The Passover: History And Prophecy

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley gracethrufaith.com/selah

The Feasts of Israel have both a historical and a prophetic fulfillment. In this study we’ll review the account of Passover, the world’s oldest continuously celebrated Holy Day from these two perspectives.

First, here’s the background. God had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham. But before Abraham could actually take possession, the Canaanite people still had 400 years to decide if they were going to repent of their pagan ways and return to God. He already knew they weren’t going to decide in His favor and He would have to evict them, but He was committed to giving them the 400 years first. So it would actually be Abraham’s descendants who would take possession of the land. In the interim, God said, they would migrate to Egypt and eventually become enslaved there.  When the 400 years were up, God would bring them back to give them the land and would also give them the wealth of Egypt, as compensation for their time of slavery. (Genesis 15:13-21)

To make sure there was no confusion about this, God repeated His promise to both Isaac (Genesis 26:2-3) and Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15), Abraham’s son and grandson.

When the time came, God called Moses to be the deliverer of the Jewish people (Exodus 3) and appointed his brother Aaron to help him bring Abraham’s descendants back to the Promised Land (Exodus 4:14-17).  But when they approached Pharaoh, he flatly refused to let the people go (Exodus 5:1-3).  After nine judgments that nearly destroyed Egypt (Exodus 7:14-10:29), God told Moses and Aaron how to prepare the people so they could protect themselves from the 10th and final judgment, the death of the firstborn.

The Historical Fulfillment

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. (Exod. 12:1-5)

From the dawn of the Age of Man until that time, the month of which the Lord spoke had been the 7th month, called Nisan. In the announcement above He ordered a 6 month shift in their calendar. The 7th month was now the 1st. Because of their dependence on agricultural cycles, the Israelites retained their original calendar, with it’s Fall beginning, and super-imposed this new calendar over it. From then on they had a religious calendar, beginning in the Spring, and an agricultural calendar, beginning in the Fall. (That’s why Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, comes in the Fall.)

Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire-head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD’s Passover. (Exod. 12:6-11)

Until the 14th means through the end of the 13th, just like a present marked “do not open until Christmas” can’t be opened until the 24th is over. Jewish days begin at sunset in line with the Biblical account of Creation, “There was evening and there was morning…” As the sun was setting on the 13th, the Lambs were to be slaughtered and roasted. Some of the lamb’s blood was to be painted on the lintel and post of the door to each family’s house. Then, when the lambs were cooked, they were to be eaten in haste, along with some unleavened bread and bitter herbs (horseradish). Thus, the Passover meal was the first meal of the 14th, eaten after the sunset that marked the beginning of the day. It was a quick meal, more like a sandwich really, bearing no resemblance at all to the leisurely and sumptuous festival meals of today.

“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exod. 12:12-13)

After their hasty meal, around midnight, the destroying angel passed through Egypt and the firstborn of man and animal perished. The angel passed over homes where the doorposts had been painted with lamb’s blood, sparing the people huddled trembling within. They weren’t spared because they were Jewish, or because they had eaten lamb for dinner. They were spared because they had the faith to paint their doorposts with blood. They were saved by faith through the blood of the lamb.

Many years later, when the Passover Seder had become a traditional celebration, it became common for the participants to dip a finger into their wine glass to collect a drop of wine which they then let fall onto their plate.  They do this for each of the 10 plagues of Egypt, each time saying, “We are saved by the blood of the lamb.”

“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat-that is all you may do.

“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” (Exod. 12:14-20)

The Feast of Unleavened Bread began on the 15th and lasted through the 21st. No yeast could be used in any food preparation, nor could any be present in the house during that time. When they settled in Israel, since the 15th was a major feast day and special sabbath, after the ceremonial “lamb sandwich” was consumed the rest of the 14th was spent in preparation because no work could be done after sundown. Any yeast found in the house was discarded, and the bulk of the food purchasing and preparation was done. It became known as Preparation Day.

From that day till this, the Lord’s Passover has been celebrated, one of the most dramatic displays of His power ever seen. During the meal they drink four special cups of wine, one each for the four promises God made to Moses from the burning bush.

“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD , and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.(1. Sanctification) I will free you from being slaves to them (2. Deliverance), and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment (3. Redemption). I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.”(4. Acceptance) (Exod. 6:6-7)

He freed His people from the bonds of slavery, defeating the world’s most powerful country without an army, without a single casualty among His own, by the power of His outstretched arm. Over a million former slaves walked out of Egypt the next morning carrying the wealth of their former captives, back wages for their hard labor. The sick were healed, the lame walked, and the weak were made strong. Not a single one was left behind.  Overshadowed by other events of the day, it was most likely the greatest healing miracle of all time.

Prophetic Fulfillment

In the first chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus was introduced as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Throughout His ministry people proclaimed Him as Israel’s Messiah, but only on one day did He encourage it. On the Jewish calendar, it was the 10th day of the first month. We know it as Palm Sunday. Through out Jerusalem Passover lambs were being selected, but on the Mount of Olives The Passover Lamb was being welcomed into the city with shouts of “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Matt. 21:9)

From then until the end of the 13th He received the most aggressively intense questioning of His ministry.  He was being carefully scrutinized for some defect in His teaching until finally “no one dared ask Him any more questions.” (Matt 23:46)

After sundown brought the Passover, called Preparation Day in His time, and He ate an abbreviated Passover meal with His disciples, stopping at the 3rd cup, the Cup of Redemption. It was a Thursday, the 14th of the month, and before the day was over He had been arrested, tried, convicted and executed by crucifixion. The Passover Lamb had been put to death on Passover. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, Paul would later say (1 Cor. 5:7).

Just before He died, knowing that all had been completed and so the Scriptures would be fulfilled, He asked for a drink. (John 19:28-29) In taking the wine they offered, He drank the 4th Cup of the Passover, the Cup of Acceptance. “I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.” From that day forward, anyone who accepted His death as payment for their sins would in turn be accepted into the family of God and receive eternal life. They are saved by faith through the Blood of the Lamb.

Earlier a group of Jewish officials had asked Jesus for a miraculous sign to prove that He was who He claimed to be. He said, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matt. 12:39-40). They would get their sign but only after they had put Him to death.  And it would be unmistakable.  No one had ever come out of the grave in a resurrection body before. 

The day following the crucifixion would be Friday the 15th, the first Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a special Sabbath where no work could be done (John 19:31). Knowing this, the chief priests asked Pilate to hasten the deaths of the condemned men so they could get them off their crosses before sundown. But Jesus was already dead. He had died at three o’clock and though His body was still on the cross, His spirit was already in Sheol, the abode of the dead. Day one.

At sundown the Feast of Unleavened Bread began, and with it Night One, followed in the morning by Day Two. Saturday the 16th was the regular weekly Sabbath and again no work could be done. It began with Night Two and in the morning became Day Three. Then at sundown it was Sunday the 17th, Night Three.  Three days and three nights, just as He had prophesied.

At sunrise Sunday morning the 17th, the Feast of First Fruits was being observed at the Temple when the women came to the tomb where He’d been laid to rest (Matt. 28:1). It was their first chance to anoint the body for burial since both Friday and Saturday had been Sabbaths. But the tomb was empty. He had risen, the First Fruits of the First Resurrection.

The two disciples who met the Lord on the road to Emmaus that Sunday (Resurrection Day) help us to confirm this sequence (Luke 24:13-35).  At first they thought the Lord must have been a very recent visitor to the area when He asked them to explain why they were so sad.  In the course of the discussion they indicated it was the third day since the crucifixion.  It being Sunday, the previous day, Saturday, would have been the 2nd day since it happened, and Friday would have been the first day since, making Thursday the day it happened.

By His death, He freed His people from their slavery to sin, defeating Heaven’s most powerful adversary without an army, without a single casualty among His own, by the power of His sacrificial life. Billions of former slaves will walk out of this world one day soon, receiving wealth beyond measure. The sick will be healed, the lame will walk, and the weak will be made strong. Not a single one will be left behind. It’s the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover Prophecy.

Shabbat Shalom. May the peace of the Sabbath rest upon you, and may the Grace of our Lord Jesus abide within you, both now and forever more. 04-16-11

He is risen!

Reblogged from Elizabeth Prata: the-end-time.blogspot.com

Posted: 31 Mar 2013 06:38 AM PDT

 

Our precious Lord, powerful and omniscient, the Alpha and the Omega, is alive! He is not in the tomb, but continuing His incarnation, but at this time, as glorified and eternal Prophet, Priest and King!!

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

"John to the seven Churches which are in Asia, Grace be with you, and peace from him, Which is, and Which was, and Which is to come, and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne," (Revelation 1:4).

I can't say enough about our Jesus, who conquered death and sin and hell, so I will let the bible tell us about Him. Here are just a few of the titles and honors bestowed upon Him! The Blue Letter Study Bible lists the Names, Titles, and Characters of Jesus Christ. There are over 200! They list the scriptures with them so you can see, and also click to read in context.

Here are just a very few of my favorites. Who ever gets tired of the name of Jesus? No Christian! We boast in HIM! We glory in HIM! His deeds! His works! His name!

The Son of the Highest - Luke 1:32
Our God and Savior - 2 Peter 1:1
Emanuel, God with us - Matthew 1:23
I am (before Abraham was) John 8:58
The Almighty, which is, and which was, and which is to come - Revelation 1:8
The Creator of all things - Colossians 1:16
The Upholder of all things - Hebrews 1:3
The Beginning - Colossians 1:18
The Beginning and the Ending - Revelation 1:8
The Alpha and the Omega - Revelation 1:8
The First and the Last - Revelation 1:17
The Life - 1 John 1:2
Eternal Life - 1 John 5:20
He that liveth - Revelation 1:18

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name!

La Pascua: Historia y Profecía

Un Estudio Bíblico por Jack Kelley

http://gracethrufaith.com/

Las fiestas de Israel tienen cumplimientos tanto históricos como proféticos. Puesto que la Pascua se celebra esta semana, repasemos la importancia de la celebración continua más antigua del mundo desde estas dos perspectivas.

Primero veamos los antecedentes. Dios le había prometido a Abraham la tierra de Canaán. Pero antes de que Abraham pudiera tomar posesión de la misma, el pueblo cananeo aun tendría 400 años para decidir si se arrepentiría de sus costumbres paganas y se devolvía a Dios. Él ya sabía que ellos no iban a arrepentirse de sus costumbres pero se comprometió a otorgarles 400 años más de todas maneras. Entonces, realmente serían los descendientes de Abraham los que tomarían posesión de la tierra. En el ínterin, dijo Dios, que ellos migrarían a Egipto y allí serían eventualmente esclavizados. Cuando finalizaran esos 400 años, Dios los traería de vuelta y les daría la tierra, dándoles al mismo tiempo la riqueza de Egipto para compensarlos por su esclavitud (Génesis 15-13-21).

Para asegurarse de que no había ninguna confusión sobre eso, Dios le repitió Su promesa tanto a Isaac (Génesis 26:2-3) como a Jacob (Génesis 28:10-15), hijo y nieto de Abraham respectivamente.

Cuando llegó el momento, Dios llamó a Moisés para ser el libertador del pueblo judío (Éxodo 3) y nombró a su hermano Aarón para que lo ayudara a llevar a los descendientes de Abraham de vuelta a la Tierra Prometida (Éxodo 4:14-17). Después de nueve juicios que casi destruyen a Egipto (Éxodo 7:14—10:29), Dios les dio a Moisés y Aarón instrucciones de cómo proteger al pueblo del décimo y último juicio, la muerte de los primogénitos.

El Cumplimiento Histórico

Habló Jehová a Moisés y a Aarón en la tierra de Egipto, diciendo: Este mes os será principio de los meses; para vosotros será éste el primero en los meses del año. Hablad a toda la congregación de Israel, diciendo: En el diez de este mes tómese cada uno un cordero según las familias de los padres, un cordero por familia. Mas si la familia fuere tan pequeña que no baste para comer el cordero, entonces él y su vecino inmediato a su casa tomarán uno según el número de las personas; conforme al comer de cada hombre, haréis la cuenta sobre el cordero. El animal será sin defecto, macho de un año; lo tomaréis de las ovejas o de las cabras (Éxodo 12:1-5).

Desde el amanecer de la era del hombre hasta ese momento, el mes del que el Señor hablaba había sido siempre el séptimo mes, llamado Nisan. En el anuncio anterior, Él ordenó un cambio de seis meses en el calendario judío. El séptimo mes sería ahora el primero. Debido a su dependencia en los ciclos agrícolas, los israelitas retuvieron el calendario original, que iniciaba en el otoño, y le sobrepusieron el nuevo calendario. Desde entonces, ellos han tenido un calendario religioso que inicia en la primavera, y un calendario agrícola que inicia en el otoño. (Es por eso que el Rosh Hashanah, que es el año nuevo judío, se celebra en el otoño.)

Y lo guardaréis hasta el día catorce de este mes, y lo inmolará toda la congregación del pueblo de Israel entre las dos tardes. Y tomarán de la sangre, y la pondrán en los dos postes y en el dintel de las casas en que lo han de comer. Y aquella noche comerán la carne asada al fuego, y panes sin levadura; con hierbas amargas lo comerán. Ninguna cosa comeréis de él cruda, ni cocida en agua, sino asada al fuego; su cabeza con sus pies y sus entrañas. Ninguna cosa dejaréis de él hasta la mañana; y lo que quedare hasta la mañana, lo quemaréis en el fuego. Y lo comeréis así: ceñidos vuestros lomos, vuestro calzado en vuestros pies, y vuestro bordón en vuestra mano; y lo comeréis apresuradamente; es la Pascua de Jehová (Éxodo 12:6-11).

Hasta el día catorce significa hasta el final del día trece, de la misma manera que un regalo marcado “No abrir hasta Navidad” solamente puede abrirse tan pronto el 24 de diciembre ha terminado. Los días judíos dan inicio al atardecer siguiendo la narración bíblica de la Creación, “y fue la tarde y la mañana un día…”. Cuando el sol se ponía el día 13, los corderos eran sacrificados y asados. Algo de la sangre de los corderos se pondría en los postes y en el dintel de las puertas de las casas de cada familia. Y cuando los corderos estaban ya cocinados, los comerían rápidamente, acompañados de pan sin levadura y hierbas amargas (rábano picante). De esa manera, la cena de la Pascua fue la primera comida del día 14, ingerida después del atardecer que es el que marcaba el nuevo día. Esa fue una comida rápida, diríamos como un emparedado, la cual no se parecía en nada a las cenas festivas tranquilas y suntuosas de hoy día.

Pues yo pasaré aquella noche por la tierra de Egipto, y heriré a todo primogénito en la tierra de Egipto, así de los hombres como de las bestias; y ejecutaré mis juicios en todos los dioses de Egipto. Yo Jehová. Y la sangre os será por señal en las casas donde vosotros estéis; y veré la sangre y pasaré de vosotros, y no habrá en vosotros plaga de mortandad cuando hiera la tierra de Egipto (Éxodo 12:12-13).

Después de esa comida rápida, cerca de la media noche, el ángel de la muerte pasó por Egipto y los primogénitos tanto de los humanos como de los animales, perecieron esa noche. El ángel pasó sobre las casas que tenían sus puertas pintadas con la sangre del cordero, perdonando a la gente que, del miedo, se abrazaba adentro. Ellos no fueron perdonados porque eran judíos, ni tampoco porque habían tenido un cordero para la cena. Fueron perdonados porque en fe habían pintado los postes de sus puertas con sangre. Ellos fueron salvados por la fe por medio de la sangre del cordero.

Muchos años después cuando la Pascua (Seder) se había vuelto una celebración tradicional, se hizo común para los participantes meter un dedo dentro de su copa con vino para dejar caer una gota del líquido en su plato. Ellos hacen esto por cada una de las 10 plagas de Egipto, diciendo cada vez, “somos salvos por la sangre del cordero”.
Y este día os será en memoria, y lo celebraréis como fiesta solemne para Jehová durante vuestras generaciones; por estatuto perpetuo lo celebraréis. Siete días comeréis panes sin levadura; y así el primer día haréis que no haya levadura en vuestras casas; porque cualquiera que comiere leudado desde el primer día hasta el séptimo, será cortado de Israel. El primer día habrá santa convocación, y asimismo en el séptimo día tendréis una santa convocación; ninguna obra se hará en ellos, excepto solamente que preparéis lo que cada cual haya de comer.

Y guardaréis la fiesta de los panes sin levadura, porque en este mismo día saqué vuestras huestes de la tierra de Egipto; por tanto, guardaréis este mandamiento en vuestras generaciones por costumbre perpetua. En el mes primero comeréis los panes sin levadura, desde el día catorce del mes por la tarde hasta el veintiuno del mes por la tarde. Por siete días no se hallará levadura en vuestras casas; porque cualquiera que comiere leudado, así extranjero como natural del país, será cortado de la congregación de Israel. Ninguna cosa leudada comeréis; en todas vuestras habitaciones comeréis panes sin levadura (Éxodo 12:14-20)

La Fiesta de los Panes Sin Levadura empezaba el día 15 y terminaba el día 21. No se podía utilizar levadura alguna en ninguna comida que se preparaba, como tampoco podía haber levadura en las casas durante esos días. Cuando los israelitas se establecieron en Israel, puesto que el 15 era una fiesta solemne y un Sabbath especial, después que el “emparedado de cordero” ceremonial era consumido, el resto del día 14 se usaba para la preparación porque ningún trabajo podía hacerse desde el atardecer. Cualquier levadura que se encontraba en la casa era desechada, y el grueso de la compra de la comida y su preparación se efectuaba en ese momento. A pesar de que era la Pascua, ese día se llegó a conocer como el Día de la Preparación.

Desde ese día hasta el presente, se ha celebrado la Pascua del Señor, lo cual es una de las muestras más dramáticas de Su poder jamás vista. Durante la cena los judíos toman vino de cuatro copas especiales, una por cada una de las promesas que Dios le hizo a Moisés desde la zarza ardiente.
“Por tanto, dirás a los hijos de Israel: Yo soy JEHOVÁ; y yo os sacaré de debajo de las tareas pesadas de Egipto (1. Santificación), y os libraré de su servidumbre (2. Liberación), y os redimiré con brazo extendido, y con juicios grandes (3. Redención); y os tomaré por mi pueblo y seré vuestro Dios; y vosotros sabréis que yo soy Jehová vuestro Dios (4. Aceptación)” (Éxodo 6:6-7).

Él liberó a Su pueblo de las ataduras de la esclavitud, derrotando al país más poderoso del mundo sin utilizar ejército alguno, y sin que nadie de Su pueblo muriera, sino solamente por el poder de Su brazo extendido. Más de un millón de ex esclavos salieron de Egipto esa mañana llevando consigo la inmensa riqueza de sus antiguos captores, como sueldos atrasados por su pesado trabajo. Los enfermos fueron sanados, los inválidos caminaron y los débiles se fortalecieron. Fue uno de los grandes milagros curativos de todos los tiempos.

El Cumplimiento Profético

En el primer capítulo del Evangelio de Juan, Jesús fue presentado como el Cordero de Dios que quita el pecado del mundo (Juan 1:29). A través de todo Su ministerio, la gente lo proclamaba como el Mesías de Israel, pero solamente fue un día en que Él alentó eso. En el calendario judío, ese día fue el día 10 del mes primero. Por todo Jerusalén, los corderos de Pascua estaban siendo seleccionados, pero en el Monte de los Olivos al Cordero de Dios se le daba la bienvenida en la ciudad con gritos de “¡Hosanna al Hijo de David! ¡Bendito el que viene en el nombre del Señor!” (Mateo 21:9).

Desde ese momento y hasta el final del día 13, Él pasó por el interrogatorio más agresivo de todo Su ministerio. Él fue minuciosamente interrogado para encontrar algún defecto en Sus enseñanzas hasta que finalmente “ninguno se atrevió a hacerle más preguntas” (Mateo 22:46, DHH).

Después del atardecer llegó la Pascua, llamada Día de Preparación en Su tiempo, Él comió una Pascua abreviada con Sus discípulos, deteniéndose en la tercera copa, la Copa de la Redención. Era un jueves, el día 14 del mes, y antes que ese día terminara, Él había sido arrestado, enjuiciado, y sentenciado a muerte por crucifixión. El Cordero Pascual había sido muerto en la Pascua. “Porque nuestra pascua, que es Cristo, ya fue sacrificada por nosotros”, escribiría Pablo después (1 Corintios 5:7).

Justo antes de morir, sabiendo Jesús que ya todo estaba terminado, dijo, para que la Escritura se cumpliese: “Tengo sed” (Juan 19:28-29). Al tomar el vino que le ofrecieron, Él tomó la cuarta copa de la Pascua, la Copa de la Aceptación. “Y os tomaré por mi pueblo y seré vuestro Dios”. Desde ese día en adelante, cualquier persona que acepta Su muerte como pago por sus pecados, será a la vez aceptada en la familia de Dios y recibirá la vida eterna. Las personas son salvas por la fe en la Sangre del Cordero.
Anteriormente un grupo de oficiales judíos le había pedido a Jesús que hiciera una señal milagrosa para probar que Él era quien decía ser. Él dijo, “La generación mala y adúltera demanda señal; pero señal no le será dada, sino la señal del profeta Jonás. Porque como estuvo Jonás en el vientre del gran pez tres días y tres noches, así estará el Hijo del Hombre en el corazón de la tierra tres días y tres noches” (Mateo 12:39-40). Ellos obtendrían esa señal pero únicamente después de haberlo matado. Y sería inconfundible. Nadie nunca ha salido de la tumba con un cuerpo resucitado antes.

El siguiente día después de la crucifixión sería viernes 15, el primer día de la Fiesta de los Panes Sin Levadura, un Sabbath especial en el que no se podía hacer ningún trabajo (Juan 19:31). Sabiendo esto, los principales sacerdotes le pidieron a Pilato que apresurara la muerte de los condenados para poder bajarlos de las cruces antes del atardecer. Pero Jesús ya había muerto. Él había muerto a las tres de la tarde y a pesar de que Su cuerpo aun estaba en la cruz, Su espíritu ya estaba en el Seol, la morada de los muertos. Día primero.

El atardecer fue viernes 15, y así la Noche Primera fue seguida por la mañana del Día Segundo. El sábado 16 era un Sabbath regular semanal y de nuevo ningún trabajo podía hacerse. Fue la Noche Segunda y luego la mañana fue el Día Tercero. Otro atardecer y llegó la Noche Tercera, domingo 17. Tres días y tres noches, tal y como había sido profetizado.

Al amanecer del domingo 17 se observaba la Fiesta de las Primicias en el Templo cuando las mujeres llegaron a la tumba donde Él había sido colocado (Mateo 28:1). Era la primera oportunidad que tuvieron para ungir el cuerpo para la sepultura puesto que tanto el viernes como el sábado habían sido Sabbath. Pero la tumba estaba vacía. Él había resucitado, Primicias de la Primera Resurrección.

Los dos discípulos que se encontraron con el Señor en el camino a Emaús ese domingo (día de Resurrección) nos ayudan a confirmar la secuencia (Lucas 24:13-35). Al principio creyeron que el Señor era un visitante reciente cuando les pidió que le explicaran porqué estaban tan tristes. Durante la conversación le indicaron que ya hacían tres días desde la crucifixión. Siendo ese día un domingo, el día anterior un sábado habría sido el segundo día desde que eso había sucedido, y el viernes habría sido el primer día, haciendo entonces el jueves el día que sucedió la crucifixión.

Por Su muerte él liberó a Su pueblo de la esclavitud del pecado, habiendo derrotado al adversario más poderoso que tiene el Cielo, sin ningún ejército, y sin ninguna víctima entre los Suyos, solamente por el poder del sacrificio de Su vida. Miles de millones de antiguos esclavos se irán de este mundo, pronto, recibiendo riquezas inmensurables. Los enfermos serán sanados, los inválidos caminarán, y los débiles se fortalecerán. Y ninguno se quedará atrás. La Profecía de la Pascua verá su cumplimiento.

Sabbath Shalom. Que la paz del Sabbath sea con ustedes y que la Gracia de nuestro Señor Jesús more en todos ustedes, tanto ahora como para siempre. 16/04/2011

Special Forces commander: ‘Constabulary force’ coming

Special Forces commander: ‘Constabulary force’ coming

Estudo: ter barba faz bem à saúde

Por Redação em 22.03.2013 10h20

http://canaltech.com.br

 

Agora você tem um bom motivo para não fazer a barba. Pesquisadores da Universidade de Southern Queensland, na Austrália, comprovaram que os pelos do rosto fazem bem à saúde e protegem contra tosse e alergia. E ainda funcionam como um protetor solar natural.

De acordo com o Daily Mail, o estudo consistiu em expor manequins ao sol - uma metade com o rosto liso, e a outra com uma barba feita de plantas - para medir a quantidade de radiação absorvida por eles. Ao final dos testes, foi constatado que os bonecos "barbudos" tiveram quase 35% menos exposição aos raios UV, e que, dependendo do tamanho e espessura da barba, os pelinhos faciais agem como um protetor solar com FPS de até 21.

Além disso, os pesquisadores afirmam que o bigode ajuda a diminuir os sintomas da asma. Isso porque os pelos acima do lábio superior funcionam como uma barreira natural que evita a entrada de bactérias trazidas pela poeira. E tem mais: se a barba cobrir parte do pescoço, são menores as chances de contrair inflamações na garganta, já que a região fica mais aquecida.

Por último, mas não menos importante, os cientistas dizem que ter barba deixa sua região facial mais jovem, pois os pelos ajudam a hidratar a pele por mais tempo e protegê-la contra o vento.

Mas vale lembrar que, por outro lado, não cuidar dos pelos do rosto diariamente pode desencadear uma série de infecções. Por isso, é essencial que os barbudos façam higiene de suas barbas regularmente para evitar contaminações.

Matéria completa: http://canaltech.com.br/noticia/curiosidades/Estudo-ter-barba-faz-bem-a-saude/#ixzz2OVdviNq6
O conteúdo do Canaltech é protegido sob a licença Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND). Você pode reproduzi-lo, desde que insira créditos COM O LINK para o conteúdo original e não faça uso comercial de nossa produção.

Israel PM brother-in-law says Obama is an anti-Semite

Reblogged from: the-end-time.blogspot.com

I happen to agree with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu's brother-in-law. Here is news today regarding Obama in Israel-

Netanyahu's Brother-In-Law Says Obama Is An Anti-Semite, Hates Israel
"In the midst of trying to ease tensions following one of the worst diplomatic rifts between the US and Israel in recent memory, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to distance himself from his brother-in-law Wednesday after he accused US President Barack Obama of being an anti-Semite during a radio interview. "It's not that Obama doesn't like Bibi," Hagai Ben-Artzi said during the interview, according to Haaretz. "He doesn't like the nation of Israel." Ben-Artzi attributed Obama's alleged anti-Semitism to his long association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose views Obama came to disavow during his presidential campaign in 2008. "When there is an anti-Semitic president in the United States, it is a test for us and we have to say: We will not concede. We are a nation dating back 4,000 years, and you in a year or two will be long forgotten. Who will remember you? But Jerusalem will dwell on forever," Ben Artzi said."

Netanyahu immediately distanced himself from his brother-in-law and rejected his opinion.

However, as with anyone, anywhere, check to see that what they say and what they do match up. Obama's behavior over the last 4 years as president toward Israel's prime minister has not been one of love or even regard, but of barely disguised disdain.

Last September, Reuters reported, In an unusual snub, Obama to avoid meeting Netanyahu

In 2010 the UK Telegraph reported, "Obama snubbed Netanyahu for dinner with Michelle and the girls, Israelis claim"
"Benjamin Netanyahu was left to stew in a White House meeting room for over an hour after President Barack Obama abruptly walked out of tense talks to have supper with his family, it emerged on Thursday."

In January 2013, an American columnist with close ties to the White House described Obama's disdain for Netanyahu.

This is not how you treat your ONLY ally in a harsh and hostile part of the world, not if you have regard and respect for its people nation to nation, that is.

Obama seems to be getting some props for "brokering" a rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. Their relations had broken down after Turkey violated (allegedly) a marine blockade by Israel and Israel shot several Turkish officers in the sea scuffle. Diplomatic relations had been called off since late 2010-early 2011, with only one phone call by Netanyahu to Turkey to offer help after Turkey's earthquake. Turkey said no thanks.

The Japan Times explains, "Israel and Turkey were once close allies. Relations began to decline after Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey’s Islamist movement, became prime minister in 2003. Erdogan has embarked on a campaign to make Turkey a regional powerhouse in an attempt to become the leading voice in the Muslim world but has in the process distanced the country from Israel."

However, despite those ambitions, at least for today, the two nations appeared to 'bury the hatchet' as Japan Times said. Haaretz reports, "In November 2012, Israel and Turkey resumed talks on ending the crisis in relations between the two countries. On March 22, 2013, Netanyahu made the phone call to Erdogan, apologizing over the deaths of the nine Turkish citizens in the flotilla incident. The normalization agreed by both countries included the return of the Turkish ambassador to Tel Aviv and the Israeli ambassador to Ankara."

Some say that it is good that diplomatic tensions have eased between the two nations. The region is aflame with Syria's civil war and refugees streaming into Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. Israel could use Turkey's help with the situation and vice versa. Others say it is not a good idea, Israel looked weak to bow to Turkey after all this time and lowered morale of the soldiers. His apology created a firestorm at home. And after all, biblically, Turkey will attack Israel in the Gog-Magog war. (Ezekiel 38:6). If they form warm relations now, it won't last.

At the end of Obama's trip to Israel, he stopped to tour the ancient rose-red city of Petra in nearby Jordan. Petra means rock, and it is located in the region of Bozrah, which means sheepfold. It is the place where the Jews will flee to when they see the abomination of desolation. (Matthew 24:16). How do we know this?

Daniel 11:41 declares that Jordan is the only place that will escape the domination of the antichrist in the last days. The Jews at that time will flee over the mountains as per Matthew 24:16 and as Revelation 12:14 says, they will cross the desert. Geologically, the only mountains and desert is toward the southwest, over the Jordan river and into Edom. Isaiah 63:1 shows the Lord Jesus coming from Bozrah with blood stained robes, indicating one of His stops before He lands on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4) will be to save the Jews hiding there.

To see a person such as Obama who has such a strong antichrist spirit (1 John 4:3 and also here) standing in such a prophetically wonderful and important place for the Jews, and he who hates Israel so much...it is a jarring juxtaposition.

As far as Netanyahu's brother-in-law goes, I am in total agreement. Obama by his behavior and by his placement here at this time in America, seems to have severe disdain for the nation of Israel. But that is no more or no less than the rest of the world, which seems to be hurtling toward fulfillment of the following prophecy:

"On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it." (Zechariah 12:3)

Zechariah has much to say about the coming times. There is an incredible amount of last days prophecy throughout Zechariah's book, including parallels with Revelation. As Pastor Steve Hadley says, pound for pound, Zechariah has it almost over even Daniel in terms of prophecy. If you would like to listen to a preacher preach through this book, verse by verse, I'd recommend Steve Hadley at Harvest Family Fellowship, here.

Always keep your eyes on the Lord through His word. What He is doing is amazing. We look at the news in wonder but the real wonder comes when we read His valuable and precious word, and see what He has planned. Did you ever stop to think that it is amazing in itself that He even tells us what He plans to do? He is God after all. He doesn't have to. Just reading the bible is a miracle for us, because it is the place where His holiness and perfection and love is revealed. If your bible is dusty, brush it off and open it up. There are many wonders awaiting you there.

Adorned in Christ, how should we dress for Holy Week?

Reblogged from Elizabeth Prata: the-end-time.blogspot.com

I have a quandary. I never know how much or how little to dress up for church.

With Palm Sunday and Easter coming up, I'm thinking about it more than ever.

By nature, I like simple clothing, no makeup and little to no jewelry. However, for church, I like to make an effort to dress distinctively. It is a different day than the work-a-day weekdays, and errands-busy Saturday. It is the Lord's Day. I want to look my best to show God His value to me.

However, the verse in 1 Timothy 2:9 says

"likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,"

First, I need to discover what this means in context. Is there a historical reason for this? We know that the richer people of the times wore purple. (Acts 16:14, Luke 16:19). It was the most expensive kind of garment because it was the most expensive kind of dye. It had to be processed from tiny mollusks. Wearing purple in those days was a deliberate statement of "I'm rich," rather than a personal choice of "I like purple." Do we do that today? Make clothing purchases that deliberately show our wealth and status, rather than having been purchased simply because it was a nice garment?

"Tyrian Purple,” the purple dye of the ancients mentioned in texts dating back to about 1600 B.C., was produced from the mucus of the hypobranchial gland of various species of marine mollusks, notably Murex. It took some 12,000 shellfish to extract 1.5 grams of the pure dye." (source History, Shellfish, Royalty, and the Color Purple)

As for other adornments, the women used to treat their hair with fine curls and interweave jewels or pearls into them. The hair of a Roman woman or lady was dressed in plaited braids and worn at the back of the head as shown.

Roman women also wore headdresses especially if they had an important position in society. The image below shows the headdresses worn by Roman empresses.

Ladies would interweave jewels, pearls, or gold into their hair in complicated patterns-

Source

Barnes Notes:

That women adorn themselves - The apostle by the use of the word "adorn" (κοσμεῖν kosmein), shows that he is not opposed to ornament or adorning, provided it be of the right kind. The world, as God has made it, is full of beauty, and he has shown in each flower that he is not opposed to true ornament. There are multitudes of things which, so far as we can see, appear to be designed for mere ornament, or are made merely because they are beautiful. Religion does not forbid true adorning. It differs from the world only on the question what "is" true ornament.

Hmmm. So true. God loves beauty. Barnes continues:

"Not with broidered hair - Margin, "plaited." Females in the East pay much more attention to the hair than is commonly done with us. It is plaited with great care, and arranged in various forms, according to the prevailing fashion, and often ornamented with spangles or with silver wire or tissue interwoven; see the notes on Isaiah 3:24. The sense here is, that Christian females are not to imitate those of the world in their careful attention to the ornaments of the head. It cannot be supposed that the mere braiding of the hair is forbidden, but only that careful attention to the manner of doing it, and to the ornaments usually worn in it, which characterized worldly females."

OK, so the message seems to be 'don't go overboard.' I can understand that. At some point, a lengthy bout in front of the mirror will begin to transfer attraction for the self instead of the One who is being dressed for. More Barnes:

Any external decoration which occupies the mind more than the virtues of the heart, and which engrosses the time and attention more, we may be certain is wrong. The apparel should be such as not to attract attention. It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery. When the heart is right; when there is true and supreme love for religion, it is usually not difficult to regulate the subject of dress.

That is why Peter says,
"Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear" (1 Peter 3:3)

For the holy days, Palm Sunday and Easter, and all the Sabbath days, I think we should dress in clothes that match the occasion and the place. We should never dress like the world. Of course we understand that means not so casually and also not so formally that we are rarified dandies, but modestly and separate from how the world dresses.

I have church clothes but they aren't all that fancy. My personal tastes and my personal finances do not allow for finery such as I used to wear in the days when I was flush but unsaved. I've sold much of my jewelry to pay the bills and what I do still have I rarely wear. I just feel funny about putting it all on. I certainly don't wear clothes that show my body immodestly. But I am sure that there are some who think I don't dress up enough.

If I wear finery and my jewelry, am I consumed with how it makes me look? Am I trying to be an object of attention rather than blending in so that Jesus would stand out in the church service more than the flash of my jewelry? Or should I wear it so that I am dressing for my groom on a holy day that is separate from the days I dress for work, my boss, and my peers?

I think the happy medium is to dress in a way that doesn't cause anyone to stumble, that is modest, and reflects Jesus in my heart rather than adorning an empty shell. This goes for men, too. He knows the heart. Christ is the adornment. I loved what Barnes said above, "It is a poor ambition to decorate a dying body with gold and pearls. It should not be forgotten that the body thus adorned will soon need other habiliments, and will occupy a position where gold and pearls would be a mockery."

Dress for Holy week with Him in mind. As GotQuestions advises,

"We would all benefit from a "spiritual bath" to confess and get rid of sin before we go to church. This is making ourselves pure. For some people, clean is their "best." For others, their heart tells them that wearing their best is showing God His value to them. For still others, there needs to be a caution that their best isn't merely showing off.

It is always the heart God is looking at, rather than the exterior. However, what we wear to worship our holy, pure God may be an indication of where our hearts are. If you have never considered it before, ask yourself, "Does it matter to me how I look when I am going to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? More importantly, does it matter to Him?" We must all be the judge of that for ourselves. It's a personal choice, keeping in mind that having a proper attitude toward God Himself is important preparation for worship at church.

Revealed! Evidence Iran crossed nuclear ‘red line’

Revealed! Evidence Iran crossed nuclear ‘red line’

Showing video and Google Earth Sat. pictures.

FULL President Obama - Israel PM Netanyahu News Conference - Mar. 20, 2013

U.S. has pinpoint attack ready on Iran, says Israeli official

Posted March 20, 2013 by josephwouk

Reblogged from http://warsclerotic.wordpress.com/
Categories: Uncategorized

U.S. has pinpoint attack ready on Iran, says Israeli official – National Israel News | Haaretz Daily Newspaper.
Potential American strike meant to avoid major regional conflagration, source claims.

By Amos Harel | Mar.20, 2013 | 5:05 AM |

A U.S. Air Force long-range B-52 bomber arrives in western England, March 3, 2003. Photo by APBy Haaretz | Mar.20,2013 | 5:05 AM | 116

A senior Israeli security official who has been clued in on parts of the American plans for possible military action against Iran said: “The Americans are planning for this scenario very seriously.”

With U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit here beginning Wednesday, the senior Israeli official said: “Obama’s administration, as opposed to that of his predecessor, George Bush, has prepared a pinpoint military option in the event that the United States decides to attack in the end. The Americans, if they choose, will be able to mount a focused operation on the Iranian nukes without necessarily sparking a comprehensive regional war.”

The Israeli security establishment is aware of the Americans’ ongoing moves to tighten the sanctions on Iran and to prepare a military option. “It’s very important for them to convey determination,” the official said. “We saw this in the words of Vice President Joe Biden at the AIPAC conference earlier this month [where Biden said “this president doesn’t bluff”] and we’ll hear it again from the president in Israel. They mean what they say. Their problem is historical precedent: After North Korea obtained nuclear capability, Israel is skeptical.”

The Iranian question will be discussed in depth during Obama’s visit. In his declarations over the past few months, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently stressed Iran’s progress toward nuclear capability and has argued that the time to stop the Iranian regime’s advance is running out. During the visit the president is apparently expected to announce more steps to assist Israel in the framework of the security cooperation between the two countries, which in recent years has reached unprecedented levels.

May be window for Israeli attack this year
Israel has seriously weighed initiating an air force attack over the past several years. In the past, former defense minister Ehud Barak described 2012 as the year Iran’s nuclear program could enter the “immunity zone” against attack, but despite this assessment Israel didn’t attack last year.

However, there may still be a window of time for an Israeli attack at least until the end of this year, and such an attack could have some effect, delaying the realization of the Iranian plans by 18 months to two years.
Because America’s attack capabilities far exceed Israel’s, it’s assumed that the final “deadline” for an American attack is considerably later than the Israeli one.
 
In September of last year, in his address to the United Nations, Netanyahu defined the red line − before which Iran must be attacked − as Tehran’s accumulation of 90 percent of the uranium needed to manufacture a nuclear bomb ‏(around a quarter of a ton‏). The prime minister was referring to uranium that is 20-percent enriched ‏(the highest level Iran has reached to date‏), from which it’s possible to later produce a nuclear weapon, after the uranium is enriched to an even higher level ‏(93 percent‏). This, said Netanyahu, is the unacceptable point as far as Israel is concerned, and this line is likely to be crossed by this summer if Iran isn’t stopped before then.

Meanwhile, according to International Atomic Energy Agency reports, Iran has been proceeding at a relatively slower pace because it is diverting some of its 20-percent enriched uranium to fuel rods meant for scientific research ‏(and it is very difficult to later convert the nuclear material back for military purposes‏).

The U.S. administration wasn’t happy with Netanyahu’s UN declaration, which was also controversial among Israeli officials. The United States is speaking in general terms of a policy that is “deterrence and not acceptance” of an Iranian nuclear threat, but various remarks by senior administration officials show that Washington sees the red line, whose crossing would require action, as the acquisition of full ability to produce a nuclear weapon − a bomb that could be fitted to a warhead on a ballistic missile.

Comments: 1 Comment

Joel Rosenberg interview with Statelbeck on terror show

http://cbn.com/tv/2238116654001

This deadly poison could save your life

This deadly poison could save your life

Planet reeling from spasm of quakes: seismic stress could be building towards an event

Posted on March 19, 2013 by The Extinction Protocol

Reblogged from  The Extinction Protocol

March 19, 2013 – PLANET – The planet is currently reeling from a dense spectrum of moderate to light tremors, which have struck along major tectonic plate boundaries over the last 18 hours. As a precursor to this seismic dynamism; we have seen elevated activity at many of the world’s volcanoes, including hotspots in Hawaii, Etna, and the Canary Islands. The latest spat of seismic activity across the globe has every indication of being a precursor to a major seismic stress release, which I have forecasted since last week. This event could be hours, or even days away. The window of elevated hazard risk, at present, extends through March 23, and is annunciated by the spring equinox. –TEP

Obama, Netanyahu face wide differences on nuclear Iran, chemical Syria

Obama, Netanyahu face wide differences on nuclear Iran, chemical Syria

The End Time: Methodist church bans straight marriage. Really.

The End Time: Methodist church bans straight marriage. Really.

White House map ‘erases’ Jerusalem, biblical territories

White House map ‘erases’ Jerusalem, biblical territories

Syria : Breaking News Chemical Weapons attack in Northern Aleppo 25 dead so far (Mar 19, 2013) - YouTube

Syria : Breaking News Chemical Weapons attack in Northern Aleppo 25 dead so far (Mar 19, 2013) - YouTube

Fox Video interview with Ambassador John Bolton.

Man to watch as new Israeli government takes office: Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon. Here’s why. (Hint: he once called war with Iran “inevitable.”) | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Man to watch as new Israeli government takes office: Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon. Here’s why. (Hint: he once called war with Iran “inevitable.”) | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Rice Cakes - 7 Foods a Nutritionist Would Never Eat - Shape Magazine

Rice Cakes - 7 Foods a Nutritionist Would Never Eat - Shape Magazine

Will Israel & Iran go to war in 2013? Exclusive interview w/fmr CIA Director Porter Goss | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Will Israel & Iran go to war in 2013? Exclusive interview w/fmr CIA Director Porter Goss | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

“Syria rebels, regime blame each other for first alleged chemical weapons attack”: Report | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

“Syria rebels, regime blame each other for first alleged chemical weapons attack”: Report | Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Where is Beth Moore´s husband?

The scarlet thread: present in the Old Testament, absent in "The Bible"

Reblogged from Elizabeth Prata´s: the-end-time.blogspot.com 

This article is on Dr. Adrian Rogers' website "Love Worth Finding." There is a button to share it on blogger so I am taking advantage of that to present this essay to you. Dr. Rogers is in heaven now with the Lord, but his work remains and continues to bear fruit for the kingdom.

If you read the essay then at the end I make a remark about something in today's culture.

The Scarlet Thread through the Bible
Dr. Adrian Rogers

Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by…and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. Joshua 2:18-19

Rahab, the woman spoken to in this passage, was a harlot in the city of Jericho. As the Israelites came to possess the land, her city was destined for destruction — and she along with it. But she was delivered, and her life transformed, simply by tying a scarlet cord in her window.

This cord represented the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it pointed toward the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. In fact, all of the Bible is about Jesus Christ and His blood redemption, and you will find this scarlet thread throughout the Word of God.

The Prophecy of the Blood

From the very beginning of human history, it is revealed. When Adam and Eve sinned, God shed innocent blood in order to make them clothes from animal skins (Genesis 3:21). This is a picture of the covering of righteousness that we receive when the Lord Jesus Christ died for us.

In Genesis four we read that Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. They instinctively wanted to worship God. Cain sacrificed the fruit of the ground. Abel had already learned that God demanded blood, so he brought a lamb. God accepted the blood of Abel's lamb, but He did not accept Cain's offering. Why? Because "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin" (Hebrews 9:22).

And God told Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited son Isaac (Genesis 22). Just before Abraham plunged the dagger into the quivering heart of his son, an angel stopped him. Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket. Isaac was set free, but an innocent animal's blood was shed instead.

Then, God wanted to deliver His people from bondage in the land of Egypt. On the night of the Passover, God instructed each house to slay a lamb and put the blood on their door. God said in Exodus 12:13, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you."

And in the tabernacle and later in the temple, thousands upon thousands of sheep, oxen, and turtle doves were killed and their blood spilt as sacrifices for sin.

And finally, the Lord Jesus Christ died upon the cross. His death was the fulfillment of all the prophecy and promises. Revelation 13:8 proclaims that He was slain before the foundation of the world. He came to die; He planned to die; He lived to die; and He was born to die.

Blood is throughout Scripture, but what does Christ's blood mean to us?

The Power of the Blood

His blood redeems us. There was a price against us that we could not pay, but the blood of Jesus redeemed us. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things.... But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

His blood brings us into fellowship with God. According to Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ." Without the blood of Christ, man is a long way from God.

His blood makes peace with God. Man, by nature, is at war with God; and we can only come to God on His peace terms — the blood atonement. The Bible says in Colossians 1:20, "And, having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself...."

His blood cleanses. Not only does it remove the punishment of sin, it removes the pollution. I don't care what sin you've committed; "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7).

His blood gives power over the devil. It's the blood that Satan fears. Revelation 12:11 says, "And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb...." The devil doesn't want you to learn about the blood. He hates it!

Before this planet was ever swung into space, God had determined in His heart that He would send His Son to die upon the cross. How wonderful it is to trace the scarlet thread of the blood of Christ woven throughout the Bible! How much more wonderful to experience its redemption personally. Praise God for the blood of His Lamb!

~~~~~~~~~end Dr. Rogers~~~~~~~~~

I want you to understand how important the Old Testament is. The scarlet thread runs throughout it. There are pictures and shadows and copies of the Messiah to come. See these verses

Hebrews 8:5
They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”

Hebrews 9:24
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Hebrews 10:1
Christ's Sacrifice Once for All - For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.

HE is the scarlet thread and woe be upon anyone who removes Him from the Old Testament as well as the New.

Yet the producers who created the History Channel's series "The Bible" have removed this scarlet thread. We heard nothing of the promise of a redeemer as Noah recited the early Genesis verses. Passover was not explained. The sacrifice of Isaac was not explained and they made a monumentally blasphemous substitution of the lamb for the ram. The sin of Sodom was removed.

As the series unfolds, the doctrines which the series presents are crafty and subtle, just as we would suspect satan to be (Genesis 3:1-2). It subtly overemphasizes man’s acts, underemphasizes God’s sovereignty, and worst, underemphasizes man’s sin. Noah is responsible for reconciling man to God after the flood. Saul is responsible for uniting the two kingdoms. Sins are ‘mistakes’, and judgment comes because of ‘bad decisions.’

As the series moves forward, the reason for the coming of Jesus is repeatedly stated that men will “change the world.” Paul is going to change the world. Peter will change the world.

However, Jesus came to save the world and the second coming will be to punish the world. Nothing about Jesus’s intentions are to ‘change the world’ yet that thread is the one which the series creators have replaced the scarlet cord with. And who will change the world? Men.

It is very well to be aware of the doctrinal problems in The Bible miniseries, but it is hard to use the bible to see what isn't there. It is always harder to detect what is missing than what is present.

The Jesus we know and love and honor is missing, and that is because His scarlet thread is plucked out of the perfect tapestry of the interwoven Word. And you know what happens when a thread unravels from the piece: it comes apart.

After The Banksters Steal Money From Bank Accounts In Cyprus They Will Start Doing It EVERYWHERE

After The Banksters Steal Money From Bank Accounts In Cyprus They Will Start Doing It EVERYWHERE