choir loft

Orthodox churches generally echo the political policy of their respective governments. In exchange the government prevents or restrains any new churches or types of churches from insinuating themselves into the culture. This includes western aberrations such as Roman Catholicism and American protestantism (which is basically Catholic but without a Papal overseer). Thus the Orthodox church works hand in glove with political leadership - and survives the changes in the political winds (unlike American protestantism which is being swept away by them). For instance, Vladimir "the hammer" Putin has expressed his unwavering support for the organization of and preservation of the Russian Orthodox church. This is why there have been no major substantive changes in Orthodox liturgy or doctrine for the past 900 years. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

Babylon is a reference to a religious system with political overtones. Russia doesn't fit the description. The Roman Catholic church fits it to a T. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

I wasn't aware of this. I love irony. The word Nazi is thrown about today like a common insult. Nobody seems to know or remember who those people were or what they represented. Communist is another word like that...... does anyone realize the early Christians lived like the classic definition of a communist community - sharing all they had with one another? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

You begin with error in interpretation and expand it with western propaganda. Russia is an enemy, but not the enemy you suppose it is. During the early part of the 20th century Communism arose in Soviet Russia. Following that political disturbance many commentators and cheap preachers interpreted the name of one of Israel's opponents, Rosh, as Russia. They did so only because the word Rosh SOUNDS LIKE Russia. Recent detailed study of the origins of ethnic groups and leaders reveal ALL of the parties that will be assembled against Israel in the latter days will be NEIGHBORS of Israel. All of them will exist in close proximity to that nation. If their borders don't actually touch the borders of Israel they're pretty close to it. For instance, Turkey is a nation to watch. Revelation 2:12 identifies the location of the throne of satan - the ancient city of Pergamun. Pergamun is in central Turkey. In recent years Turkey enjoyed the western opinion of 'moderate' Islamic state . In the words of its leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "there is no such thing as moderate Islam. There is only Islam." Turkey has recently suffered a severe economic collapse. It's currency, the Lyra, has turned to dust. Such collapses have proven extremely dangerous in the past and have even led to war. Erdogan's long term goal has been to lead Islamic states in the region. Will war be the chosen panacea for Turkish economic recovery? It's a possibility. In a museum in Istanbul lies the preserved battle flag of Mohammad [pbuh] and the sword he carried into battle. It is said among Muslims, such as the twelvers of Iran, that when the final Jihad arrives the flag and sword will lead them into battle against "the people of the book" (Jews & Christians - Qur'an 22.17) Whether or not the Kremlin provides military aid in such a battle ought not be the focus of our attention. Those who rise against Israel are the ones who will be defeated by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Caution should be observed here because America has becoming increasingly anti-semitic in recent days. Those who will contend against Israel will be its political neighbors and their religious opponents linked to the RCC - the anti-Christ system predicted by the prophet Daniel and the book of Revelation. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

One must pervert simple words in order to justify false doctrine. DEATH is one of those words. Most people, except Christians, seem to know and understand what death means. When church folks open their Bibles they envision something completely different. They read INTO the book rather than glean truth FROM it. This sad state of affairs begins with the first book - Genesis. According to pagan culture, now adopted wholeheartedly by the church, humans have an intrinsic ability to survive death. Despite there being NO EVIDENCE for this either in biology or Bible, church folks believe it. Eve and Adam were NOT always doomed to die. Please read Genesis 1-3. In the first chapter (1:26) we read that God endowed two humans with His image. The definition of this image is reinforced in later passages such as Colossians 1:15 where we learn Christ "... is the image of the invisible God". Please read Genesis 2:17 where God warns that eating of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil WILL (future tense) result in death. By this we see there was no death at the time. Following the temptation of Eve and the SIN committed by both the sentence of death was executed. (Eve, not Adam, was tempted into SIN. Adam was seduced by Eve into SIN.) Thus the image of God, as evidenced by Eve and Adam prior to the Fall and by Christ when he walked among us, is of two parts. First is fellowship with God. To have the image of God implies one enjoys fellowship with God. Second is immortal life. To have the image of God implies one enjoys perpetual life. Unless one is blessed with the Second Birth, in Christ, one does NOT HAVE THE IMAGE OF GOD. This is now true for most of humanity. One is born in the image of one's parents. Most people on earth recognize this fact, except church folks. Following the Fall, all of humanity was born into the image of its parents - Eve and Adam. When one is Born Again, one is endowed with the image of God in Christ. Thus the image of God is no longer defined as a natural thing. IT WAS LOST IN EDEN. One cannot lose a thing unless it's owned originally. Death is defined as being physically mentally and spirituality devoid of conscious awareness and bodily function. In order to justify perversions of Biblical context from Genesis 3 to the end of Revelation one MUST deny the fact of death and all it entails. For if some part of mankind naturally survives physical death, then the crucifixion of Christ has no meaning whatsoever. Death is total, the absolute cessation of ALL life. Thus man needs a savior. The purpose of doctrines of demons is to pervert the meaning of simple words so as to tempt into SIN. When the tempter teased Eve into SIN she and Adam had NOT YET tasted of it. The possibility of death was in debate as it was not yet a fact of life. Eve's conversation with satan is about the possibility of death. Read Genesis 3. "You will surely NOT die." - Satan as quoted in Genesis 3:4 IS GOD A LIAR or is the tempter telling the truth? Which is it? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

Where in Genesis does the Bible say Eve and Adam were originally mortal and corruptible (meaning subject to death)? Chapter and verse, please. Please reread Genesis chapter 1 - 3. God created Eve and Adam and placed them in an idyllic setting. God allowed them to do anything they wanted EXCEPT to eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (the fruit of opinion). GOD SAID that if they ate of it they would DIE (genesis 2:17). In order to authenticate the FALSE assumption that modern humans have a divine spark or are created in the image of God two word definitions must be perverted. One is the definition of DEATH. Death is defined as the cessation of all life. The other is the definition of FIRE. Fire destroys all it touches. Death is the cessation of life and Fire is that which consumes the left-overs. (As in the fate of Sodom & Gomorrah.) This isn't rocket science. Scripture doesn't lie, but liars can quote scripture (as satan did to Jesus). The assumption made in Genesis chapter 2 is that Eve and Adam WERE NOT subject to physical and spiritual death prior to their SIN. In fact, the Bible declares over and over again that SIN leads to death (Romans 6:23) and that the normal condition of man is MORTAL. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal" - Genesis 6:3a Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. - Ecclesiastes 3:19 In other words, the writer of Ecclesiastes is telling us there is no divine spark or 'image of God' in mankind. None at all. Something changed in the experience of Eve and Adam when they SINNED against God's command. They DIED. You cannot provide ANY Biblical reference at all to support your theory that Eve and Adam were created mortal, because they weren't. The Fall defines SIN and DEATH and its consequence with regard to knowing and loving God. Suppositions do not suffice to prove anything except a vagrant attitude about Holy Writ. The image of God spoken of in Genesis 1:26 isn't mentioned ANYWHERE else in the Bible. That with which Eve and Adam were endowed "the image of God" was lost permanently and for all time. There is no restoration of an autonomous ability to act whatsoever. Following the advent of God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, a PROVISIONAL non-autonomous image of God was granted. The provision for immortal life is humble repentance of SIN and acceptance of the lordship of Christ. Nobody else is blessed with it. Jesus stated most would reject the offer. (Matt 7:13) In other words, an individual accepted by Christ has only a limited ability to make decisions. This limitation is graciously provided by the urgings of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the epistles of the New Testament is to present the situation to believers and to teach them how to live within the new parameters of Grace - guided by the Holy Spirit. Your statement that "IMAGE OF GOD" isn't mentioned until after the fall in chapter 3 is wrong. Genesis 1:26 occurs before the fall. Please reread Genesis 1-3 to clarify your understanding. Bottom line is that the "image"" of modern man follows the image of his FALLEN SINful parents - Eve and Adam, not God. The image of God was LOST in Genesis chapter 3 and never seen again. One of the problems many folks have when they discuss "the image of God" in man is because IT WAS LOST TO US. One cannot define a thing that no longer exists - except with regard to detailed study of the life and word of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the ONLY MAN who was endowed with "the image of God" and who did NOT betray the trust. Why are you so eager to defend SIN and its toxic impact upon mankind? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

Again, my assertion is that present humans are NOT created in the image of God. We possess NO eternal spark and NONE of the qualities of the character of God. We are in rebellion AGAINST GOD. Genesis chapter 1 is the ONLY place in the Bible where it's stated that humans were naturally created in God's image - spiritually linked to Him. What happened to that image? It was LOST when Eve and Adam SINNNED. Indeed, they no longer enjoyed fellowship with God and were forcibly evicted from the pleasant situation they'd enjoyed. They LOST the image of God they were created with....... Every child is born in the image of its parents. This point cannot be debated. Thus we are all born in the image of the FALLEN father and mother of mankind - Eve and Adam. We are born in the image of our human parents, NOT God. For millenia humankind lived and died in this fallen image. Two thousand years ago Christ entered the world and brought the gift of God to us - the Second Birth. When a man accepts the Lordship of Christ into his life God comes to live with him. In doing so, we are granted the guarantee of immortal life - in Christ. BUT WE DON'T PASS THIS ONTO OUR CHILDREN NATURALLY. It's a spiritual gift each of us must seek and discover on his own. The passage you quote from James is incomplete for it doesn't refer to all men, but only to those who are brothers in Christ. (verse 10) Indeed the entire chapter addresses the manner in which one ought to respect and consider one's brothers and sisters IN CHRIST. The chapter does not in any way refer to humanity in general. Being thus endowed with the GIFT of immortal life, Ephesians reminds us "we are His workmanship CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS..." We are born AGAIN and thus born in His image, but it does not happen to us naturally. It's a supernatural gift. Finally, it should be pointed out that the fallacy in considering all men as created in the likeness of God denies several Biblical assertions. - ONLY GOD has immortal life. (1 Tim 6:16) - Humans die like any animal or plant. (Ecclesiastes 3:19) - It denies the necessity to be saved. (Acts 4:12) - It denies the fallen nature of man. It denies the possibility of fellowship with God or even the need to do so. (1 John 1:3) - It allows pagan/secular denial of heaven itself. (*) The image of God is Recreated in us in the person and spirit of Jesus Christ and no other - with the caveat we accept Him. Most people do not, hence most people live and die WITHOUT the image of God. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) Oh Lord Oh boy, oh well I told you Well I told you, but I thought you'd know There ain't no heaven Oh Lord, there ain't no heaven There ain't no heaven - lyrics of "No Heaven" by DJ Champion (Amazon music unlimited)

Consider UFO activity - or what's generally accepted as UFO activity. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. - Matthew 24:28 I've been following UFO activity since the 1950's issuance of Project Blue Book in book form. This activity is generally associated with non-corporeal observances and can be proven scientifically. When ANY object moves through atmosphere in excess of 760 mph (adjusting for humidity and barometric pressure) it will create a sonic boom. I have never heard nor read of any instance wherein a UFO, which has moved at hypersonic speed, has created a sonic boom. Such an object is by nature non-corporeal or non-physical. One may imagine any sort of motor to drive a spaceship, but both ship and motor MUST obey the laws of physics. Does this mean UFOs don't exist? By no means. It only suggests that UFOs are not composed of the sort of material we find in us and amongst us. A culture will assign names and characteristics to things it doesn't understand. Ancient sailors once thought they'd seen mermaids when in fact they'd seen something that resembled a human-animal hybrid. In remote areas of South America the natives refer to strange lights in the sky not as machinery but as "witching lights". The Bible suggests these entities congregate where human SIN is most active. Human SIN attracts these things - these UFOs. Like moths to a flame, spirits seem to be attracted to humans who deliberately violate God's LAW. Deliverance ministries, a category of Snake Oil sales in America, operate on this principle. People who claim to be Christian complain of demonic infestation and rely upon Deliverance Ministers to remove the offending spirit(s). However, it's commonly known these same people are often "repossessed" and appeal to the Deliverance Minister when next he/she visits town. It happens so often that one can make a good living at removal of spiritual infestations provided one has the sales skills to do it. Want to be really free of spiritual oppression? REPENT of your SIN. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

This point is debatable. Do humans exist who exhibit the image of God? None of us do. Those who accept the notion we are created in the image of God have little or nothing upon which to base their suppositions. It's a myth. We are created in the image of Eve & Adam who FELL from their original state and corrupted themselves. We are SINNERS not saints. Generally speaking, humans exhibit a capacity for brutality greed and murder well beyond any other creature on the planet. We are self-destructive liars cheats and thieves. To this day we worship war and violence more than at any other time in human history. Do a channel check of your TV or movie listings. A high percentage of titles present war, murder, adultery, crime and revenge as admirable qualities for entertainment. If this is evidence of an image of the divine, then any admirable characteristics of such a being should be in serious doubt. Biblically speaking we are SINNERS. THE ONLY TIME God's Word describes humans as being created in God's image is in the book of Genesis 1:26-27. Two chapters later we read about the temptation of Eve & Adam and how mankind fell from its original state of creation. Thereafter that phrase is never used to describe the character of mankind. Thus we may correctly assume that although mankind was originally created in the image of God, we no longer enjoy that quality or capacity. If the reader wishes to debate that point all he or she has to do is consult the violent abusive history of the human race. Fallen man does NOT display anything close to an image of God. There is one exception however, Jesus Christ. The Bible describes Jesus as exhibiting the image of God in thought word and deed. As a figure to be emulated, Jesus presents the ultimate example of the divine character. Millions have chosen to follow Him and by reason of the Second Birth have had limited success at attaining to that high ideal - the image of God. When a child is born everyone comments as to how he or she resembles their father or mother. The child is born in the image of its parents. Likewise humanity is born into the image of its parents - Eve & Adam who SINNED. We are NOT born in the image of God - not a little and not at all. that's me, hollering from the choir loft....

BOGUS ALERT Yours is an interesting exposition of St. Augustine's dislike for theater. The subject has much of value to be considered, but it is NOT the primary thing that separates human from the rest of creation. SIN is that which separates and identifies humans from the rest of God's world. SIN is that which deliberately and angrily raises its ugly head against the Lord of Mercy and Kindness and Generosity. SIN is that which raises its hand even against God in the flesh. SIN is that which we love - theater reflects that admiration mightily. It is therefore time to repent of our SIN and wickedness lest God arise in His wrath and deal with us personally and corporately. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

If truth be told, nobody is completely sure about the millennium - the thousand year reign of Christ upon earth. There are three versions of that tale. All arguments about the millennium prove the other two incorrect. Go figure..... What I find of interest is your undocumented description of antiChrist and his proclamation to the world. IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. AntiChrist has ALREADY proclaimed himself to be God on earth. How do we know this will happen? The prophet Daniel predicted it in chapter 7 and verse 25. "He (antiChrist) will speak against the Most High and oppress his holy people and try to change the set times and the laws." Here is a quote from the Roman Catholic church to FULFILL Daniel's prophecy: "The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in heaven and earth." Barclay Cap. XXVII, p. 218. Cities Petrus Bertrandus, Pius V. Claiming to be God is also called BLASPHEME and is a SIN against both God and man. The oppression of God's people, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, has already happened too. The RCC is the greatest persecutor of Jews and Saints of Christ of ANY nation or religion in history. The Vatican has an ocean of innocent blood on its hands yet still claims to be infallible in its utterances. The god-man who sits upon his throne in Rome has ALSO dictated changes in God's LAW - the 10 Commandments. Commandment #4 says we ought to "remember the sabbath day and keep it holy (separate unto God)". The Sabbath Day is the LAST day of the week - Saturday. "We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday.” -Rev. Peter Geiermann C.SS.R., The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, p. 50 Thus we see the complete fulfillment of all that Daniel predicted concerning the identity of the antiChrist. The modern problem is that Protestants are so enamored of their TRADITION of worship that they refuse to acknowledge God's LAW on the matter and serve the desires of their master in Rome instead. "God owns Saturday (day of worship), but the NFL owns Sunday." - National Football League, United States of America Which is it? Are we to follow God's LAW or the dictates of he who opposes it? Did you also know that the Vatican has usurped God's authority in that it also claims authority to forgive SINs? This is called Absolution. btw, Pope Francis recently declared that a partial indulgence (absolution/forgiveness of SINs) will be granted to anyone who follows him on his Twitter account. This is not a joke, folks. The antiChrist is HERE - NOW. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

You can find the book of Hosea in any version of the Christian Bible as well as the Jewish Tanakh. Take your pick. I don't recommend any particular version as being superior to another unless of course one has a fondness for a certain literary style. Most readers don't vett scripture quotations anyway. Why are you issuing objections to the quotation of Hosea 4? The words are more important than library skills. The words describe ANY nation that subverts the LAW of God for purposes of greed and self-aggrandizement AS HAS America. Our nation has sown the wind and shall reap the whirlwind.....and we all sit here arguing about particularities as the whole thing teeters on the verge of collapse. God is angry with us. We all need to repent. IF GOD DOES NOT JUDGE AMERICA HE WILL HAVE TO APOLOGIZE TO SODOM AND GOMORRAH. - adapted from the Shanghai curse of 1937 that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

The United States was initially blessed because of the covenant our founding fathers made with God. Unfortunately we broke that covenant and our lot has since been one of error and wrath. America is no longer circling the drain of world history. We're in it. God's LAW was preached and followed in America for quite a while, but as of the twenty-first century it is denied both by individual church folks and churches themselves. Major denominations have even denied the divine inspiration of the Bible itself. Speak of the LAW and you'll get an immediate reaction of denial from almost everyone who hears your voice or reads your words. APART FROM THE LAW IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO BE SAVED . The above statement is certain to raise the ire of those who are Biblically illiterate. Nevertheless it's true. Jesus did NOT come to abolish the LAW as many lawLESS persons declare. (Matt 5:17) Grace is an extension of God's LAW meant to help those who yield to Christ to keep it, NOT a replacement of LAW. Grace is not given so that some people can experience ecstatic emotions during the worship service. It's not about a circus act. It's about living one's life in ways pleasing to God - by the LAW. America has turned its collective back upon God and is thus cut off from divine blessings. We are Ichabod (1 Sam 4:21). Not long ago our churches were respected as a standard of morality and truth. Today, not so much. Indeed today the Gay Authority has usurped the role and position of the church in American society. It is the Gay Authority that is untouchable now, not the church. Roles are reversed. The church is a subject of contempt and bad jokes. It is seriously disrespected. Ezekiel 38? I do not understand your chapter quotation here. Ezekiel 38 is a direct reference to neighboring nations of Israel - of Eretz Israel, the land of Israel God gave to Abraham, which has been restored to Jews as the modern State of Israel. Ezekiel 38 cannot be extrapolated to mean America in any normal interpretation. Nearly all Biblical prophecy centers upon Eretz Israel and God's people - the Jews. Hope this helps to clear up a few things..... that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

In light of recent tragedies, the question will sooner or later be asked as to how a good God can allow such terrible things to happen. I'LL TELL YOU HOW. America has turned its collective back upon God. Habitual worshippers have adopted the attitude of passive indifference, which God hates (Rev 3:14-22). All the rest hate the thought of God interfering in our personal lives and business. We don't want to be told what to do by God, by the people God sends to us or by anybody else. We know what's best for us. Sure we do. As a nation we've told God to hit the road. We don't want a powerful deity looking over our shoulders telling us how to live. Even church folks prefer a helpless thumb-sucking god in an animal feed box or a dead guy on a stick. NOBODY wants a powerful entity who graciously gave us LAW & the orderly life it provides. Our empty boasts declare we can do it ourselves. We don't need God's guidance and protection. Until something goes wrong. When that happens we whine and cry and blame God and ask where His goodness went. God's goodness left town when we told Him to GET OUT. We've become a nation of self-aggrandizing prideful bigots and the thing we hate most is GOD - the only one at this point who can save us. YES, GOD IS GOOD. That's why He honored our prideful attitude and left us to our own devices. How's that working for us? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

Yours is a typical response often stated by post-reformation American Protestants. It is hypocritical and erroneous to a level beyond that of reason, perspective and spiritual responsibility. HERE'S WHY; The attitude adopted by faux christians today is that Israel has been abandoned by God and that the church has replaced the Jew as the apple of Heaven's eye. Both are patently false. God has NEVER abandoned His people Israel and the church is nothing if not a self-aggrandizing business venture that has fallen on hard times. The modern Christian anti-Semitic attitude is on display in every church in the land. The church claims the words of ancient prophets to Israel don't apply to them because "that was then and this is now". Has God changed in some way? The Bible says He does not change. Therefore God's principles apply to ancient people as well as people who consider themselves so modern they don't need lessons from history - even if its Biblical history. If Jesus IS GOD, then He was indeed present at Sinai when the LAW was passed to Hebrew LAW keepers on earth. You are correct in one instance, however. Jesus did NOT die for the SINs of the world. Jesus died for the SINs of the nation - OF ISRAEL. (John 11:51) Those who humble themselves before God and ask to be saved BECOME JEWS in the eyes of God - not church members. (Romans 2:29) Church membership hasn't and won't save anybody. Neither will Christian traditions save anyone including Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Halloween pumpkins, Baptism and Holy Communion. Only the blood of Christ saves. That's it and that's all. Many words are written by the apostle Paul stating gentile believers are grafted into the true vine - Jesus Christ. Jesus did not become a pope and Christ is not the figurehead of some gentile false religion. Jesus is KING OF THE JEWS and those who yield themselves to Him become His subjects - become Jews. God so loved the world that those who believe in Him would be granted eternal life (John 3:16). BUT three verses later we are reminded by Christ Himself that most people will reject God's generosity because they love SIN more. Thus the world wallows in its own blood and dies by its own hand. Church folk hypocritically claim they are not under the law. In the next breath they demand 10% tithes for the church bank account claiming the law as justification for their request. Nowhere in the NT are tithes required of us. Which is it? Are we saved by GRACE so as to live by the LAW or are we just nit pickers who quote bits of scripture here and there so as to justify our own purposes and schemes? If the words of Hosea do not echo with similarity to the modern age, then perhaps we all need to take a second look at them for the Bible speaks to all of us from ancient times to the present. If we do not harken to those words we will suffer the same fate as those who did not listen to them when they were originally spoken and written. This is God's Word. We need to pay attention to it more so today than any time in recent history. Some have said America is circling the drain of history. I submit, dear reader, that we aren't circling the drain any more. We're in it. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

FROM THE BOOK OF HOSEA chapter 4. I'm keeping my comments to a minimum here because I believe it's important for the reader to consider the words of the prophet AS THEY APPLY TO US TODAY. The words here are chillingly similar to modern America and evoke images not dissimilar to the judgment upon ancient Israel. If there is a divine case against America it may be clearly defined by the words of Hosea. Some things never change including human nature. If human nature never changes, then neither does the Word of God as it pertains to our present situation. Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! 2Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. 3Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear. 4But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.a 5You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother— 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. 7The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Gloryb for a thing of disgrace. 8They feed on the sinsc of My people and set their hearts on iniquity. 9And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. 10They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have stopped obeying the LORD. 11Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding. 12My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. 14I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin. 15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven,d and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’ 16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow? 17Ephraime is joined to idols; leave him alone! 18When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulersf dearly love disgrace. 19The whirlwind has wrapped themg in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame. * * * * submitted in the fear of the Lord..... that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

The church is being judged NOW. 1 Peter 4:17 Indeed, the church is already ICHABOD (1 Smauel 4:21) Rubbish about the rapture notwithstanding, the church is essentially dead already. There is no need to remove that which is already expired. The rapture is false doctrine. Scripture references are falsely interpreted. From Luke 17:34-37 Jesus is quoted thus; I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.” “Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” Scripture references are falsely interpreted. It is SINNERS who are evicted from the earth and it is SINNERS who are consigned to the Second Death. They are escorted there by DEMONS, not angels. Read the scripture. Don't read INTO IT that which is a Vatican doctrine of demons. Look around with clear vision. What do we see regarding the church? Do we see something holy and respected and above reproach? WE DO NOT. Corruption of all sorts has riddled our churches to the point that several respected denominations have openly rejected the Word of God and His Holy Spirit. The spirit has departed as per their demands and as a result the church-plant is withering from its severed root - Jesus. Not long ago the LGBTQ community was considered a feral part of society. This is no longer true. Today it is the LGBTQ community that is respected and admired, not the church. Not so long ago the church was untouchable. There were no jokes about it from beer hall comedians and there was an attitude of respect. The church today is considered to be rabid, not the gays. Today it is the LGBTQ community that is untouchable. We are told we WILL respect them, whether we like it or not. The church and the LGBTQ community have switched places. Interpretations that hold the church in high regard, whether it be invisible or physical, are invalid. Today we SEE that which could only be inferred a few years ago. To all intents and purposes the church is dead. We are only witness to its continued corruption even as we deny what is really happening - as we reinvent the intent of scripture regarding rapture and tribulation. Anybody who believes otherwise is only kidding themselves. Nobody else believes the rubbish we've thrust upon ourselves - that being the rapture and the notion the church is alive and well. Both are lies. The REAL question is not how to argue the point, which is done ad nauseam here, but what ought we to do about it? There are no answers because we're all too busy beating a literally dead horse. that's me, hollering from the choir loft....

I'm quoting only a single sentence of your long post primarily because I agree with most of what you've written. No need to repeat the obvious..... In the garden Eve and Adam (*) were created with autonomy in all they did. Ultimately in Genesis chapter three they chose to disobey God and yield their authority to the devilish tempter they met there. The blessing of the Second Birth yields an individual that is married or coupled with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The individual thus becomes a "new creature" as described in 2 Corinthians 5:17. What is generally not published in our liberal churches is that such an individual, although saved, is NOT AUTONOMOUS in its thoughts and actions. Virtually all of the Epistles of the New Testament teach the believer about the nature of this shared autonomy - its blessings as well as its cautions. Does not the spirit constantly persuade and guide and insist upon the actions and thoughts of the saved human? The unsaved do not understand the process. Believers barely understand it themselves. The righteousness of any sanctified individual is in Christ, not the man. Therefore it is impossible for the unregenerate man to prove or justify himself before God. It's also impossible for the regenerate saved man to do so as well because God recognizes Christ within the man rather than the man alone. A metaphor for the situation is the human hand. One does not have to prove he has one when its part of him. God sees the righteousness of Christ within us. Our good works are a fruit of that joining, not the cause of it. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) Many feminists will deny that it was EVE, not Adam who first SINned. Eve then returned to her husband and seduced him into partnering with her in SIN. This pattern has been repeated until the modern age. Both suffered spiritual death and both were assigned curses. Adam was given authority over the woman Eve. Females of the modern demonic age seem to hate and resist this chain of authority, but it remains nonetheless.

You are making reference to typical anti-Semitic Protestant Christian doctrine adopted from the Vatican. Be careful. Be wise. Be educated (2 Tim 2:15) According to Paul in Romans 11:25 the hardening (against believing Messiah Jesus IS God) is PARTIAL. In Jesus' day about 1/3 of Jews heard the gospel message and believed. That's a lot of Jews. Christians don't have a monopoly on Jesus Christ the King of the Jews. Here is a mystery for all readers to consider: In 1968, when Jerusalem was liberated by the IDF, a strange spiritual effect began to be noticed. (Luke 21:24) The church began to wither on the vine and Jews who accept Y'shuah (Jesus' Hebrew name) began to multiply. The last great Jesus revival swept across America beginning in 1968 - opposed greatly by church leadership. I was part of that movement and walked in the halls behind the scenes to hear plans laid by leadership to oppose the movement of the Holy Spirit. As a result the church today is a shadow of its former self and is in danger of disappearing entirely in the next decade or two. At the same time Messianic Jewish congregations sprouted up all over the country. These are believing Jews who retain their traditions and form of worship but otherwise acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and KING. The movement, however, seems to be proceeding at a snail's pace. Talmudic Jews opposed it (as they do even with other Jewish disciplines; Reform, Conservative, etc.) According to predictions made in scripture the nation Israel will have a SUDDEN revelation of who and what Jesus Christ (Y'shuah ha-Mashiach) really is. That time has not yet arrived. The national revelation of Jesus the King of Israel will happen during a time of war. Indeed there have ALREADY been a number of manifestations of divine nature that have contributed to Israeli victory during battle. Some of them are quite chilling. When former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked if he believed in miracles he declared that Israel could not exist from one day to the next without them. The answer to your question is one of belief and acceptance. Modern Israelis are no less stubborn than in Moses' day. When Jesus appears they will HAVE TO bend the knee before Him albeit it will be a grudging bent - as will most of the planet. The Bible says a day will come when all will bend their knee and acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord. The flip side to gentile attitudes will be the same as with Jews. ALL will bend their knee, but most will not do so gladly. The hardening you wonder about applies to goyim (gentiles) as well as Jews. It's human nature to worship itself and the works of its own hands. Gentiles are no more exempt from this than Jews. We just pray differently - if we pray at all. Hope this helps. That's me, hollering from the choir loft...

NO RAPTURE FOR THE JEWS...... I am alarmed at the direction this subject is taking among people who otherwise consider themselves good people. If there were a greater anti-Semitic remark published by Joseph Goebbels himself I'd be hard pressed to find it. Why do you hate Jews so much? What have they done to you and your family? Most likely you'd respond that they've done nothing and that you have no ulterior motive for publishing such HATEFUL LANGUAGE. Yet you espouse a doctrine of demons that teaches a 2nd holocaust - death to Jews during the Tribulation because they won't join your church. I cannot think of a more disgusting perversion of God's inspired Word than such purely demonic filth. (1 Tim 4:1 & 1 Corinthians 10:21) RAPTURE is false doctrine initially created by Francisco Ribera, a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest. It was published along with a lot of other rubbish in a work entitled FUTURISM. It was intended to counter arguments by Reformation fathers; Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, etc. However, American Protestants embraced the lie as gospel along with all the ramifications of RCC anti-semitism it implies. * * * * * "I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed: One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together: One will be taken and the other left.” “Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.” - Luke 17:34-37 * * * * * The above section of Luke's gospel is often quoted by rapture believers who think it promises a cruise to the clouds and dinner with the divine. They conveniently ignore the implications of the last line. THOSE WHO ARE REMOVED don't go to heaven with Jesus. They go to the grave, to the place of the unregenerate dead, to the place of the damned. Such people will obviously fuss and claim the last line is out of context (of their beliefs) and that it means something it doesn't. These deliberately ignorant types will completely ignore the obvious intent of Jesus' words. The obvious being that no righteous Jew would be caught DEAD along with THEM. Neither would Our Lord be in the same place. They would be condemned to be apart from Christ - permanently. They would be escorted to their final demise BY DEMONS not angels. I doubt anyone will accept this and that most will continue their closeted hatred of Jews - disregarding any and all efforts to clarify scripture and shine a light upon anti-Semitism where it flourishes in our churches. My appeal here is to clarity of thought and innocence of the heart. Abandon false doctrines that teach unreasoning hatred of Jews. Why would any Jew read this drivel and come to your house of worship? Why would any clear minded person do so? that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

I'm quoting your words not because I think you'll respond favorably but for the purpose of illuminating the general reader. It seems to be an axiom of Protestant Christians today to declare their own infallibility with regard to Biblical studies. In no other discipline of life is this true, but for some reason each Christian seems to think he or she has got a lock on truth, both Biblical or Political. It matters not that their premise is faulty, that their religious education is paltry or that their logic is skewed. They are right and no one, no matter how well educated they may be, can convince them otherwise. "What a fool believes no wise man can reason away." - WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES, the Doobie Brothers (song of the year 1988) Who are you to judge the efficacy of scholarly discussion? It has been my personal experience that a Masters Degree in Theology granted to me by a major seminary (where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. also studied) over fifty years ago has been of less value than used toilet paper. Yet those who have something less than perfect attendance at Sunday School seem to think they know it all. The purpose of scholarship, indeed all forms of higher education, is to enable the seeker with tools to discover new aspects of the subject at hand - NOT TO EQUIVOCATE (deceive) or glorify their own perspective. The purpose of scholarship is ultimately to teach. What happens when the teacher encounters those who are unteachable? Heat without light happens. that's me, hollering from the choir loft

A very long winded explanation - of what exactly? Ezekiel 37b predicts the reunification of the WHOLE HOUSE of Israel. In other words all twelve tribes. Your long post goes off at tangents that are difficult to follow because they make many references to nebulous rabbit trails. The prophecy of Ezekiel is clear. The issue isn't what Tanakh says but what Christians choose to believe. Replacement Theology/Supersessionism, an RCC ideology btw, is in total contradiction to the context of prophecy AND HISTORY. So what's the problem? Is Ezekiel a liar? Is the context of scripture in question? It's been discovered many who are making aliyah to Eretz Israel are of tribes other than Judah or Levi. I have no idea how genetic parentage is being traced by the Israeli authorities, but the government as well as the rabbinate seems to be satisfied with their methods. The two stick prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes. The problem is that anti-Semitic Christians refuse to see. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... PS - Don't understand your reference to Jesus and children. The only instance that comes to mind is Jesus' teaching of trust - that those who come to Him must trust as a child trusts WITHOUT PREDILECTIONS TO DOCTRINES. The Bible says the two stick prophecy will happen as indeed it is happening. I do not trust the doctrines of those who espouse a gospel other than that of Christ.

Read Ezekiel 37. References there are to the northern kingdom of Israel - Ephraim. The exact term "10 lost tribes" had not yet been formulated in Ezekiel's time. Thus such references are to Ephraim or Israel (meaning the northern kingdom). Every scholar of note agrees on this point. Who do you think you are? Origins of the phrase "10 lost tribes" are rather vague, but most seem to have been formulated by early Jewish scholars and interpreters. Some Christians adopt the phrase, like other phrases, without having any idea at all as to what they mean. Christians typically don't know or refuse to understand where these references come from because they are obsessed with religious celebrities whose only real goal is to milk them of contribution$. Christians of the modern age (*) tend to pervert ANY reference to Jews, Jewish LAW, Jewish history or even to interpretations of the Tanakh (OT) itself. The reasons for this are twofold. First is a deeply entrenched anti-Semitic attitude. They despise Jews. Most of their doctrine proves this true. Second is Biblical illiteracy and deliberate ignorance. "You have to work hard to be that stupid." - John Wayne I find your your personal reference of me as a 'youngin' to be insulting and evasive. People who lack knowledge generally resort to character assassination to justify their own illiteracy and laziness. (1 Tim 2:15) READ EZEKIEL 37. The latter portion of the chapter clearly mentions the northern kingdom as being represented by one of the two sticks that will be joined together in (Ezekiel's) future. It clearly states the divided kingdoms would be rejoined by God. Arguing over the name of the stick creates a controversy that does not exist in scripture. It's a cheap attempt to justify ignorance and doctrinal hatred of Jews. Please read chapter 37. Learn something new. that's me, hollering from the choir loft... (*) Christendom is here defined as Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox denominations, European and American Protestantism and a rather confused portion that calls itself Evangelicals (even though they no longer support evangelism).

The Two House argument was NOT irrelevant in Jesus' time on earth. It was discussed openly and often and was referred to in several of Jesus' remarks. The LOST , who Jesus came to call, were not gentiles since the gentiles had not yet been 'found' or incorporated into faith in Christ. The LOST Jesus referred to were the 10 tribes of Israel. Please read Ezekiel 37. This chapter contains two very relevant prophecies of the End Times. The first half is known as the DRY BONES prophecy and predicts the restoration of Israel to its land Eretz Israel - the same land it occupied when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The second half, not often addressed by gentiles, is the TWO STICK prophecy. In this prophecy it is specifically stated that God will return and rejoin the 10 lost tribes of Israel (Ephraim) to Judah (Manassah) as one stick or one people - one nation. The Two House prophecy is indeed relevant both to Jews of Jesus' time and Israelis of the modern era. Gentiles, who are convinced of their anti-semitic doctrines, generally do not give much credence to either prophecy. Hope this helps. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...

I looked up the lyrics to Shust's song ZION. They seem to empathize with the Jewish homeland and its people. It would be a good idea for readers here to examine those words. Additionally, I'd like to include the lyrics of the Israel National Anthem called Ha Tikvah (The Hope). So long as still within our breasts The Jewish heart beats true, So long as still towards the East, To Zion, looks the Jew, So long our hopes are not yet lost Two thousand years we cherished them To live in freedom in the land Of Zion and Jerusalem. source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/n/nationalanthemlyrics/israelnationalanthemlyrics.html Notice if you will that the Israeli anthem doesn't mention bombs, missiles, explosions, blood or violence, which is common for the anthems of gentile nations. that's me, hollering from the choir loft...