So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18, ESV)
Passover 2013
Passover will be on Tuesday evening March 25th 2013. Time again for our family lamb barbecue to remember and offer thanks for our Messiah Yeshua’s sacrifice.
Unleavened Bread is Wednesday March 26th through Monday April 1. Wednesday the 26th and Monday April 1st are Sabbaths.
See the whole Bible Manna page for more information, and our free Manna booklet on wholebible.com for dates and Scripture for reading.
Choose life.
The Life in His Word.
Salvation by Love through Love
‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 1 section on ‘Salvation by Love’
There are people who argue over ‘salvation by grace through faith’ as opposed to ‘salvation by faith plus works.’ ‘Salvation by faith’ focuses on man. Then you get into all kinds of debates about whether the will of man is “free” or whether it is too depraved to do anything. ‘Salvation by faith plus works’ puts the focus on merit. Then you get into all kinds of debates about which ‘works’ are going to get the job done, or what is a work of the flesh, or legalism versus God’s grace and the cross.
I propose what I think is the biblical alternative – ‘salvation by love.’ Perhaps we can even say salvation by love through love. Salvation by love means that God loved us and acted on it, and we love Him and act on His Word. It’s that simple. Debates ended. (Well, the debates aren’t ended, but it leaves a lot of people without a biblical basis for arguing). If we just read the Word (and do it) we would easily solve a lot of these types of theological issues.
Absence of Items in Ezekiel’s Temple
And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the LORD, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the LORD.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. (Jeremiah 3:16, ESV)
In reading Ezekiel 40-47, I was struck by the absence of the ark of the covenant, lamp stands, table of show bread, and altar of incense. It seems the only furnishing is something resembling an altar of wood, called the table of the Lord (41:21-22). Not sure what this means, except I think the temple Ezekiel describes is a literal temple built during the thousand year reign of Christ on earth. Coming soon to a city near you. We might not be able to make an argument from silence (just because the furnishings aren’t mentioned doesn’t mean they aren’t there) but with all the measuring and specifics in this section it is apparent that every detail is mentioned as it was with the building of the Tabernacle.
“As for you, son of man, describe to the house of Israel the temple, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and they shall measure the plan. (Ezekiel 43:10, ESV)
If this is true, then sacrifices, tithes and the feasts of God (Ezekiel 44:24, 45:21) will be implemented too as Ezekiel also describes.
In a dispute, they shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy. (Ezekiel 44:24, ESV)
If there is no ark of God, I think it’s obvious Jesus is the “glory of God” that takes up residence again in the holy of holies (43:1-5).
The circumference of the city shall be 18,000 cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD Is There.” (Ezekiel 48:35, ESV)
The Natural Man and Spiritual Relevance
From ‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 4 ‘The Natural Man and Spiritual Relevance’
For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:11–16, ESV)
The “natural person” does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him. The Word (the Law) looks foolish, so he refuses to do anything God says. God’s Law is spiritual (Romans 7:14) so a natural man does not think it is relevant. It is as if a starving man were at a banquet but refusing to eat because it isn’t served on china. All he has to do is reach out his hand and partake of God’s blessings, but he won’t because it is served on wood plates. Only when we humbly submit to God do we see that His knowledge is not foolish. When we reject the knowledge of God given in the Law, it shows that we are not spiritual. A new heart of flesh written with the Law by the Spirit recognizes the blessings in the Law freely given us by God.
Ezekiel 36:22-32
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. (Ezekiel 36:22–32, ESV)
The Watchmen
The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand. (Ezekiel 33:1–6, ESV)
Sounding the trumpet (or shofar). Right click to play and stop.
Verse for Gathering the House of Israel
“Thus says the Lord GOD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall dwell in their own land that I gave to my servant Jacob. And they shall dwell securely in it, and they shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall dwell securely, when I execute judgments upon all their neighbors who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.” (Ezekiel 28:25–26, ESV)
Rapture or Resurrection?
A good book by a friend covering the rapture as a part of the resurrection. Be careful, though. It’s biblical and doesn’t follow the popular fiction.