I think Peggy's comments are Right On! Due to CENTURIES of Church Sponsored Anti-Semitism, and Replacement Theology (that the church Replaces Israel), the true "church" (followers of Jesus Christ), have been led off course, and the calling and purpose of Israel as a country/people has been buried as irrelevant. Christ made it CRYSTAL CLEAR that NO one TOOK HIS Life......HE LAID IT DOWN WILLINGLY. Precious truths were swept under the rug....and all but forgotten, except for the revival that has happened this past century within the Jewish Community (like Zola Levitt, Jews for Jesus), where MANY Jews are having their eyes opened and becoming believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus said BLESSED are those who have both the Old Testament AND the New Testament UNDERSTANDING.....like Paul did. We THANK GOD for our Jewish Brethren who now have the Holy Spirit indwelling them......and CORRECTING some SERIOUS doctrinal errors that have crept into Christ's Church. Why do we celebrate "Easter"? A pagan fertility spring holiday? In my humble opinion, we would be FAR better off celebrating "Passover"......commemorating OUR Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ! Traditional Myths: What Really Happened at ''Easter''? - Chuck Missler - Koinonia House Many many other errors have crept into the Church. Martin Luther took us only so far....our Messianic Brethren converted in the past century have exposed many more errors....and brought fantastic enlightenment to we former Gentiles. I praise God for them!The Prodigal Heirs - 66/40 - K-House (replacement theology)Thank God for St. Paul, the Missionary sent to the Gentiles! Without his tremendous insight into the Old Testament scriptures (which the mostly illiterate disciples did not have)....we would have missed out on SO many precious truths! Paul clarified the Great Mystery of "The Church"....and the unbelievable BENEFITS that the Church has......which the old testament Saints did NOT have.But Paul also clarified that God is NOT through with the Christ Rejecting Blinded Jewish People yet! They are blinded ONLY for a time....and THEN their spiritual sight will be restored to them. See Romans for Paul's insight and broken heart about all this. The fact that so many Jews are coming to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ this century, is a SIGN that the "Fullness of the Gentiles" is coming to an END!Christians are NOT saved by keeping the LAW.....that system has been abolished with Christ's FINAL sacrifice for all Jews and all Gentiles FOREVER! Therefore we are NOT REQUIRED to KEEP the LAW in order to have SALVATION.....but if we WANT TO keep certain aspects of the Law because We think that it PLEASES GOD.....Paul made it very clear....there is no harm nor foul. Its OK. We should NOT criticize those who want to keep certain portions of the old the law......like the 10 Commandments, etc....as long as they realize that their SALVATION is not dependent upon it.Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days : - Colossians 2:16
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath . - Mark 2:27
However when Christians start sacrificing animals to take away their sin.....then we MUST step in and point out their error.....that they are trampling underfoot the precious sacrifice of our Beloved Lord. I find it interesting to note, that God will be sending 2 Witnesses to the Jews in Israel, when the Jews have returned to sacrificing animals in the rebuilt Temple. What do you think they will be saying that makes the Jews so MAD that they REJOICE over their deaths??? These old testament like prophets will be preaching the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ to them!!!!.....pointing out their Errors! Just after their death and resurrection, the Anti-Christ will create an Abomination in the Temple....and cause the sacrificing to cease. This will begin the dreaded 3 and 1/2 years of the Wrath of God on the entire planet!When Jesus comes back to Rule and Reign, where will He do it? In New York City? London perhaps? NO! One place.....and ONE PLACE alone that GOD has called HIS: Jerusalem! All countries will send PILGRIMS on the Feast Days to Jerusalem when Christ reigns.For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD. - Isaiah 66:22, 23
So it is clear that these Feast Days (which we watch so closely here on Five Doves....because we understand their prophetic importance)....will be reinstated. But these Feast Days will NOT include ANY animal sacrifices! Jesus has paid the price, once and for all, FOREVER. But if WE as Christians, plan to RULE and REIGN with Christ.....we will be doing it in Jerusalem!....not Miami Beach! All the things that we don't see so clearly now,......THEN they will be made known to us CLEARLY....with Jesus leading the way for ALL. Until then, there is going to be some differences of opinion of how to please God. Learning Hebrew will not save you, but it is not a Sin either. Worshiping God on Saturday or Sunday will not save you.....but neither is it a Sin either.
The Sabbath is to this day is still highly controversial. Here's a good bible study on the subject:
Having said all that, I have read some of the stuff on Sherry's Shriner's website......where she discards the words of Paul....the Jewish Missionary sent by JESUS to convert the Gentiles, ....she has gone way off track. I agree with MATT, that her website should be ignored......I will not even provide the link here.But don't throw the baby out with the water.....increasing one's understanding of the Old Testament and God's dealings with Israel and Judah.....these are filled with Timeless Truths and Rich Treasures of Insight into our Heavenly Father and His ways and His plan for mankind.
Is your faith grounded on Israel, or on Jesus ?"
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/mar2007/janm38-1.htmJan wonders why we watch and speak of Israel so much.....it is because ISRAEL, and God's dealings with Israel is God's Prophetic Time Clock. This prophetic Time Clock will IMPACT THE ENTIRE WORLD.....and future events for EVERYONE. If you don't understand this, then you don't understand the prophetic significance of Daniel's prophecies.....particularly chapter 9.Its fascinating, albeit a bit scary, to WATCH what God is doing with Israel. When we WATCH what God is doing with Israel......we are really WATCHING for the coming of our Lord and Savior! Jesus COMMANDED us to WATCH.Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.Daniel Chapter 9:
v.24 "Weeks" here is actually "sevens." Some of the six things prophesied have already happened, and others are in the future. Jesus made an end of transgressions and sins and reconciled man to God when He sacrificed Himself on the cross.
The kingdom of everlasting righteousness hasn't yet come to power, all the visions and prophecies haven't yet been fulfilled; so the book cannot yet be closed and sealed. The "most Holy" has yet to be anointed.
The Old Testament prophets didn't see the two aspects of the coming of the Messiah. Though they faithfully wrote as God directed them, they couldn't reconcile the seeming diversities concerning the Messiah (Ephesians 3:3-5).
When Jesus read the Scriptures in Isaiah, He stopped halfway through the prophecy, because the first half concerned only His first coming (Isaiah 61:1-4, Luke 4:16-21).
v.25 The angel foretells of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem given by King Artaxerxes on March 14, 445 B.C. The prophecy was based on a Babalonian 360-day calendar. 483 years, 360 each is 173,880 days after March 14, 445 B.C., that day being April 6, 32 A.D. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that day, April 6, 32 A.D. (Psalm 118:22-26, Luke 19:28-44, Romans 8:22,23, Zechariah 9:9).
v.26 The Messiah was to be "cut off" without receiving His share of the kingdom . The "prince" of Rome spoken of here was Caesar Nero. He ordered his general, Titus, to destroy Jerusalem. The soldiers tore the city down stone by stone to the ground. The end of the nation was to come with a dispersion of the Jews. The Jews were followed by wars and desolations wherever they went.
v.27 The seventieth seven will begin when the Antichrist makes a covenant with Israel for a 7-year period (Isaiah 28:14-17). There are several hints in the Bible that tie Caesar Nero to the Antichrist. It appears that the same demon that controlled Nero will enter the European leader who will arise from the ten nations, and he will be the Antichrist (Revelation 17:8-11, 13:17-18).
Some Bible teachers believe that the Church will go through the Great Tribulation. They feel that God is through with the nation Israel and all the prophetic references that deal with Israel actually refer to the Church. This misinterpretation of Scriptures has led to confusion over prophecies that are actually quite clear and simple (Matthew 24:15-22, Romans 11:1).
This 7-year period will not start while God is still working in the Church to bring forth a Bride for Christ. Once the Church is complete, God will take it up to heaven. Then He'll turn to Israel and make the Jews His special people once again.
After three and one-half years the Antichrist will put a stop to the daily sacrifices and prayers in the rebuilt temple. 1,290 days from this day Jesus will come to earth with His Church to establish His Kingdom and to fulfill the other prophecies concerning the Messiah that haven't yet been fulfilled (Matthew 24:15-22, II Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 12:14, Isaiah 16:1-4).
Questions Continue: The Great Snatch?
**Rapture**
Prophetic
Chuck Missler takes a look at the Biblical accounts and prophecies regarding The Rapture.Byzantine Text Discovery: Ephraem The SyrianChuck Missler examines the origins of the Pre-Tribulation rapture theory.The Eschatological Epistles: 1st and 3rd ThessaloniansPrompted by, among other things, the circulation of a spurious letter, apparently an intentional forgery as if from Paul, the Thessalonians began to fear that they were already in the Day of Lord...Rapture Questions Continue: Our Blessed HopeChuck discusses the mysterious event known as the Rapture and the Bible passages that indicate that 'in the twinkling of an eye' we will be caught up to meet Christ in the air.Pattern is Prologue: The Rapture, Part 2: The Wedding ModelThe New Testament portrays the Church as the Bride of Christ. Chuck Missler explains how the type of the Jewish marriage feast helps us to better understand the doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture of the Church.A Concluding Review: The HarpazoWhile many times prophecies in the Old Testament are specific predictions, the Old Testament also uses pattern as a form of prophecy through 'types'. Several types in the Old Testament can indicate the rapture in advance.
Maranatha!
Deborah
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