM coming soon …

 

1 Thessalonians chapter 1, vs 10

 … wait for His Son from heaven Whom He raised from the dead … Jesus Christ … Who will rescue us from the coming wrath …

 

Romans chapter 5, vs 8 - 9

… while we were still sinners Jesus Christ died for us … and now ... justified by His blood … how much more will we be  saved from God’s wrath through Him …

 

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, vs 9 - 11

… God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ … He died for us so that whether awake or asleep we will live together with Him therefore encourage one another …

 

2 Thessalonians chapter 2, vs 3

… that day will not come until the falling away  occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed …

 … the Greek word translated as falling away … and … in some English Holy Bible translations as rebellion is actually the Greek word  referenced by Strong Greek #646 which has the literal translation of  removal or separation with the intended concept of snatching up … the root of Strong Greek #646 is Strong Greek #868 which is the Greek word APOSTASION which also has the literal meaning … separation with the connotation of completion with separation …

 

Malachi chapter 3, vs 16 - 17

… everyone who has reverence for the LORD ( YHVH ) will speak with one another … the Lord listens … a book of remembrance is written before Him … of those who have reverence for the Lord and think on His Name the LORD ( YHVH ) God Almighty says … they are Mine … they are My special possession … on the day when I act I will spare them as parents spare their children …

 

1 Thessalonians chapter 4, vs 15 - 16

… by the Lord’s word … we will not precede ( go before ) those who have fallen asleep … the Lord will come down from heaven … with a loud command … with the voice of an archangel … and … with the trumpet of God … the dead in Christ will rise first … after that … we who are still alive will be caught up together with them into the clouds to meet the Lord in the air … we will be with the Lord forever … encourage one another with these words …

 

Favor

 

Luke chapter 2, vs 10 - 14                                   

… good news of great joy for all people … a Savior is born to you … He is the Christ the Lord … glory to God in the highest … and on earth peace to everyone on whom His favor rests …

 

... in Luke chapter 2 vs 14 the English phrase ... favor rests ... is not quite the literal meaning but we feel that it is a good representation of the meaning ... the Greek noun is ... EUDOKIA ... Strong# Greek 2107 ... the best literal meaning is a collation of the situation in which ... a person or object is receiving the focus of ... good pleasure ... or ... satisfaction ... or ... delight ... or ... good will ...

 

2 Corinthians chapter 6, vs 2                            God speaking                              

… in the time of My favor I heard you … and … in the day of salvation I helped you …

 

... in 2 Corinthians chapter 6 vs 2 the English noun ... favor ... is Greek noun ... EUPROSDEKTOS ... Strong# Greek 2144 ... the best literal meaning is a collation of the situation in which ... a person or object is receiving the focus of ... acceptance ... or ... approval ... within the context of being found favorable ... essentially ... well received ...  

 

Isaiah chapter 49, vs 8                                           God speaking

49:8 כה אמר יהוה בעת רצון עניתיך וביום ישועה עזרתיך ואצרך ואתנך לברית עם להקים ארץ להנחיל נחלות שממות

… the LORD ( YHVH ) says ... in the time of My favor I will answer you … on the day of salvation I will help you … I will keep you … and … I will make you to be a covenant for the people ... to restore the land … to reassign its desolate inheritances …

 

... in Isaiah chapter 49 vs 8 the English noun ... favor ... is the translation of Hebrew noun ... RATSON ... Strong# Hebrew 7522 ... רָצוֹן ... the best literal meanings include ... favor ... acceptance ... good pleasure ... the root of RATSON is Hebrew verb ... RATSAH ... Strong# Hebrew 7521 ... the best literal meanings include ... specifically – to satisfy a debt ... to make or be acceptable ... to be pleased with ...

  

... perhaps a good definition for ... favor ... is an action performed or granted out of good will ... essentially there is no aspect of ... renumeration ... or ... quid pro quo ... rather as a reference for this bible study ... favor ... is a gift from God ... He graciously offers us different types of favor including our salvation ... and ... He allows each individual ... who is an adult with free will ... the personal opportunity of choice to accept His favor ... or ... not to accept it ... the acceptance of God’s favor to each person is their own personal choice ...  

 

Psalm 5, vs 11 - 12

5:11 האשימם אלהים יפלו ממעצותיהם ברב פשעיהם הדיחמו כי-מרו בך

5:12 וישמחו כל-חוסי בך לעולם ירננו ותסך עלימו ויעלצו בך אהבי שמך

... everyone who takes refuge in You will be glad and sing for joy ... for ... the You shelter us ... everyone who receives Your love will exult You ... for ... those whom You bless O LORD ( YHVH ) bless are righteous ... You surround them with favor as with a shield ...

 

Psalm 139, vs 5

139:5 אחור וקדם צרתני ותשת עלי כפכה

... LORD ( YHVH ) ... You go before us and behind us ... You lay Your outstretched right arm and hand upon us ... such knowledge is wonderful ... it is beyond our understanding and cannot be known without You ...

 

... the favor of God to us takes many forms at many different time periods in each person’s life ... the ultimate favor extended by God is the redemption purchased for all humankind by Jesus Christ on the cross and our subsequent salvation which is life forever with God ... in this bible study we will also consider other examples of God’s favor to us though perhaps first we should consider the change which occurred to all of creation following that unfortunate decision made by Adam and Eve in Eden ...

 

… the following selects of scriptures are from Genesis chapters 1 - 3 ...

... though not necessarily in sequence …

  

… this is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created… when the Lord God … made … the earth and the heavens … no shrub had yet appeared on the earth … and … no plant had yet sprung up … for the Lord God had not sent rain onto the earth … and … there was no one to work the ground … God said … let Us make mankind … in Our image … and … in Our likeness … so that they may rule over … the fish in the sea … the birds in the sky … the livestock … all the wild animals… and … all the creatures that move along the ground …  so … the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground … and … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life … the man became a living being … the man’s name was Adam … so … God created mankind in His own image … in the image of God … man was created …

 

… the Lord God … Who formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky … He then brought them to the man to see what he would name them … and … whatever the man called each living creature that was its name … so … the man gave names to all … the livestock … the birds in the sky … and … all the wild animals … however for Adam no EZER was found … so … the LORD ( YHVH ) God said

 

… it is not good for the man to be alone ... I will make an EZER suitable for him … so … the LORD ( YHVH ) God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep … and … while he was sleeping … He took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh … then … the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man … so … the woman became a living being … then … God brought her to the man … and … the man said … this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh … she will be called woman … for … she was taken out of man … the woman’s name was Eve … this is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife … and … they become one flesh … so … Eve became Adan’s wife … they were both naked and they felt no shame ... Eve became the mother of humankind … all living people come from Adam and Eve …

 

... Hebrew noun ... EZER ... עֵזֶר  ... Strong# Hebrew 5828 ... often in Genesis chapter 2 translated as ... helper ... as a literal meaning is much closer to something or someone providing protection for someone by surrounding them ... a good definition for the creation of ... woman ... by God and also note in both Psalm 5 vs 11 - 12 and Psalm 139 vs 5 that this concept of providing protection for an individual by surrounding them is an attribute God establishes in His relationship with His children ... for a better understanding the literal meaning of the Hebrew noun EZER follow its root Hebrew verb AZAR Strong# Hebrew 5826 ...

 

… the migration of Adam and Eve’s habitation … from within Eden … to … outside of Eden … begins in Eden … and ... since that fateful event … Adam and Eve’s habitation was outside of Eden … which is also the habitation for all of mankind today ...

 

… we continue in Eden …

 

… God blessed Adam and Eve and said to them … be fruitful and increase in number fill the earth and subdue it … rule over … the fish in the sea … the birds in the sky … and … over every living creature that moves on the ground …

 

... God said to Adam and Eve … I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it … they will be yours for food … I give you ... all the beasts of the earth … all the birds in the sky … all the creatures that move along the ground … everything that has the breath of life in it … I give you every green plant for food … and … it was so ...

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God planted a garden in the East in Eden … and ... there He put … Adam and Eve … whom He had formed … there in Eden … the LORD ( YHVH ) God … made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground … trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food … also ... in the middle of the garden were … the tree of life … and … the tree of the knowledge of good and evil … the LORD ( YHVH ) God took Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it … the LORD ( YHVH ) God taught Adam that he and Eve may freely eat from any tree in the garden … except … they must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil … for if you eat from that tree you will certainly die …

 

Psalm 104, vs 2

104:2 עטה-אור כשלמה נוטה שמים כיריעה

… the Lord wraps Himself in light as with a garment … He stretches out the heavens like a tent …

 

note … Adam and Eve … while in Eden … were made in the likeness of God … and … God is clothed in light … perhaps … Adam and Eve were also clothed in light … prior to their unfortunate decision …

 

… so … there in Eden …

... Adam and Eve … were …  

- clothed in light

- food was every where

- they had dominion over every living creature of the earth

- they had access to God … to … walk with Him and to talk with Him

- they had free access to the … tree of life … to live forever with God

 

… now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals that the LORD ( YHVH ) God had made … the serpent came said to EVE … did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden …

 

... Eve replied to the serpent … we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden … but … God did say … you must not eat fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that is in the middle of the garden … God taught us that we must not touch it or we will die …

 

… the serpent again spoke to Eve … certainly you will not die for God knows that when you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil your eyes will be opened … and … you will be like God … knowing both good and evil …

 

… Eve saw that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was good for food pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom … so … she took some of the fruit and ate it ... she also gave some to Adam her husband who was with her and he ate it … then … the eyes of both of them were opened and they realized that they were naked so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves …

 

note … Adam and Eve while in Eden were made in the likeness of God and God is clothed in light … perhaps … Adam and Eve were also clothed in light prior to this unfortunate decision …

 

… we continue in Eden …

 

… sometime later … Adam and Eve heard the sound of the LORD ( YHVH ) God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day … Adam and Eve hid from the LORD ( YHVH ) God among the trees of the garden of Eden …  and ... the LORD ( YHVH ) God called to Adam … where are you …

 

… sampling the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was an unfortunate decision as it effected the rest of Adam and Eve’s life … and consequently … because they are the first two individuals of humankind … this unfortunate decision also effected every other person of humankind  … we are all conceived and born with a spiritual capacity for the knowledge of both good and evil … consequently … we are influenced by evil … and therefore … we all have the capacity to make this same unfortunate decision in our own lives … God came to us as Jesus Christ to rescue those who choose to believe that He came to rescue us from this bondage to evil …

 

… Adam and Eve had heard the sound of the LORD ( YHVH ) God as He was walking in the garden during the cool of the day and they hid from the LORD ( YHVH ) God among the trees in the garden of Eden …  the LORD ( YHVH ) God called to Adam … where are you …

 

... Adam answered the LORD ( YHVH ) … I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked … so … I hid …

 

… God said to Adam … who told you that you were naked … have you eaten from the tree that I taught you not to eat from …

 

… Adam answered God and said … the woman you put here with me … she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it …

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God said to Eve … what is this that you have done …

 

… Eve answered God and said … the serpent deceived me and I ate …

 

… note … Adam and Eve by this unfortunate decision had immediately lost the light that clothed them … they have experienced the conscience turmoil which accompanies our encounters with evil/sin … that also result in a consequential fear that results from sin ... this fear which can take many forms is not from God but it is actually from evil which originally proposed the sin to them … the intended purposes of evil through the selection of sin by a person is to separate that individual of humankind from God … it is a pernicious process which seems harmless at first and progresses to ever increasing consequences of severity … we will see that … when God blesses a person with favor He is blessing all humankind … as students of the Holy Bible ... when we encounter events labeled as the wrath of  God … that wrath is directed toward evil and the wickedness that results from habitual sin that embraces evil without repentance ... the harm being done to individuals of humankind as a result of God’s wrath are actually done by evil … it is the presence of God and His favor that protects an individual from evil … note again Psalm 5 and Psalm 139 ... if a person moves away from the presence of God in their life … evil makes this a pretty rough world for them … the Holy Bible is God’s communication to mankind … which details … His plan … to rescue us from evil … and … provide a final solution for evil …

 

Matthew chapter 5, vs 37                    Jesus  Christ speaking

… all you need to say is simply … Yes … or … No … anything beyond this comes from the evil one ...

… as … this bible study continues and we consider some aspects of spiritual encounters which involve … us … and … God … and … evil … perhaps it is best to keep in mind … that God and His favor are taking care of us who place our faith in Jesus Christ … it is good to remember that the Holy Bible teaches us that … evil is being actively taken to a final solution … we do not need to participate in the direct confrontation with evil … our Yes should be Yes … our No should be No … these responses should be our reaction to evil as it presents itself in the world … the Yes and No are our response to evil with the testimony of our faith that Jesus Christ is God … and … the truth of God … which has been revealed to us in the Holy Bible … God has our back and He will always be with His people … always …

 

… so … the consequence for Adam and Eve’s unfortunate decision was to be removed from Eden … however … we should not think of this action as either ... a punishment … or … the wrath of God … directed toward them and their future offspring … rather … it is a compassionate consideration to prevent their access to the tree of life in Eden which would ensure that they and all their offspring would have a predisposition to evil forever and consequently qualify only for the final solution for evil … Adam and Eve along with all the rest of us … their offspring … and also evil … are now outside of Eden … however … all Adam Eve and all their descendants of humankind have received redemption ... that is a renewed relationship with God ... by the ... life … death on the cross … and … resurrection from the dead … of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ... our faith in Jesus Christ that the confession of that faith enables the favor to God to grant us salvation which is to live with God forever … that is pretty wonderful … and ... don’t forget that the Holy Bible teaches us that there is also a final solution for evil …

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God made garments of skin for Adam and Eve and then He clothed them … after this the LORD ( YHVH ) God said … humankind has now become like Us knowing good and evil … humankind must not be allowed to reach out their hand to take and eat from the tree of life ... for then they live like this forever … so … the Lord God banished Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which Adam was taken … and … the Lord God placed on the east side of the Eden a Cherubim Angel with a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life …

 

… evil was also expelled from Eden with Adam and Eve … the Cherubim Angel is not placed to guard Eden from humankind … we can never find it again without Jesus Christ … the Cherubim Angel keeps evil from going back into Eden … and … thus evil is restricted from access to the tree of life … God is our source of redemption from evil/sin and we have life forever through our faith in Jesus Christ … as for evil … the tree of life is needed for life forever though that is no longer available to evil … it is … evil is an unfortunate self-deception which comes to an end with the final solution for evil …

 

… we continue in Eden …

 

… God … has a dialog with the participants in this unfortunate decision … Adam … Eve … and … evil ( the serpent ) … with each God reviews the consequences of the serpent’s deception and the unfortunate consequence for each as a result of the choice made by Adam and Eve … the word … curse … is used in this dialog … like wrath … folks tend to interpret these words as direct actions of God against humankind representing a punishment or divine retribution … in our analyses we note that perhaps … the negativity of these actions is directed only at evil … and … the consequences of these events to Adam Eve and their descendants represents a protective action by Gpd to protect them from the evil which both has and will be done on the creation God made in His image and likeness … us … again in our analyses God seems a simple choice for humankind … however … as we consider the relationship of humankind … in general … to God … across multiple habitations … throughout our history … we see that God’s concern is well justified …

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God said to evil ( the serpent ) ... because you have done this … cursed are you above all livestock … and … all wild animals ... you will crawl on your belly … you will eat dust all the days of your life … and … I will put enmity between you and the woman … between your offspring^[a] and hers … He will crush your head … and … you will strike His heel …

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God said to Eve … I will make your pains in childbearing very severe …     with painful labor you will give birth to children … your desire will be for your husband … and … he will rule over you …

 

… the LORD ( YHVH ) God said to Adam … because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ... a tree about which I taught you not to eat from it … now the ground is cursed because of your decision … and now through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life … it will produce thorns and thistles … you will eat the plants of the field by the sweat of your brow … you will eat this food until you return to the ground from which you were taken … for dust you are and to dust you will return …

 

Ezekiel chapter 18, vs 20 – 32                           God speaking

18:20 הנפש החטאת היא תמות בן לא-ישא בעון האב ואב לא ישא בעון הבן צדקת הצדיק עליו תהיה ורשעת רשע עליו תהיה

18:21 והרשע כי ישוב מכל-חטאתו אשר עשה ושמר את-כל-חקותי ועשה משפט וצדקה חיה יחיה לא ימות

18:22 כל-פשעיו אשר עשה לא יזכרו לו בצדקתו אשר-עשה יחיה

18:23 החפץ אחפץ מות רשע נאם אדני יהוה הלוא בשובו מדרכיו וחיה

18:24 ובשוב צדיק מצדקתו ועשה עול ככל התועבות אשר-עשה הרשע יעשה וחי כל-צדקתו אשר-עשה לא תזכרנה במעלו אשר-מעל ובחטאתו אשר-חטא בם ימות

18:25 ואמרתם לא יתכן דרך אדני שמעו-נא בית ישראל הדרכי לא יתכן הלא דרכיכם לא יתכנו

18:26 בשוב-צדיק מצדקתו ועשה עול ומת עליהם בעולו אשר-עשה ימות

18:27 ובשוב רשע מרשעתו אשר עשה ויעש משפט וצדקה הוא את-נפשו יחיה

18:28 ויראה וישוב מכל-פשעיו אשר עשה חיו יחיה לא ימות

18:29 ואמרו בית ישראל לא יתכן דרך אדני הדרכי לא יתכנו בית ישראל הלא דרכיכם לא יתכן

18:30 לכן איש כדרכיו אשפט אתכם בית ישראל נאם אדני יהוה שובו והשיבו מכל-פשעיכם ולא-יהיה לכם למכשול עון

18:31 השליכו מעליכם את-כל-פשעיכם אשר פשעתם בם ועשו לכם לב חדש ורוח חדשה ולמה תמתו בית ישראל

18:32 כי לא אחפץ במות המת נאם אדני יהוה והשיבו וחיו

… the righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them … and … the wickedness of the wicked will be credited to them … if … a wicked person turns away from sin … that he/she has committed … and … keeps My teaching … and … does what is just and right … they will surely live … none of their offences … that they committed will be remembered against them because of the righteous things they have done … they will live … do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked ...  No … rather … I AM pleased when they turn from their ways and live … so … turn away from all your offences … then sin will not be your downfall … get for yourselves a new heart … and … a new spirit … for … I take no pleasure in the death of anyone declares the Sovereign LORD ( YHVH ) …

 

John chapter 3, vs 3 - 18                       Jesus Christ speaking

… you must be born again … no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven ( Kingdom of God ) unless that person is born of water and the Spirit … the Spirit gives birth to spirit … no one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven … the Son of Man … just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert … so … the Son of Man must be lifted up … so that … everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life … for … God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son … that … whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life … for … God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world … but … to save the world through Him … whoever believes in Him is not condemned … but … whoever does not believe stands condemned already …

 

Enoch chapter 10, vs 7                          Ancient of Days speaking

I will restore the earth … so … not all the sons of man will be destroyed because of the knowledge which the Watchers made known …

  

Enoch chapter 62, vs 13 - 16

… the righteous … and … the chosen … will be saved on that day … the Lord of Spirits ( Ancient of Days ) will remain over them … and … with the Son of Man they will … dwell … and … eat … and … lie down … and … rise up … forever and ever … the righteous and the chosen will have risen from the earth … and … will have put on the Garment of Life … the … Garment of Life … from … the Lord of Spirits … and … it will not wear out … and … your glory … will not fail in front of the Lord of Spirits …

 

Daniel chapter 7, vs 13 - 14

In my vision … there before me … was one like a son of man … He approached the Ancient of Days … and … was led into His presence … He was given authority … glory … and … sovereign power …  all peoples … nations … and … men of every language worshiped Him … His dominion is an everlasting dominion … that will not pass away … and … His kingdom is one that will never be destroyed …

 

Daniel chapter 9, vs 24

… to put an end to sin …to atone for wickedness … to bring in everlasting righteousness … to seal up vision and prophecy … and … to anoint the most holy …

 

1 Peter chapter 1, vs 18 - 20

… we have been ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ … for which … He was destined before the foundation of the world …

 

John chapter 1, vs 12 - 13

 … to everyone who believes in His Name … He gave the right to become children of God born of God …

 

John chapter 20, vs 31

 … believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God … and … by believing you will have life in His Name …

 

John chapter 6, vs 47                              Jesus Christ speaking

… I tell you the truth … everyone who believes in Me has everlasting life with God forever …