Overview

Hebrews Ten: 1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. Beyond the act of sinning, the sinner must live with the repercussions in their conscience manifesting as guilt and shame. First John Three: 4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. For sin to be fully "taken away" the remembrance of sin must be removed. This is why we cannot comprehend the sufferings of Christ. It was not merely physical pain He endured, it was the Psychological weight borne, which is the "Chastisement of our Peace". Isaiah Fifty-three: 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

John Fourteen: 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. We may end our prayer with "in the name of your Son (Yeshua), but this does not meet the standard set by "the Name of the Lord" Exodus Thirty-four: 5 Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation. 8 So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped. To pray effectively, our heart's intent must abound in goodness and truth, seeking mercy, and invoking His long-suffering nature Psalm Eighty-six: 14 O God, the proud have risen against me, And a mob of violent men have sought my life, And have not set You before them. 15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. [This is calling on His Name] 16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant. 17 Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. Many pray ineffectively, not being liberated from self interest, and the influence of the "spirit of the world". James Four: 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. For the Saints to be the Righteousness of God in Christ, they must pray the prayers of the righteous, "abounding in goodness and truth". James Five: 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Matthew Twenty-Five: 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Psalm 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. King David wrote Psalm 30 at the dedication of his house, which is mentioned in 2 Samuel 5. He had already reigned in Hebron for over seven years before the elders of Israel came to him. 2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king of Israel. However, it was not until he captured Mount Zion from the Jebusites that he chose the stronghold of Zion for his house, and this stronghold came to be known as the city of David, confirming His kingdom 2 Samuel 5:12 Then Hiram, king of Tyre sent craftsmen and materials to build David a house. And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. Psalm 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD you righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. We enjoy a direct experience of the holiness of the Lord by His everlasting remembrance of us, described in this Psalm. Psalm 97:10 & 11 You that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserves the souls of his saints; he delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Remembrance of an Everlasting Covenant Psalm 112:6 Surely you shall not be moved forever; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. We remain in everlasting remembrance based on the relationship established by the everlasting covenants that exist between God and His creation. After the flood, righteous Noah and his family stood as witnesses to the first blood covenant recorded in Genesis 9. We begin to understand the need for Christ to shed His blood for our sanctification and redemption beginning with the terms of this covenant. After man had corrupted his ways upon the earth, this brought on God’s first judgment by water. On the first day of his six hundred and first year Noah exited the ark along with all the animals that were delivered from destruction. Gen 8:13. God then blessed Noah and his sons giving them commandment to replenish the earth. Gen 9:1. It was at this time that man was granted permission to eat the flesh of animals with one critical restriction. Genesis 9:4 But you shall not eat the flesh with the blood. The apostles at Jerusalem confirmed the gentile churches and aligned with Paul in not requiring circumcision and the keeping of the Levitical laws. They did demand four ordinances be kept by all believers: Acts 15:20 that they abstain from the pollution of idols and fornication and things strangled and from blood. This everlasting covenant is a blood covenant. The basis for understanding this is Genesis 9. Genesis 9:5 & 6 And surely your blood of your lives will I require at the hand of every beast will I require and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood shall his blood be shed for man was made in the image of God. God then gave the rainbow to be the token of an everlasting covenant with not only man, but all of the earth. Genesis 9:13 I set my bow in the cloud and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. Genesis 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud and I will look upon it that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. It is time for the church to fully grasp the nature of this perpetual agreement in order to have a right understanding of the covenants that form the basis for their relationship with God. Consider the serious nature of God’s covenant with the earth from Isaiah’s horrible vision of judgment. Isaiah 24:3-6 The land shall be utterly empty and utterly spoiled for the Lord has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away, and arrogant people of the earth do languish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned and few men are left. And how has the earth been defiled? By pollution? By waste? By radiation? Think again. By the spiritual principles of the Bible the earth is defiled by fornication, sacrifices to idols and false gods, and the shedding of innocent blood. Man can clean up a toxic waste site, but only by blood can a land be cleansed of blood. This is the terms of the everlasting covenant; that God would require blood for blood. Only by the shed blood of the Messiah can man be redeemed from the curses of a covenant violation. The judgment is foreshadowed in the way God dealt with Judah in the time of Jeremiah. This same standard of judgment awaits a church that turns from the everlasting covenants. 1 Peter 4:17 for judgment must begin with the house of God. Jeremiah 7:4 Trust not in lying words saying: the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord… Simply being a church member is no more insurance than having the Temple of the One True God in your capital city. Jeremiah 7:8-16 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, and swear falsely, and follow other gods; and come stand before me in this house which is called by my name... which has become a den of robbers...therefore pray not for this people. There comes a time when true intercessors can no longer pray for the church in general because the curse of another gospel is being taught within her buildings. Revelation 11:18 And nations are angry and your wrath has come and the time of the dead; that they should be judged and that you should give reward unto your servants the prophets and the saints and them that fear your name small and great; and that you should destroy them which corrupt and destroy the earth.

Luke 22:19 He took bread and gave thanks and broke it, and gave unto them saying: this is my body which is given for you; this do, in remembrance of me. The practice of breaking bread in fellowship became the foundation of Christian fellowship in the book of Acts. Later, Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 11:23, 24 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the night in which He was betrayed took bread;and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” This is a true definition of Christian leadership by the Holy Spirit; to receive from the Lord and deliver unto the congregation. Paul was not a participant at the last supper and had not been welcomed into the fellowship of the church in Jerusalem early on due to his fearful reputation. Yet the new communities were established in the breaking of bread in fellowship. The breaking of bread is not given to practice as a memorial before God, but a remembrance in the Lord’s sight. Jesus said: Matthew 18:20. “when two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” The Presence In the Breaking of Bread This gathering together is initiated by the proper breaking of bread. Continuing, Paul warns: 1 Corinthians 11:29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. To allow breaking bread to become an empty ritual, or to completely neglect the act as obsolete is to deny the very presence of the Lord into your fellowship. Paul concludes: 1 Corinthians 11:30 for this cause many have become infirm and many have died. From Luke 24 we know that the presence of the Lord in fellowship is essential to a right understanding of His word. After his resurrection, Jesus meets with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and has a conversation which is given to us as a memorial. Luke 24:30, 31. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. Once their eyes were opened, they testified: Luke 24:32-35 And they said to one another, Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those with them gathered together, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon. And they talked about the things on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. This is the Lord’s remembrance. This is to know Him. Now is the time for believers to enter into the ministry of the burning heart. To break the bread of sincerity and truth. To call on the name of the Lord in remembrance of His mercy. 2 Peter 3:1 I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which comes down from heaven, and gives life unto the world.

Revelation Twenty: 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. First Corinthians Fifteen: Amplified 20 But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death].

During the Millennium, the Gentiles will facilitate the return of every child of Israel. Isaiah Forty-Nine: 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.’ 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?’ ” 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the people; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”\ 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children.

Okay, you aren't going to like the answer, but I asked. "Why do so many Christians across all denominations believe that the glorified Son of Man/God is going to come spend 1000 years on earth with us to sit on an earthly throne? Because no one wants to believe that the world will be ruled by a man, much less a Jew supported by the blessed of the First Resurrection. How about a half Persian, half Jew from his mother's side? The Lord remains at the right hand of power, where he has consecrated Himself as man's intercessor, until ALL his enemies are defeated, including sin and death in the lake of fire. When the Holy and Righteous Son of God returns in Glory... Second Peter Three: 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?

Ephesians One: 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: Ephesians Three: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,

Heavenly or earthly? It is both! It is both! It's BOTH!!! Isaiah Twenty-four: 21 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth. 22 They will be gathered together, As prisoners are gathered in the pit, And will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be disgraced And the sun ashamed; For the Lord of hosts will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem And before His elders, gloriously.

The House of Jacob will be restored during the Millennium Isaiah Twenty-nine: 18 In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, And the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. 19 The humble also shall increase their joy in the Lord, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel. 20 For the terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who watch for iniquity are cut off— 21 Who make a man an offender by a word, And lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, And turn aside the just by empty words. 22 Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed, Nor shall his face now grow pale; 23 But when he sees his children, The work of My hands, in his midst, They will hallow My name, And hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And fear the God of Israel. 24 These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, And those who complained will learn doctrine.

Heavenly or earthly? It is both! It is both! It's BOTH!!! Isaiah Twenty-four: 21 It shall come to pass in that day That the Lord will punish on high the host of exalted ones, And on the earth the kings of the earth. 22 They will be gathered together, As prisoners are gathered in the pit, And will be shut up in the prison; After many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be disgraced And the sun ashamed; For the Lord of hosts will reign On Mount Zion and in Jerusalem And before His elders, gloriously.

Daniel Twelve: 1 At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.

Isaiah Sixty-six: 12 For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried, And be dandled on her knees. 13 As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you; And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” 14 When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, And your bones shall flourish like grass; The hand of the Lord shall be known to His servants, And His indignation to His enemies. 15 For behold, the Lord will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. 16 For by fire and by His sword The Lord will judge all flesh; And the slain of the Lord shall be many.

The Greek word stauros means ‘stake’, ‘pole’ or ‘post’; but it is always translated ‘cross’ in the New Testament. When a banner or image is attached to a pole, it becomes a standard. This is the imagery from the Old Testament that Yeshua uses to teach on His purpose. John 3:14, 15. And as Moses lifted up the (brass) serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 12:31-33. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death He should die. The standard of Christ is a simple statement: “Death to the sin! nature” Revelation 12:11. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even in the face of death. Hebrews 12:4. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Following the Standard Mark 8:34. When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. This statement makes no sense until translating stauros correctly, and becomes ‘pulls up his stakes and follows me’. Now we find a statement familiar in all ages as an expression of someone leaving his permanent dwelling to follow the Lord. This has been The Standard from the origins of Messiah. Genesis 12:1. Now the Lord had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. Hebrews 11:8-10. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. The Heavenly Hope Luke 9:62. But Yeshua said to him, “No one who has put his hand to the plow and looked back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Hebrews 11:13-16. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly homeland. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. 1 Peter 2:11. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. To abstain is only accomplished by abiding in the promised Holy Spirit. Three testimonies from 1 John 3: Whoever abides in Him does not sin. V.6. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. V.9. Now those who keep His commandments abide in Him, and He in them. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit He has given us. V.24. The Standard of Christ is love SS 2:4. He has brought me to the banquet house and his banner ( ‘standard’) over me is love. 1 John 3:14, 16. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love abides in death. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. To make the cross an icon of the church is to repeat what Israel did with the bronze serpent from the wilderness. It became an idol in Israel which was destroyed by Hezekiah hundreds of years later. 2 Kings 18:4. He removed the high places, and broke the images, and cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan(that brass thing). Exodus 20:4. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. The Cross represents The Standard for Paul 1 Corinthians 1:18. For the message of ‘The Standard’ is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Galatians 5:11. As for me, brothers and sisters, if I still proclaim circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case, the stumbling block of ‘The Standard’ has been eliminated. Galatians 6:12. Those wanting to look good outwardly are trying to force you to be circumcised—only so they will not be persecuted for ‘The Standard’ of Messiah. Galatians 6:14. But God forbid that I should glory, save in ‘The Standard’ of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Philippians 2:8. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, death now ‘The Standard’. Philippians 3:18. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of ‘The Standard’ of Christ. The Standard for Life: Crucified with Christ Romans 6:5-7. For if we have become joined together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also will be joined together in His resurrection, knowing our old man was crucified with Him so that the sinful body might be done away with, so we no longer serve sin. For he who has died is set free from sin. Galatians 5:24. Now those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Romans 6:22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. . Revelation 20:6. Blessed and holy is he that has a part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The Standard: Banner of Salvation Zechariah 9:16. The Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land. Isaiah 59:19. When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. Psalm 60:4. You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed for The Truth. Isaiah 11:10. And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious. Isaiah 49:22. Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders. Isaiah 62:10. Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.

Exodus 12:14 So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. The first memorial found in the Law of Moses is to perpetuate the memory of the night The Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, while ‘passing over’ the houses of Israel having the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintel. The intent and purpose of this memorial feast is given as an answer to a question expected from the children of the household. Exodus 12:26 & 27. And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. In passing over the firstborn of man and beast among the people of Israel, a special relationship was established between the Lord and the firstborn, and the consideration of this fact carries over to the feast of unleavened bread. Exodus 13:1,12,13. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine. And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. Thus, the firstborn males who open the womb became the purchased possession of the Lord. This also was established as a memorial for every generation. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are linked for this purpose, to perpetuate this memory. Exodus 13:8-10. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, This is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt. It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the Lord’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. Many consider the observance of the Passover to commemorate the children of Israel coming out from Egypt and their deliverance from the bondage of slavery. This is actually given as the basis for keeping the Sabbath. Deuteronomy 5:12-15. Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. This makes the following exchange between Jesus Christ and the Jewish citizens of Jerusalem all the more fascinating. The Truth Shall Make You Free John 8:31-36. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’? Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you,whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. The intended memory to perpetuate in the keeping of the Sabbath failed to produce the desired remembrance!

Exodus 17:14. Then the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial (zikrown) in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance (zeker) of Amalek from under heaven. While a memorial (zikrown) exists to help perpetuate a memory (zakar); a remembrance (zeker) refers to the effect the memory has on a person, or people. For example, the memorials of the Confederacy continue to be controversial in the South. Statues of Civil War heroes have been removed. The Confederate flag, the most visible memorial of that period, has been banned from flying over municipal and state buildings. This has been necessary, because the remembrances associated with them are polarizing to society. Ideally, memorials should unite the people in a society. For the Memorials found in the Torah, the purpose is to bind the people to God. Notice the verse states that this memorial exists for the sake of Joshua. The incident with Amalek occurred shortly after passing through the Red Sea. So God intends to settle this issue later, by the hand of Joshua. This ultimately will not take place until much later. Deuteronomy 25:17-19. Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget. Now forty years later, Moses addresses the next generation on the steppes of Moab in preparation for entering the promised land. The older generation who came out of Egypt has all passed away. The text says “zakar Amalek”, and the translation implies that the people are being instructed to remember this incident. This would not be the case, for the narrative of the Exodus would have included this as a part of the stories told by the adults to the children they were raising. The stories involving Amalek were not just about a merciless attack, but also a rousing tale of Joshua and a group of valiant men who went out against them. They could not prevail unless Moses held his staff above them on the overlooking mountain. The correct translation, therefore, would be ‘you have been perpetuating the memory of Amalek’. With this story comes the concern over the remembrance of what the Amalekites did in attacking the weakest of the people. God is dealing with bitterness, hatred and the desire for vengeance. This is the remembrance which must be blotted out. The avenging of blood is one of God’s priorities and the Law of Moses required the establishment of sanctuary cities for a man to flee to if he witnessed an accidental death. If he feared that he would be held accountable for the death by a family member; ‘the avenger of blood’ would seek to slay him. (Deuteronomy 19, Joshua 29). Vengeance is Mine, and recompense...Deuteronomy 32:35. The avenging of blood has to be handled only in accordance with God’s instructions. Once the vengeance has been granted, the remembrance must be blotted out. The final word of the text in Deuteronomy 25:19 is ‘shahach’ and means ‘forgotten, to become oblivious to’, and yet the translator decides to translate into the exact 180 degree opposite, saying ‘Do not forget’. Thus the instruction becomes, ‘do not ever let go of that bitterness, that hatred. No! That is not God’s Will for the heart of man, and especially His people. The instruction is shahach, Let it be forgotten!. Blot out the remembrance. This was not a plan for genocide, this was a plan for healing the hearts of man. This is God’s heart for man, not vengeance.

John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister (Mary) and Lazarus. . For a moment in time, the town of Bethany was at the center of God’s story, and these three people were at center stage in the narrative concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We know more about these three people than we do most of the apostles. This chapter in the gospel of John gives the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. The story told exemplifies the work of Jesus in reconciliation, restoration, and resurrection. After Lazarus has died and been laid to rest, Jesus returns to Bethany after informing His disciples that the glory of God is about to be revealed unto them, and the Son of God will be glorified. Martha is the first to approach Jesus and says “Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died.” Jesus tells her “your brother will rise again”, to which she replies, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day”. Jesus tells her, “I am the resurrection and life”, and then asks her if she believes in Him. She then makes the true confession of faith, showing how far she had come in receiving the Gospel. She said unto Him: John 11:27. Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who would come into the world. When Mary comes on the scene she is only able to say “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died,'' as she continued weeping, along with those who came to comfort her. John 11:35. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” Jesus then commands them to take away the stone covering the entrance to the cave where Lazarus was laid. Martha advises Him that he has been dead four days, and expects a foul odor. Jesus then says to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe, that you would see the glory of God?” He then calls Lazarus forth from the grave. The name Lazarus makes for a very interesting study. The name is Greek to English, for the Hebrew name Eleazar, a very prominent character throughout the Old Testament. El ‘Azar means God is helper, and is first identified as the third son of Aaron. The two older sons of Aaron are devoured by the fire of God’s presence when they make an unauthorized offering of incense before the Ark. By the time of Aaron’s decease, Moses is instructed to strip the garments of the High Priest from Aaron and put them on his son Eleazar. During the conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua, Eleazar stood before the Ark of the Covenant and oversaw the division of land by lot for each tribe’s inheritance. During the time of Samuel, another man named Eleazar, son of Abinadab kept the Ark of the Lord at Kirjathjearim twenty years. Later one of David’s mighty men named Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite is listed as one of the three mighty men with David, who stood against the Philistines when the army of Israel fled, and fought until his sword stuck to his hand and the Lord gave a great victory. The people only returned after to divide the spoil. During the time of Ezra and the restoration following the Babylonian exile, one of the priests named Eleazar oversaw the return of the silver and gold vessels to the House of God, and a Levite named Eleazar was on hand during the time of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem. It would seem during the greatest exploits of God’s people, a priest named Eleazar, God has helped, was always present. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter one, in the genealogy we find: Matthew 1:15&16. Eleazar begat Mattan, and Mattan begat Jacob, and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. And finally, in the Gospel of Luke chapter 16, we read an illustrative narrative given by Jesus concerning a poor beggar named Lazarus, who sat at the gate of a certain rich man, full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. How far had man fallen from the place where God was his help? Was Jesus resurrecting more than just an individual when he raised Lazarus from the grave? Luke 16:19-31. Continuing his narrative in Luke, Jesus goes on to describe the death of the beggar and the afterlife from the biblical perspective. Lazarus was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort. Meanwhile the rich man has also died and sees Lazarus with Abraham and cries out for mercy, for he was in a place of torment in Hades. Unfortunately, he is admonished by Abraham, and reminded that in his lifetime he received good things while Lazarus suffered evil things, but is now comforted, and you are tormented. "Besides, there is a great gulf fixed between us that cannot be passed." This description of the afterlife is most startling. I have often wondered what the notion of people dying and going to heaven is based upon. Of course, I don’t doubt the existence of such a place, just preaching that people who are saved by confessing Jesus as their Lord and Savior can expect to go there, if they died tomorrow. Just saying that the Gospel is never presented in that way by the apostles, and the house of God is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20.) Paul says: Galatians 1:8 & 9. if anyone or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any preach any other gospel unto you that that you have received, let him be accursed. Far be it that anyone would bring a curse in preaching “another gospel”, thus we should take the greatest care to be consistent in the message. Acts 4:1&2 says: and as they spoke unto the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. The focus of Jesus’s teaching always centered on the kingdom of God, the resurrection of the dead, and the eternal, righteous judgment of God by Jesus Christ. John 5:28, 29. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. At the time Jesus was saying this, he was claiming that all authority to execute judgment has been given unto him by his Father. To avoid preaching the resurrection is to avoid preaching the judgment. From Genesis to Revelation, judgment is spoken of nearly 300 times. Paul testified before kings and queens: Acts 24:24, 25. He reasoned with them of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about the righteous judgment of God [and especially mercy]. The empowerment of the Holy Spirit is all about being able to live a life that will allow us to stand at the judgment. [The Grace of God that brings Salvation.] The Message is of life everlasting; and a victorious life in the here and now. Luke 1:74, 75. To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

Mark 14:9; Matthew 26:13. Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, wherever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she has done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Ironically, in these two accounts, the words are spoken on behalf of an unnamed woman who came in during a dinner with Jesus at the table. “There came a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on His head.” The gospel of John fills in the missing pieces. Chapter 12 of his gospel identifies the woman as Mary, the sister of Martha, and Lazarus, who Jesus raised from the dead. Martha is serving the dinner. John 12:3. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. This set the stage for Jesus to enter Jerusalem, for word of Lazarus having been raised from the dead had ignited the large crowds on hand for the Passover. The chief priests consulted to also see Lazarus put to death, because by reason of him many of the Jews believed in Jesus. We are also informed by John 11:2 it was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair. John 11:2. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. This account is found in Luke 7:37-50. The Lord uses this opportunity to make a very important point: “to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” This is not to say that some people are less of a sinner and need less forgiveness, but some fail to acknowledge their condition and need for reconciliation with God. The Pharisee saw himself as having a relationship with God, while looking down on Mary as a sinner. Thus she is told; “your sins are forgiven”, and “your faith has saved you, go in peace.” In Luke 10:38-42, we find another narrative involving Mary and Martha, with Jesus a guest in their home. Martha was busy with much serving while her sister sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. Martha exclaimed, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her to come help me.” To which Jesus replied unto her, “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things but one thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” We cannot imagine wrong in someone with a heart to serve, but can see where there is a time for everyone to be still and know the Lord. However, Jesus is not just speaking to a willingness to serve. We can see a greater concern for someone who is "careful and troubled" and should fully consider what the Lord is addressing. The word translated careful here is used by Jesus repeatedly in His sermons, but the more typical translation in the KJV is “take no thought”, and means to be anxious. Matthew 6:25,34. Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than clothing? Take therefore no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 10:19. Jesus also uses the same word to tell us not to worry about what we should say if our faith is put on trial, saying if we are delivered up, "take no thought how or what you shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same moment what you should speak." In His parable of the sower and the seed, Jesus describes the seed among thorns as someone who hears His word, but are choked with “cares” of riches and pleasures in life, and brings no fruit to maturity. Luke 8:14. Paul tells us: Philippians 4:6 & 7. “be careful” for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which transcends understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 1 Peter 5:7. Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QgQujxPHHSeCIANX9F-A6BCaqrv495ujgH51WYaMc3Y/edit?tab=t.0

Revelation Twenty: 7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. To War, or not to war Micah Four: 1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. 2 Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 3 He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. Joel Three: 9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. 12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. 13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. No war! Until one final battle! Revelation Twenty: 7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.

1 Peter 2: 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Christian ministry is founded upon the order of Melchizedek. Much has been said about lineage and succession, as well as covenants associated with the priesthood of Aaron. Not much has been said about "the order of", which pertains to how the priesthood functioned day to day, which was established not only in the Law, but also by David at the time he received the vision for the Temple. This system was still in place at the time of John's birth. Luke 1:8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division. This continuity was maintained by Ezra/Nehemiah. Ezra 3:10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. Ezra 6:18 They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. Nehemiah 12: 45 Both the singers and the gatekeepers kept the charge of their God and the charge of the purification, according to the command of David and Solomon his son. 46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chiefs of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. The ordinances of David facilitated the transition to the Temple centered worship, along with the foreshadowing of the church's role of offering "the sacrifice of praise". The order of the priesthood was established by divisions, or courses, 24 in all. This ordering was centered on Temple worship, where the people were required to make pilgrimage to where the Lord "placed His Name". So what do we find in regards to the "order of Melchizedek". Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. Melchizedek went out to meet Abram! Until the Lord fulfilled His promises to A, I, and J by taking Israel out of Egypt and established His covenant with them, there was to our knowledge limited contact between the Lord, and a chosen few. How do we see this order of Melchizedek, of a priesthood that goes out to meet the people, being played out on earth in Christ? Matthew 28: 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. And yet, in the Millennial kingdom, the people of all the nations that remain are required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem annually for the Great feast! Why? Because when He sent his messengers to them, they did not answer. What is being overlooked is; why God would send His priest to Abram at this particular time? Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. Consider what this blessing would mean for a man who was committed to walking in righteousness before God. He felt that his hand had been forced by the abduction of Lot, but his heart would surely have been heavy after having participated in a slaughter. The joy of victory would have been tempered by the burden of shedding blood. For the priest of the Most High to come to him and bless him, would have given him the peace of mind he needed, to know that he remained in God's favor. "the order of" in the Hebrew dibra is also translated estate and cause. Job 5:8 But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause— Ecclesiastes 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they are beasts. A man without the spirit of God is merely a beast. Worse, if he receives power from the darkness, he is Satan's beast! Hebrews informs us that the cause and estate of Melchizedek is expressed through his name. 7:2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, meaning king of peace, Abram's actions were justified by the blessing of righteousness and peace. The kingdom of heaven under the New Covenant is righteousness and peace, along with joy of the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17

John Four: 21-24 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Philippians Three: 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Service As Worship Romans One: 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers... Romans Seven: 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Hebrews Nine: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Romans Twelve: 1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Colossians One: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: You cannot conform to this world, and be translated or transformed by the Spirit. Romans Twelve: 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Matthew Six: 24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

"And you will be free at last" Second Corinthians Three: 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Those who have the Spirit bring the Kingdom to earth Matthew Six: 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Sound Familiar? Romans Fourteen: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These three I have received in abundance Is this not the Kingdom Come?