Retrobyter

(Rev. 7:17 NASB?) Quite true! So does the earth! The throne of the Lamb will be upon this earth, and it will EXTEND into the New Earth after the Judgment. No, I think it EXTENDS BEYOND the sky where the birds fly! One must remember that the Greek word "ouranos" (sometimes rendered as its plural, "ouranoi") is a translation of the Hebrew/Aramaic word "shaamaayim"/"shaamaayin," which is a DUAL word, referring to the daytime sky and the NIGHTTIME SKY! Everything that we can see at night is technically the Father's "throne!" He is INFINITE and OMNIPRESENT, not restricted to any physical location. Remember what Shlomoh haMelekh ("Solomon the King) said at the dedication of the Temple: 1 Kings 8:27 (KJV) 27 "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?" That's DIFFERENT than the throne of the Lamb! The Lamb's throne is a literal throne upon which the literal, physical person known as Yeeshuwa` haMashiyach ("Jesus the Christ"), the Son of God, will actually reign on behalf of His Father here upon the earth. Revelation 5:5-10 (KJV) 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." 6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9And they sung a new song, saying, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Revelation 11:15-18 (KJV) 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ (His Messiah); and he shall reign for ever and ever." 16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17 Saying, "We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." The statement, "the nations were angry," is a reference to Psalm 2:1-12. Revelation 20:4-6 (KJV) 4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 22:1-5 (KJV) 1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it (the city called the New Jerusalem), and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And, regarding the timing of their reigns, we can add these passages: (In the first passage, the topic is "resurrection":) 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (KJV) 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: (0) Christ the firstfruits; (1) afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 (2) Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For "he hath put all things under his feet." [But when he saith, "all things are put under him," it is manifest that "he" is excepted, which did "put all things under him."] 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. And, one must also remember the Davidic Covenant: 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when the king [David] sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains!" 3 And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee." 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 "Go and tell my servant David, "'Thus saith the LORD, "'"Shalt THOU build ME an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, 'Why build ye not me an house of cedar?' "' 8 "Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, "'Thus saith the LORD of hosts, "'"I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies." "'Also the LORD telleth thee that HE will make THEE an house. 12 "'"And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I WILL BE HIS FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON. If he commit (be twisted into) iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever."'" 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. So, what did Gabriel tell Mary? Luke 1:30-33 (KJV) 30 And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name 'JESUS.' 32 He shall be great, and shall be called THE SON OF THE HIGHEST: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." So, when we put all this together, the conclusion is that God, the Father of Yeeshuwa`, will be the King of the Universe (as He already is). But, when the Son of God, Yeeshuwa` the Messiah (the Anointed One) of God, comes back, He will resurrect His own subjects, and He shall be the physical, Representative King for His Father over the earth - but in STAGES: First, He shall become the King of the tribe of Yhudah (Judah) - the Jews - and then He will become the King of Israel, all twelve tribes, as He whistles for them to return to the Land. Then, He shall become the King of kings as nations come to Him willingly for His leadership, rulership, wisdom and financial expertise, and some will be annexed unwillingly as He subdues ALL enemies under His feet. At the END of the initial 1,000 years of His Kingdom, haSatan is released, deceives many, and attempts one last battle against God and His Messiah, and his attack is defeated by fire falling from the sky. At that time, the unjust dead are raised to life to stand trial at the Great White Throne Judgment, and Yeeshuwa` -to whom God gave all judgment - has haSatan and those who followed him thrown into the Lake of Burning Sulfur, and God re-makes the earth and the sky and brings the New Jerusalem down to land upon it. The Son of God will turn over the Empire to His Father, and God the Father will be the King of kings over this earth, but the Messiah Yeeshuwa` will go on being haMelekh Yisraa'eel (the King of Israel) forever! There is another "sea" in Scripture: The laver, first in the Tabernacle, and then a larger one in the Temple. This laver was before the veil into the Holy Place, just as the sea of glass that we're seeing here was before the throne. From Revelation 19:11, this verb, ἀνεῳγμένον or aneoogmenon, is a perfect passive participle, usually translated as "having been opened upward" modifying a singular, masculine noun in the accusative case, namely, "τὸν οὐρανὸν" or "ton ouranon" or "the sky." So, that portion should be rendered "And I saw the sky having been opened upward." It's not a "supernaturally limited" view; it's a PHYSICALLY LIMITED view! This is an assumption based upon one's own interpretation of what was written, but "the sky receded like a scroll being rolled up" would also describe the PURELY PHYSICAL, rolling effect of the mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion. Or, someone who gave up being careful with the text and ASSUMES there are "more gaps and unknowns than bridges and knowns!" I won't refrain from it. It's the biblical TRUTH! As I quoted above, "the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee," that is, neither the sky nor space can contain Him, and we also learn that David said, Psalm 139:7-12 (KJV) 7 "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there]. 9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. 12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee]." He is EVERYWHERE, and HE SEES in the darkness as easily as HE SEES in the light! This is why I have no compunction with saying that He is INFINITE and OMNIPRESENT. That's not how I use this information. It's really quite simple: Since He is infinite, and He has named all the stars in His nighttime sky, then He is LARGER than all the galaxies in the Universe! As big as ANY of us think He is, He's bigger still! Yet, we also have this information: Psalm 139:13-16 (KJV) 13 "For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. 14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvellous [are] thy works; and [that] my soul knoweth right well. 15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, [and] curiously wrought in the lowest (microscopic) parts of the earth. 16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect (immature); and in thy book all [my members] were written, [which] in continuance were fashioned, when [as yet there was] none of them." He also said that God RECORDS the future, while we are still in the uterus! He sees and KNOWS what the DNA says about our development! In fact, His knowledge SUPERCEDES what our DNA says! So, He also KNOWS every cell in our body, and He has made the very molecules of substance upon which we survive. So, He is INTIMATELY aware of each substance and how they are put together. Indeed, He CREATED them! So, He is in control of every subatomic particle throughout the Universe! It's no stretch or assumption; it's a logical outcome, based upon these Scriptures! And, He CARES! He LOVED us before we loved Him! When one realizes this and when he or she is confronted with the magnitude of our sins against Him, one can come to Him for HIS provision of His justification for him or her. He can step in and eradicate our sins and their consequence of eternal death and the punishment of the Lake of Fire. He gives us HOPE - a CONFIDENCE - in our future with Him! Matthew 10:27-31 (KJV) 27 "What I tell you in darkness, [that] speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, [that] preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." And, since in the mouths of 2 or 3 witnesses a thing is established, Luke 12:4-7 (KJV) 4 "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." If men place these values on small birds, 1/2 farthing/bird and 2/5 farthing/bird, God knows their TRUE value - value to HIM! And, God places FAR MORE value on a human life! Psalm 116:1-19 (KJV) 1 I love the LORD (YHWH), because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications. 2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon [him] as long as I live. 3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. 5 Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God [is] merciful. 6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. 7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee. 8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, [and] my feet from falling. 9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. 10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: 11 I said in my haste, All men [are] liars. 12 What shall I render unto the LORD [for] all his benefits toward me? 13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 15 PRECIOUS IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD [IS] THE DEATH OF HIS SAINTS. 16 O LORD, truly I [am] thy servant; I [am] thy servant, [and] the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, 19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD (Hebrew: הַלְלוּ־יָהּ = "halluw-Yaah" = Greek: Ἁλληλουϊά ="Alleelouia" = "ye-be-clear/make-shine/boast-about/rave-about/celebrate-YAH!").

Shalom, @Montana Marv. Yes! He is giving special attention to prepare a place for EVERY new believer who comes to Him for His Sacrifice to be applied to their lives! How many could that be in a single year? And, we're talking about almost 2000 years of new believers! This is a HUGE CITY, and there's at least a "room" or a "mansion" for every single one of them! I quite agree! I'll just remind you that I do not believe in the continuity of life! A person lives; a person dies; and then he or she must be resurrected when the Messiah returns. ALL those who belong to Him will be resurrected, and that includes ALL who have ever made a sacrifice in anticipation of the Messiah's Sacrifice, for God's justification of an individual on the Messiah's behalf! David talked about this; so, it is NOT restricted to "New Testament saints" only!

Shalom, @WilliamL. Not for me, bro'. My understanding about what the text means COMES from those who DO know the language, not from my understanding. I am no expert in Hebrew, any more than most US citizens are experts in English. However, I do know how to use both languages to convey a topic to another person. I am a student of Hebrew only, just as I am a student of English. (One of my Hebrew teachers was a man named Michael who was a "Sabra" from Haifa, Israel.) Regarding the proper use of English, do you know how many times I've cringed at the misuse of commas in these posts (not yours, just posts in general)?! Some posters don't use commas AT ALL! It drives me CRAZY! MOST don't even know what an appositive is and how it is to be set off from the rest of the sentence with commas! I feel the same way when I read most translations (including the KJV) with how the translators took liberties with the Hebrew text. The Hebrew word "כְּנַף" or "knaf" (as I transliterate it for pronunciation) has its primary meaning to be "wing"; however, it's not a folded wing, but a "spread-out wing" in flight! That's when a "כְּנַף" is most noticeable. It is used in Daniel as an analogy for the "abominations from-desolation," the mem as a prefix for "min," and this was how our Lord used it in Matthew 23, when He was addressing the "abominable things" of the P'rushiym (the Pharisees) and transcribers of the Law, OVER which He pronounced them "Desolate." (Matthew 23:38). My Bible IS the Hebrew Bible; versions I use here are for the understanding of those with whom I write. I primarily use the KJV in posts because I grew up with it, and it's still considered in the public domain. However, I quote from the versions others use from time to time because that is their vocabulary. True. However, in English, the participle form, normally used as an adjective, can also be used as a gerund, which acts as a noun, such as "the coming of the Lord." In those cases when the gerund is being singled-out, a definite article is often added to show its nature as a gerund, as I did within the quotes above. It was not uncommon in the Elizabethean times, as we find in Shakespeare's works, who was a contemporary to the translation of the King James Authorized Version of the Bible. I agree that it is plural in Hebrew, but I don't confuse the two. In fact, I'm with you about the need to keep them separate. Furthermore, I see Daniel 12:11 as an extension of Daniel 11:31, which was during the time of Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" in 167 B.C.E. In Daniel 11:31, Daniel is first informed of the coming the devastation that Antiochus causes when He raised the image of Zeus in the Temple and sacrificed the pig upon the altar. But, Daniel 12:11 is a REPEAT of this in shortened form, adding the lengths of time, almost as an afterthought before leaving Daniel. Also, one needs to understand these words as independent words, each with their own meanings and not view them as labels. The label "Abomination of Desolation," commonly abbreviated to "AoD" on these forums, diminishes the fact that these words are used INDEPENDENTLY in other locations. Also, because we seldom use these words in everyday speech, such disuse lends itself to viewing them as a label! And, another problem is that Greek gets in the way. Yeeshuwa` ("Jesus") was quoted in translation into Greek as... "Ὅταν οὖν ἴδητε τὸ βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Δανιὴλ τοῦ προφήτου ἑστὸς ἐν τόπῳ ἁγίῳ" or ... "Hotan oun ideete to bdelugma (s.) tees ereemooseoos (s.) to hreethen dia Danieel tou profeetou estos en topoo hagioo" This should be translated word-for-word into ... "When therefore ye-shall-see the abomination of-the desolation that-one spoken through Daniel the prophet is in a-place holy" And, that was translated into KJV English as ... "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place." It's basically said IN REVERSE on purpose! See, it was the abominations of the scribes and Pharisees that led to Yeeshuwa` pronouncing them "Desolate" in Matthew 23:38, predicted in Daniel 9:27, but it would be the "desolation" they would now experience that would lead to the "abomination" - the HORROR - of the Temple's desecration and destruction, predicted by the Messiah in Matthew 24:15! And, that was fulfilled in 70 A.D: The Roman Gentiles came into the Temple grounds, and desecrated it with the raising of the Roman Legion's Eagle within the Temple grounds. This defiled the Temple. Then, while it is debatable who started the fire, fire destroyed the Temple, and the soldiers were tearing down the stones of the Temple to get at the gold that had melted and ran down between the stones! This is why it is indeed from Daniel 9:27, because those abominations had already led to the desolation in Matthew 23:38. Matthew 24:15 just predicted the aftermath of that period of desolation (which we're still in, by the way). See, Yeeshuwa` followed His pronunciation of being "desolate" with Matthew 23:39: Matthew 23:37-39 (KJV) 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, 'Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord.'" And, He was quoting from Psalm 118:26, and here is that verse in context: Psalm 118:22-27 (KJV) 22 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] of the corner (the capstone). 23 This is the LORD'S doing; it [is] marvellous in our eyes. 24 This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now (Hebrew: # = "" = ""), I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed [be] he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. 27 God [is] the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, [even] unto the horns of the altar. The Hebrew is: 22אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבֹּונִ֑ים הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃ 23מֵאֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֑את הִ֖יא נִפְלָ֣את בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ׃ 24זֶה־הַ֭יֹּום עָשָׂ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֹֽו׃ 25אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הֹושִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה נָּֽא׃ 26בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ 27אֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֮ וַיָּ֪אֶר לָ֥נוּ אִסְרוּ־חַ֥ג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קַ֝רְנֹ֗ות הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ But, what He tells them they must say before He returns is "מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה" or "from-House of-YHWH," meaning "from the Temple." That means that they can't have said it, yet, for the Temple is still not built! And, the words "בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא" ("bawruwkh haba'" translated as "blessed is he that cometh") are used in every airport and seaport in Israel in the plural, saying "bawruwkhiym haba'iym," "Welcome, visitors!": They won't see Him come back until they can WELCOME Him back and that from the rebuilt Temple! Sorry, the end of Daniel 9:27 is not about the "destroyer"; it is about the "destroyed!" It's predicting the time that they would suffer "until the end" for being pronounced "desolate." I agree with you about the NIV. It's backwards.

Shalom, peace, to you, @Luther. What the UCEI (the Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane) was trying to say is that these protesters are HAMAS sympathizers, not GAZA sympathizers! That the organizations founded to end the Israeli State, which stem from the countries surrounding Israel, are, like Hamas, against the existence of the State of Israel. Their united goal is to hurt Israel by the spread of Palestinian sympathy! The truth is, though, that one must make a DISTINCTION between the Palestinian civilians and the Hamas militants! Israel is NOT trying to kill all the Palestinians, but as the article states, Hamas militants will USE the Palestinian civilians, who may muddy the waters with Hamas support, as HUMAN SHIELDS! Israel's goal has been to ERADICATE HAMAS and SPARE PALESTINIANS! The problem with this, however, is that even WITHIN Gaza, there is also propaganda being spread by Hamas. Some of THEM are pro-Hamas while others are innocent bystanders. Some are innocent human shields, while others are DUPED human shields! Those who learned from Hitler's Germany during WWII, could have told us this fact from the "Hitlerjugend," the German Youth who had bought into the Nazi propaganda during that period. Many of them became the "Brownshirts," as one might remember in the musical "The Sound of Music." "The Brownshirts, also known as the Sturmabteilung (SA), were a paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. They were known for their brown uniforms, hence the nickname. The SA played a significant role in the Nazi Party's rise to power, particularly through intimidation and violence against political opponents and Jews." - Google AI Hamas leaders are students of that history, and they raise violent protests in every country in which they have a presence, including Italy and here in the USA! So, all those who are "the majority of humanity [who] believes that we are actually witnessing a genocide taking place before our very eyes," must also be taught this DISTINCTION between the Palestinian civilians and the Hamas militants, and the correlation between this and the rise of Nazi Germany.

Shalom, @Montana Marv. People come to these assumptions "all on their own" (with help from years and years of unbiblical teaching handed down from one teacher to the next). God CAN create something by His own mouth; HOWEVER, even in the original Creation, it all took SIX DAYS to accomplish, by HIS choice, as each complete system was added to the mix. Yeeshuwa` SAID, "I go to prepare a place for you"! The Greek words are "πορεύομαι ἑτοιμάσαι τόπον ὑμῖν" = "poreuomai etoimasai topon humin" = "I-am-going-myself to-make-ready a-place for-you-(plural)." Now, the idea behind the word "etoimasai" is to prepare a place for each one of us individually. He's been doing this, or at least supervising this, with His messengers doing the work, for almost 2,000 years now! He's making each decision about each person's "place" PERSONALLY and as their choices in their lives are made. He's taking His time to get each place JUST RIGHT for each one of God's children. This IS biblical because God doesn't say "<POOF!> All done!" He TAKES HIS TIME, because even though He knows people's decisions before they make them, He doesn't count them made until they've made them! He RESPECTS their free choice, whether they choose rightly or wrongly! Well, if you're talking about His working on the New Jerusalem, John DOESN'T see that because He is viewing the END, when the New Jerusalem is practically finished and is on its way to earth. Most of His time is seen in the throneroom of God and the Lamb, any way, whether in the New Jerusalem or on the earth on the top of Mount Zion in old Jerusalem. "Heaven" is NOT A PLACE! The "heaven" is the Greek word "οὐρανός" or "ouranos," which means "sky," just as Yeeshuwa` used the word in Matthew 16:1-4! It's the ATMOSPHERE first in which weather occurs and birds fly, but at night, it includes what we see THROUGH the atmosphere! Matthew 16:1-4 (KJV) 1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven (Greek: ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = "ek tou ouranou" = "from the sky"). 2 He answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say, '[It will be] fair weather': for the sky (Greek: ὁ οὐρανός = "ho ouranos" = "the sky") is red. 3 And in the morning, '[It will be] foul weather to day': for the sky (Greek: ὁ οὐρανός = "ho ouranos" = "the sky") is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky (Greek: τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = "tou ouranou" = "of-the sky"); but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times? 4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas!" And he left them, and departed. (Just a question to ponder: Why did the translators use "heaven" in verse 1 but chose to use "sky" in verses 2 and 3 for the SAME GREEK WORD? Interesting, isn't it?) John didn't report that he was "taken into Heaven," as most understand it today. The Greek wording in Revelation 4:1 is "4:1 Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον καὶ ἰδού, θύρα ἠνεῳγμένη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἡ πρώτη ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ᾽ἐμοῦ λέγουσα, Ἀνάβα ὧδε καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα." = 4:1 "Meta tauta eidon kai idou, thura heeneoogmenee en too ouranoo kai hee foonee hee prootee heen eekousa hoos salpiggos lalousees met' emou legousa, 'Anaba hoode kai deixoo soi ha dei genesthai meta tauta.'" = "After these-things I-saw and look!, an-opening was-opened-up in the sky and the sound the first that I-heard like a-trumpet/shofar was-speaking with me saying, 'Come-up here and I-will-show to-you-(singular) things-which it-is-necessary are-coming after these-things.'" Thayer's Greek Lexicon says this about "a door," "θύρα, θύρας, ἡ (from θύω to rush in, properly, that through which a rush is made; hence, German Thür (English door; Curtius, § 319))." Technically, we don't go through a door; we go through a DOORWAY when the door is open. The next verse says, "4:2 καὶ εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἰδού, θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καθήμενος" = "4:2 kai eutheoos egenomeen en pneumati kai idou, thronos ekeito en too ouranoo kai epi tou thronou katheemenos" = "And immediately I-was on a-wind and look!, a-throne was-set in the sky and upon the throne He-sat." So, he was CALLED up, and on a wind, he went through the opening in the sky and saw the one sitting upon the throne. Read the last two chapters of Ezekiel. They end with this: Ezekiel 48:30-35 (KJV) 30 And these [are] the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures. 31 And the gates of the city [shall be] after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi. 32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan. 33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun. 34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, [with] their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali. 35 [It was] round about eighteen thousand [measures]: and the name of the city from [that] day [shall be], "The LORD [is] there" (Hebrew: יְהוָה שָׁמָּה = "YHWH shaammaah"). This will be a SCALE MODEL of the New Jerusalem that will be in the Land for a thousand years BEFORE the New Sky and the New Earth with its New Jerusalem landing upon it. This city, "Yahuwh-shaammaah," shall exist WITHIN the borders of modern Israel, with the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the once-Dead Sea on the east. This is what one can learn from the rest of the last two chapters. The New Jerusalem, when it lands, will stretch from the southern shore of the Black Sea to the southern border of Egypt, and from about a third of the Mediterranean Sea (which won't exist anymore) to the middle of Iran! If it is centered at the current coordinates for old Jerusalem, it will be visible from Norway to Zimbabwe, from Morocco to China! When one is standing near it, the New Jerusalem will cover a THIRD of the visible sky! It will tower over any existing mountains! Mount Everest is about 5.5 miles high. This city will be almost 1,380 miles high at its center! Even when it has landed, much of it will still be outside of the bulk of earth's atmosphere! Thus, it will still be "Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ" = "Ierousaleem epouranioo" = "Jerusalem above-the-sky!" (Hebrews 12:22). But, this city doesn't land nor is it in use until AFTER there is a New Earth! When it lands, the pearl doors will be rolled away and the angels will stand watch at the gates. One only goes into the city through the "blood" of the jasper walls, and entrance is through the Resurrection, which the gates commemorate! Knowing that the walls have a length of 1,379.8686... miles and the width is the same, then its perimeter will be 4 x 1,379.8686... miles = 5,519.4747... miles and if one divides this by twelve, one will get almost 460 miles (459.956228... miles) from the center of one gate to the center of the nearest gate, however wide the gates will be! That's farther away than Boston, MA, is from Buffalo, NY, and almost as far as Dallas, TX, is from Memphis, TN! So, don't miss your exit!

Shabbat shalom, @Montana Marv. That's what many assume, but in philosophical, logical discussions, this is called a "non sequitur." That's Latin for "it doesn't necessarily follow." Think of the time line and WHEN Yeeshuwa` will be WHERE: When He was saying this to His disciples, "where I am" was right there in Jerusalem in the upper room, having just had His passover meal with them. Yhudah ("Judas") had just left to work out his treachery, and Yeeshuwa` was beginning to feel the weight of what was shortly to come. After He ascended through the clouds into the skies and ariving in the New Jerusalem (His Father's "tent-house") still under construction, "where I am" is indeed in the New Jerusalem, where He said, "I go to prepare a place for you." But, when He "comes again" and returns to earth, "where I am" will be once again in the Land of Israel, possibly back in Jerusalem. He DID NOT SAY that He was taking them back to the New Jerusalem with Him! Those words NEVER left His mouth! So, when He "comes again," THEN "He will receive them unto Himself" and that will be back on the earth again! This process requires their resurrections and their transporting to His presence! If they died anywhere else in the world, as Peter did in Rome and John did on the Isle of Patmos, they would be transported by the "angels" back to meet Him in the air, and go on to Israel from there.

Shabbat shalom, @Alive. Precisely! This is why we NEED the Resurrection! It is the "BLESSED HOPE!" (Titus 2:13). And, it is what we are supposed to be anticipating! Even atheists know Ecclesiastes 9:5 is true, and many of them are COUNTING on it! If there's no resurrection, then they won't have to face God's Judgment and they won't have to stand trial, but ... it SHALL happen as even the unrighteous will stand trial before the Great White Throne! This is the "terror of the Lord" that they will face! Reading on in 2 Corinthians 5, we find ... 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 (KJV) 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that EVERY ONE may receive the things [done] in [his] body, according to that he hath done, whether [it be] good or BAD. 11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

Shabbat shalom, @enoob57. This is a popular argument, but Paul didn't say that we would be going to "Heaven" when we were no longer "at home in the body." He just said, we would be "present with the Lord." I don't believe in the continuity of life. When one dies, he dies, just as Adam did! He is without breath and is no longer an "air-breathing creature" -he is no longer a "soul." We wait "asleep" until the Resurrection awakens us. Some call this "soul-sleep." I call it "soul annihilation." Instead, we become "souls" once again when we are awakened, and for us, no time has passed. Suddenly we are in the presence of Yeeshuwa`s messengers ("angels"), and meet Yeeshuwa` in the air, finally "present with the Lord! Furtherfore, the Son of God will transform us into glowing (glorified) bodies and we become MORE than mere "souls" - "air-breathing creatures," - being "soulual" ("natural") bodies, we will be "SPIRITUAL bodies" - "air-BLASTING-creatures," capable of BLOWING LIKE A WIND! HOWEVER, we don't know that this is one's human "body" in this passage; it could be that he was talking about "the body" of the Messiah, that is, "the church," in which one is a member! Try re-reading this passage thinking he was talking about "the body of Christ," instead of one's physical one, and see how it works that way. In Isaiah 66:1 (repeated by Stephen in Acts 7:49), YHWH God said, "הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי וְהָאָרֶץ הֲדֹם רַגְלָי" or "Hashshaamayim kiç'iy vhaa'aarets hadom ragliy" translated as "The-skies [are] my-throne, and-the-earth [is] the-stool of-my-feet." He's MUCH BIGGER than that! He's on earth just as He is in the skies, and remember, too, that "the skies" is a dual word that refers to the daytime sky and the nighttime sky, speaking of all one sees in the night - all the stars and galaxies and nebulae! When we read of the New Jerusalem (the "Lamb's Wife") in Revelation 21, we see that it comes down OUT OF THE SKY: Revelation 21:9-10 (KJV) 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife!" 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven (Greek: ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ = "ek tou ouranou" = "out of-the sky") from God, ..." Our eternal home is HERE (after the earth has been renewed after the Fire), the New Jerusalem LANDING upon it! As far as God "the Father is never stated as dwelling on the earth this can only be referring to heaven," read the first few verses of this same chapter in Revelation: Revelation 21:1-4 (KJV) 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven (the throne) saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God (Greek: ἡ σκηνὴ τοῦ θεοῦ = "hee skeenee tou Theou" = "the [Bedouin]-tent of-the God") [is] WITH MEN, and HE WILL DWELL WITH THEM, AND THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE, AND GOD HIMSELF SHALL BE WITH THEM, [AND BE] THEIR GOD. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Never say "never!"

Shalom, @Diaste. Why is it that people continually think that "Heaven" is a PLACE? The common explanation for a "third heaven" is what C. I. SCOFIELD said in his notes for 2 Corinthians 12:2: "1st heaven, of clouds; 2nd heaven, of stars; 3rd heaven, God's abode." He has NO Scripture backing up this claim! It only SEEMED like he was right, and everybody jumped on the bandwagon! While science was making strides in exploring "outer space" above the atmosphere, Christians were making inroads into accepting that "heaven" was actually "Heaven," a place where God dwelt. Where's the SCRIPTURAL evidence? I looked up EVERY REFERENCE to "heaven," "heavens," and "heavenly" in the Bible. Then, I looked up every Hebrew word and every Greek word that was used for these translations, through the use of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance BY HAND before I even knew about personal computers, when I was in high school (from 1975 through 1976). Phones, short for telephones, were toaster sized contraptions that sat on the desk or hung on the wall! THROUGH CONTEXT, I came up with the truth of their definitions, and the evidence was overwhelming! In both the Hebrew word "שָׁמָיִם" or "shaamaayim," (Genesis 1:6-8, 20) and the Greek word "οὐρανός" or "ouranos" (Matthew 16:1-4), it's conclusively clear that BOTH words mean simply "the sky." As is clear from context in the Hebrew texts, words were added to suggest "outer space," giving "שְׁמֵי הַשָּׁמָיִם" or "shmeey hashaamaayim," "heaven of heavens," and in Greek texts, primariliy those from Paul's writings, a prefix, namely "epi," was added to suggest the same, forming the adjective, "ἐπουράνιος" or "epouranios." I tried everything to get to the same conclusion that C. I. Scofield had come to, and NOTHING was working! I noticed, for instance, that there was "ouranos," "mesouranos," and "epourios," and though MAYBE the "mesouranos," meaning "middle of the sky," might actually refer to the "heaven of stars," and "epouranios" may refer to above that as "God's abode," but, of course, the contexts did not support that theory. Instead, I learned that "mesouranos" was where the birds fly (Revelation 19:17), and "epouranios" was where the sun, moon, and stars were (1 Corinthians 15:40-41)! Then, I read 2 Peter 3:3-13, and I found someone who knew about and shared what the true "third heaven" was: 2 Peter 3:3-13 (KJV) 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 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, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. He presents the picture that there are THREE AGES, with the first two ending in cataclysms, the first one of excessive water, and the second one of excessive fire: So, I will take Peter's word over that of C. I. Scofield. God doesn''t have "an abode"; He doesn't NEED "an abode!" He is OMNIPRESENT throughout His Creation we call the "Universe!" He knows the least little neutrino or subatomic particle or photon in EVERY galaxy that exists! If one believes that He "abides" ANYWHERE, then he or she has too small a view of God!

Shalom, @enoob57. The words "thou" and "thee" and "thy" and "thine" are SINGULAR, second-person pronouns in Elizabethan English, and the words "ye" and "you" and "your" and "yours" are PLURAL, second-person pronouns. This is information, btw, that is LOST in modern translations of Scripture, since we no longer use the singular forms in common English, and we've reduced the plural to "you" and "your" and "yours." Now, we must get the difference between direct address to singular or plural by the context in which we find the "you," "your," or "yours." Sometimes, that's difficult to do in the contexts of the Bible. This is one of the reasons I prefer the KJV. Thus, this was addressed SOLELY to Yochanan ("John") as he was snatched away to view revelation about the future. (It's not "the Rapture.") No one else is going up to "Heaven" with John, at the same time! The natural question would be "'the throne was set' UPON WHAT?" Anything that has mass and is within the gravitational field of the earth is going to be pulled to earth by gravity. Things can't sit upon clouds, for clouds are simply mists that are formed above the dew point. This level (which is variable, depending on humidity, temperature and pressure) is called the "lifting condensation level (LCL)." That's why clouds appear flat on the bottom. Things don't naturally float in the sky, unless they are supported by helium balloons (as in the cartoon movie "Up"), or are flying with wings or propellers. Even objects that are in orbit are not floating there. They are perpetually falling, but moving so fast that the earth falls away from them at the same rate by the curvature of the earth, such that they are constantly falling to the earth and constantly MISSING IT! This is what an "orbit" is. Geosynchronous orbits are such orbits that are at the particular height to be falling to earth and missing it in the same direction as the earth spins, and at the same speed as the earth turns. Thus, they can appear to be generally in the same spot whenever one looks up to find them. This is important to modern communication satellites. Thus, radio listening devices can be trained to their exact location. Another possibility is that this throne is set in the "heavens" - in the "skies" - by sitting upon a MOUNTAIN (such as Mount Tsiyown or "Zion") which has a top "among the clouds," and one must look up to see it when at lower elevations.

Shalom, @Revelation Man. Sorry, but "ekkleesia" (spelled epsilon, kappa, kappa, lambda, eta, sigma, iota, alpha) means a "called-out" assembly. The word "sooma" (spelled sigma-omega-mu-alpha) means "body." Paul made an ANALOGY of the ekkleesia to the sooma, and its members to members of the body. However, this was not a UNIVERSAL analogy, but was a LOCAL analogy: See, within each separate group, they were to work together and help one another to maintain the group's health. Therefore, each separate group would each work together to support all the members OF THAT GROUP! It was never intended to be expanded to all the groups as though they were one! That's my point: They were not ONE "ekkleesia"; they were "ekkleesiai" (the plural of "ekkleesia")! I use the analogy to say, "It's hard for a finger in Albuquerque to scratch a nose in Kalamazoo!" That's NOT what Paul intended in this analogy. He was talking about a LOCAL church, specifically the church at Korinth! Yes, He is our High Priest forever after the order of Malkhiy-Tsedeq, "My-King-of-Righteousness," but one should NOT make the mistake that, just because He is seated on His Father's right hand side, that He is currently reigning in "Heaven!" I agree. Well, we are to worship God together. We're not separate entities; however, we're not together called "the church!" We who are Gentiles are graffed into the Root of David, which makes us Jews through the Messiah! We are ADOPTED into His family, even though they were born as Gentiles! Wait a minute! Didn't you just get done saying that "It's not another Entity?" Of course God can give two different people two different callings; however, who says that we are two "different peoples?" Well, from my perspective, I'm not the one who is attempting to "mold everything to fit my understandings and beliefs." That challenge belongs to one who reads into the Scriptures things that aren't said by the author or Author, like "taking us to Heaven when we die"! 1) I quote a lot of Scripture to be sure that the reader understand that it is NOT "out of its context." I bring the context WITH the verses needed! 2) I don't misunderstand the passages, and if there's a question with what words may mean, I go to the source and look up the words! 3) Well, I don't think that's something I do; so, let's investigate your claim, shall we? Regarding Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, I think I've only used chapter 2, and again, I wrote out the WHOLE context. We are ONE NEW MAN in the Messiah! I don't quite understand your last sentence in this portion. Would you care to rephrase it for me, please? No, the 144,000 are MUSICIANS and SINGERS! Look more carefully to the words in Revelation 14:1-5. They are not just any people; they are people who can play instruments and sing! It's going to be a massive CHOIR!

Shalom, @Keras. No, but it HELPS! Look, the deeper one wants to go into the Scriptures, the deeper must be his or her knowledge of the languages used in writing the Bible. One must also come to a knowledge of the culture of the Israelites and the TIMES in which they lived, when the book being studied was written. That is the historical, cultural context that some ignore. Look again. The worst perpetrators of error and confusion are those who make unsubstantiated claims and cannot back them up with Scripture! The whole idea that the "'seventieth week of Daniel 9:27' IS the 'tribulation period'" was one of the original hoaxes of the 20th Century! A second hoax is that "the 'prince that shall come' IS 'the Antichrist'." This took the Messiah (who was ALREADY in Daniel 9:27) out of Daniel 9:27, WHICH, by the way, shows that HALF of the seventieth Seven is already FULFILLED! We are only waiting for the delay to be over "when the times of the Gentiles is fulfilled" and Yeeshuwa` returns, starting up the clock on the second half of the seventieth Seven, as He once again offers the Kingdom to Israel, starting with the Jews. I do thank the LORD for the Bible in our own language and that He has protected it down through the years; however, that doesn't relinguish the responsibility that teachers of that Bible have to know PRECISELY what the truth is that he or she is supposed to be teaching. There are NUANCES to the words used that aren't fully translated in the modern versions of the Bible. That doesn't make our Bible wrong; it simply means that there are facets of the Bible that may elude detection otherwise, because of language barriers. Many Bible teachers are OBLIVIOUS to the facts of Scripture BECAUSE they haven't digged into it enough! Things found within the tenses of the verbs, for instance, and the case of the nouns and pronouns that are used are not found within lexicons and dictionaries. One should know what the difference between the genitive case and the ablative case is, for instance, when determining what an author is trying to say by looking at the Greek of a word! One should know what how the Hebrew combines suffixes and some prefixes to form number and gender for a VERB as well tenses and that's equally true for nouns and adjectives! We can get the general meaning of a text by simply reading its English translation; however, to understand the specifics, sometimes we must go back to the original languages to get the deeper meanings of a context. And, refute it all you want, but I've looked at the Hebrew, and it MUST be the Messiah that is meant by the "he" in Daniel 9:27. AND, it FITS! For instance, why did Yeeshuwa` go through all the abominations of the scribes and Pharisees, and then make this statement? Matthew 23:37-39 (KJV) 37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! 38 "Behold, your house is left unto you DESOLATE. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, "'Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the LORD.'" (Psalm 118:26)

Shalom, @WilliamL, and Shalom, @Keras. So, now it has come down to an understanding of GaVriy'eel's (Gabriel's) words to Daniel in Daniel 9:24-27. Keras, the study of Hebrew and the "ancient words" is NOT a "dead-end rabbit trail!" It's where one will derive the actual meaning of the words one reads, WHATEVER translation of the Hebrew text one may be reading! It's just that most Gentile believers do NOT take the time to LEARN HEBREW! WilliamL, you have a detailed investigation into the Hebrew, but not from a Hebrew's understanding of the words. "SIBKIS," Charles "Tremendous" Jones used to say: "See It Big, Keep It Simple." This messenger from God was sent to an intelligent man who was made a eunuch in Babylon and is now living a useful life in Persia. As a child, Daniel was born a Hebrew who had learned Hebrew and was recognized as someone who could be useful, when he was captured. His importance grew as His wisdom and godliness were recognized. From a personal view, Daniel was a man who feared YHWH God and He could read and study "the books," particularly that of the prophet Yirmeyahuw ("Jeremiah"), which he either obtained and preserved, or made a copy of it, or had a copy made. Without chapter and verse numbers, he was reading through the scroll of the prophet and discovered the passages we now mark as Jeremiah 25:11-12 and Jeremiah 29:10, learning that the Captivity would be limited to seventy years, if they returned to YHWH God. Jeremiah 25:8-14 (KJV) 8 'Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; '"Because ye have not heard my words, 9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north," saith the LORD, "and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, [and] an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon SEVENTY YEARS. 12 "'And it shall come to pass, WHEN SEVENTY YEARS ARE ACCOMPLISHED, [that] I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation," saith the LORD, "for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. 13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, [even] all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands." Daniel 29:1-14 (KJV) 1 Now these [are] the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; 2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) 3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying, 4 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "'Unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 Build ye houses, and dwell [in them]; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.'" 8 "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; "'Let not your prophets and your diviners, that [be] in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them,' saith the LORD. 10 "For thus saith the LORD, "'That AFTER SEVENTY YEARS BE ACCOMPLISHED AT BABYLON I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' saith the LORD, 'thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you,' saith the LORD: 'and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you,' saith the LORD; 'and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.'" Daniel was confessing his sins and the sins of his people, when GaVriy'eel (גַּבְרִיאֵל) was sent, and He said this, in verses 24-27: 24 שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעִים נֶחְתַּךְ עַל־עַמְּךָ וְעַל־עִיר קָדְשֶׁךָ לְכַלֵּא הַפֶּשַׁע וּלְהָתֵם חַטָּאת וּלְכַפֵּרעָוֺן וּלְהָבִיא צֶדֶק עֹלָמִים וְלַחְתֹּם חָזוֹן וְנָבִיא וְלִמְשֹׁחַ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים׃ 25 וְתֵדַע וְתַשְׂכֵּל מִן־מֹצָא דָבָר לְהָשִׁיב וְלִבְנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַד־מָשִׁיחַ נָגִיד שָׁבֻעִים שִׁבְעָה וְשָׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם תָּשׁוּב וְנִבְנְתָה רְחוֹב וְחָרוּץ וּבְצוֹק הָעִתִּים׃ 26 וְאַחֲרֵי הַשָּׁבֻעִים שִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם יִכָּרֵת מָשִׁיחַ וְאֵין לוֹ וְהָעִיר וְהַקֹּדֶשׁ יַשְׁחִית עַם נָגִידהַבָּא וְקִצּוֹ בַשֶּׁטֶף וְעַד קֵץ מִלְחָמָה נֶחֱרֶצֶת שֹׁמֵמוֹת׃ 27 וְהִגְבִּיר בְּרִית לָרַבִּים שָׁבוּעַ אֶחָד וַחֲצִי הַשָּׁבוּעַ יַשְׁבִּית זֶבַח וּמִנְחָה וְעַל כְּנַף שִׁקּוּצִיםמְשֹׁמֵם וְעַד־כָּלָה וְנֶחֱרָצָה תִּתַּךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵם׃ פ Here are the transliterations of these verses into English characters: 24 ShaaVu`iym shiV`iym naachtakh `al-`amkhaa v`al-`iyr qaadshekhaa lkhallee' hapesha` uwlhaateem chaTTaa't uwlkhapeer `aavown uwlhaaViy' tsedeq `olaamiym vlachtom chaazown vnaaViy' vlimshoach qodesh qaadaashiym: 25 Vteeda` vtaskeel min-motsaa' daaVaar lhaashiyV vliVnowt yruwshaalaim `ad-maashiyach naagiyd shaaVu`iym shiV`aah vshaaVu`iym shishshiym usshnayim vniVntaah rchowV vchaaruwts uwVtsowq haa`ittiym: 26 V'achareey hashshaaVu`iym shishshiym uwshnayim yikaareet maashiyach v'eeyn low vhaa`iyr vhaqqodesh yashchiyt `am naagiyd tabaa' vqitstsow bashsheTef v`ad qeets milchaamaah necheretset shomeemowt: 27 Vhigbiyr briyt laarabiym shaaVuwa` 'echaad vachatsiy hashshaaVuwa` yashbiyt zeVach uwminchaah v`al knaf shiqquwtsiym mshomeem v`ad-kaalaah vnecheraatsaah titakh `al-shomeem: F And, a word-for-word translation follows: 24 "Seventy sevens are-determined upon-your-people and-upon-city your-holy to-finish the-transgression and-to-make-an-end of-sin and-to-atonement of-iniquityand-to-usher-in righteousness of-ages and-to-seal-up vision and-prophecy and-to-anoint holy of-holies: 25 "And-know and-understand from-issuing of-word to-restore and-to-build Jerusalem unto-Messiah prince sevens seven and-sevens sixty and-two and-shall-be-built street and-wall and-in-distress the-times: 26 "And-after the-sevens sixty and-two shall-be-cut-off Messiah and-not to-him and-the-city and-the-holy shall-be-destroyed [by]-a-people of-a-prince that-shall-come and-its-end shall-be in-a-flood and-unto an-end of-the-war are-determined desolations: 27 "And-he-shall-strengthen a-covenant to-many a-seven one and-in-middle of-the-seven he-shall-cause-to-cease sacrifice and-gift and-upon a-spread-out-wing of-abominations he-shall-make-desolate and-unto-end and-that-determined shall-be-poured upon-desolate." It's important to understand that there are NO subjects in verse 27 for the verbs in verse 27. In that sense, verse 27 is a CONTINUATION from verse 26, as we must go back to verse 26 for a subject-noun antecedent that will match the verbs which require a masculine, singular, personal noun. The problem arises when one understands that many Gentile believers have believed the antecedent to be the "prince that shall come," or "naagiyd tabaa'"; HOWEVER, the Hebrew shows us that this is THE SECOND NOUN of a noun construct state where the second noun would be translated into English with an "of" in front of it. The phrase is "`am naagiyd tabaa'" and, like in English, the second noun of the noun construct state (in English the object of the preposition "of") cannot be the subject of a main verb in the sentence! So, the conclusion is that "the prince that shall come" CANNOT be the subject of the verbs in verse 27. This forces one to go back farther into the verse for the next masculine, singular, personal noun, "Messiah." Thus, it is the "Messiah" that is the antecedent of the verbs in verse 27. So, the correct substitutions would be... 27 And-the-Messiah-shall-strengthen a-covenant to-many a-seven one and-in-middle of-the-seven the-Messiah-shall-cause-to-cease sacrifice and-gift and-upon a-spread-out-wing of-abominations the-Messiah-shall-make-desolate and-unto-end and-that-determined shall-be-poured upon-desolate. And, each of these are shown in the New Testament: "And-the-Messiah-shall-strengthen a-covenant to-many a-seven one" was satisfied simply by HIM BEING BORN AND ALL THINGS PROPHESIED ABOUT HIM BEING FULFILLED! The "covenant" was the DAVIDIC Covenant, which the same man GaVriy'eel ("Gabriel") quoted to Miryam ("Mary") in Luke 1:30-33! Like His predecessor David before Him, the Jews - the children of Yhudah, His own tribe - should have made Him their king for a seven, before He became the King of all Israel. The portion "and-in-middle of-the-seven the-Messiah-shall-cause-to-cease sacrifice and-gift" was fulfilled by the fact that He was crucified and the veil in the Temple was torn in half from the top to the bottom, signifying God's satisfaction with the sacrifice He made; no more sacrifices or gifts for sins were needed. The final portion "and-upon a-spread-out-wing of-abominations the-Messiah-shall-make-desolate" was fulfilled before His crucifixion when He pronounced them "desolate" in Matthew 23:38.

Shalom, again, @Excalibur. The short answers are ... (1) Read the all caps of Matthew 25:31-36 (KJV) 31 "WHEN THE SON OF MAN SHALL COME IN HIS GLORY, and all the holy angels with him, THEN SHALL HE SIT UPON THE THRONE OF HIS GLORY: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, "'Come, ye blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.' " (2) "None." Actually, in a longer answer with explanation, it can be shown that the Roman Empire hasn't truly died off, yet. We're still in it with our governments and means of control over the peoples of Europe and the New World. It's merely faded to invisibility, having been called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and of late the European Union and the United Nations; however, it will become noticeable once again, and soon it will be in charge again! We're still part of the feet of iron mixed with clay, and we don't adhere very well together. Over the last few decades, many parallels have been drawn between the old Roman Empire and our own United States of America. And, the Kingdom that God sets up was DELAYED as per Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:1-3. Daniel 9:27 (KJV) 27 And he (the Messiah of verse 26) shall confirm the (Davidic) covenant with many for one week (Luke 1:30-33; 2 Samuel 2:11; 7:1-17; 1 Kings 2:11): and in the midst of the week (3.5 years, confirm with harmonies of the Gospels) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease (Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45; Hebrews 10:5-20), and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate (Matthew 23:1-38), even until the consummation (Matthew 23:39), and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Jeremiah 30:1-24). Daniel 12:1-3 (KJV) 1 And at that time shall Michael ("Who-is-like-God") stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt. 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. Recognizing that the last few verses of Daniel 11 are speaking about Herod the Great and the battle between Anthony/Cleopatra and Rome and how it influenced Herod, verse 1 will begin with the introduction of the Messiah Yeeshuwa` until the "time of trouble" has begun. Verse 2 speaks of the Resurrections of life and of the second death, which sandwich the 1,000 years of HaSatan's temporary incarceration in the Abyss. But, the Resurrection to everlasting life comes when the Messiah Returns (1 Corinthians 15:23; Revelation 20:1-6), at his sentence's beginning, and the Resurrection to shame and everlasting contempt is after he is released (1 Corinthians 15:24; Revelation 20:7-15).

Shalom, @Excalibur. Sorry, but this is a misdirection. The FACT is that He has NOT set up His Kingdom as yet! I'll say it again: If the Messiah (the Christ) is currently reigning, then He would be the WEAKEST King there has ever been! But, He has not even BEGUN to reign, yet! It will be QUITE obvious when He does! Look, we can CONSIDER ourselves today to be His FUTURE subjects, and that's good! But, one should not confuse this with His actual Kingdom! That doesn't begin UNTIL He returns! THEN, we will ACTUALLY be His subjects, and receive the Kingdom He has promised! Again, trust Yeeshuwa`s own words: Luke 19:11-28 (KJV) 11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 12 He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, "'Occupy (Trade with this) till I come.' 14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, "'We will not have THIS [man] to reign over us!' 15 "And it came to pass, that WHEN HE WAS RETURNED, HAVING RECEIVED THE KINGDOM, THEN he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. 16 "Then came the first, saying, "'Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.' 17 "And he said unto him, "'Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.' 18 "And the second came, saying, "'Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.' 19 "And he said likewise to him, "'Be thou also over five cities.' 20 "And another came, saying, "'Lord, behold, [here is] thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin: 21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.' 22 "And he saith unto him, "'Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant! Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury (interest)?' 24 "And he said unto them that stood by, "'Take from him the pound, and give [it] to him that hath ten pounds.' 25 "(And they said unto him, "'Lord, he [already] HATH ten pounds!') 26 "'For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. 27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and SLAY [them] before me!' " 28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. They even thought His Kingdom would appear after His Resurrection! Acts 1:1-11 (KJV) 1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus ("Friend of God"), of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but "wait for the promise of the Father, which," [saith he], "ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, "LORD, WILT THOU AT THIS TIME RESTORE AGAIN THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?" 7 And he said unto them, "IT IS NOT FOR YOU TO KNOW the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 Which also said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."